style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Disclaimer: I’m thrilled to be partnering with Market Street to highlight features, deals and more each month! #MarketStreetTX
I might not like to shop for clothes, but grocery shopping is a whole “other ballgame.” As long as I’m without a kid to speed me through the process, I like to take the whole thing in; a sensory experience from the moment the sliding doors open welcoming me in to want to touch, smell, eat and of course, BUY everything I can get my hands on.
I am blessed there are so many innovative grocers in my area, but one of the ones that is near and dear to my heart is Market Street. Growing up in my small hometown, United was the only grocery store in town. At one time my mom worked there, my friends worked there and of course, many holidays were first celebrated with a couple of runs to United. However, just like me, United has grown up, added more stores and brands including Market Street, the experiential marketplace that allows customers to touch, feel, smell and taste their household needs, but still with that hometown hospitality it’s always had.
Continuing to celebrate that local pride, Market Street will host the BEST OF TEXAS, JULY 12 AND 13, 11 am – 5 pm throughout the store. To support Texas growers and suppliers who share our dedication to excellence, the stores will be sampling a huge number of Texas products, so it’s an ideal time to come in and shop! Of course, Market Street always features Texas products like wine, beer, beef and produce. You can see the extensive list of sampling opportunities on the website, but the Olli Wild Boar Salame, Llano Wine & Mom’s Strawberry Cake are high on my target list!
If you’ve never shopped Market Street before, make sure to sign up for their Rewards Program to save on the Texas grown watermelon and cantaloupes you’ll be buying. A completely digital program, coupons are automatically loaded to your account and all you need to do is type in your phone number and you save on the items you buy most! Even the kids receive a free cupcake or piece of fruit on their birthday! Get started on saving money by signing up today!
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of ZYRTEC®
I’ve spent the last five days looking a lot like Samantha from Bewitched. You, know the old show with the witch that twitches her nose? Unfortunately, I can’t cast spells and believe me I’ve about had it with all the twitching, itching and everything that comes with allergies. Especially in Texas when you never know how the weather is going to affect you, it’s a gamble on how I’m going to feel and look every day. And considering I still have to be on TV with an upcoming segment on WFAA Good Morning Texas on summer-perfect recipes, I have to do whatever I can to make sure I feel great and look even better.
Without a doubt, I rely first thing in the morning with to give me 24-hour relief of allergy symptoms. That means I can get on with my day without wondering if my allergies are going to take over. But I have to do a little more to get rid of the ALLERGY FACE® with watery eyes, red nose and a puffy face! But it doesn’t mean I have to look like what I feel on the days that my allergies are at their worst!
ZYRTEC® has partnered with celebrity makeup artist Jamie Greenberg to help allergy sufferers combat ALLERGY FACE® with six makeup “looks” perfect for allergy sufferers trying to look their best!
She’s put her brushes on almost everyone in Hollywood, so I’m excited to put all her tips of the trade to work. From a barely there makeup look to all the glitz and glamour of being ready to walk the red carpet, Jamie has tips for everyone on the ZYRTEC® Facebook page. With the help of just one ZYRTEC® daily and five beauty products you probably already have in your make up bag, you can feel and look fresh-faced and fabulous (with a little help from Jamie!)
Make Up Must-Haves for Fighting ALLERGY FACE®:
Shimmery white color shadow
black eyeliner
black mascara
concealer
cheek/lip stain
And of course, don’t forget your ZYRTEC®!
Want more tips on how you can feel and look your best? Join us for the ZYRTEC® #ALLERGYFACE Twitter Party!
Twitter party participants will be entered to win up to $500 in gift cards from Sephora! Please join us at the ZYRTEC® Twitter party on Tuesday, June 3, 2014 from 9 pm to 10 pm EST / 6 pm to 7 pm PST. You can follow the hashtag #ALLERGYFACE during the party.
And make sure you stock up on your daily fighter for ALLERGY FACE® with ZYRTEC®!
Disclaimer: This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Slimfast, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #14daystoslim http://www.my-disclosur.es/OBsstV
For me, Mother’s Day came and went like most days – I worked, they played. However, this Mother’s Day, a group of friends and I realized what we really wanted was to GO AWAY. Unfortunately a glamorous weekend away to somewhere exotic wasn’t in the books or the wallet, so we planned a whole 18-hours away at a local resort to learn what Julia was talking about in Eat Pray Love. “Il noche far niente”…right next to the pool.
That meant I was going to have to put on a swimsuit… While that was almost a reason to cancel my train to Relaxville, I thought it might be a little easier to take off at least a little poundage before the big day, which was about a month away. However, already at my wits’ end, I needed a plan that was quick, easy, tasty and healthy for me to successfully stay with it to lose weight. I needed to do something that I could easily start tomorrow and didn’t take up my whole day to do it right. Something that worked with my schedule and wasn’t something I wasn’t going to hate to eat, but instead look forward to so I was motivated to keep on going.
Motivation like sipping an ice-cold, creamy pina colada, next to the pool, without a care in the world.
Thankfully, Slimfast’s newest, limited-edition flavor, Pina Colada, is exactly that, but full of the vitamins, protein and other good stuff you need to help you lose weight. And with their handy refrigerated four-pack, they are grab n go to fit my lifestyle – in the car, in my purse, next to my computer and whereever my day takes me! There’s no extra work for me to prepare or plan, and each time I took off the top and took my first drink, I was reminded that in just two weeks, I would be at the pool enjoying doing nothing in my bathing suit. It was almost like I was getting a taste of my vacay each time I enjoyed my Slimfast pina colada.
Slimfast® 14 Days to Slim program is a convenient and delicious way to lose up to lose 6 pounds in the first 2 weeks. Found at most major grocery stores, the whole line of Slimfast products can help you stay on track while eating many of the things you love to eat and drink. The Slimfast website even helps create a personalized plan based on your weight loss goals.
And to sweeten the deal, you can enter the Slimfast 14 Days to Slim Challenge Sweepstakes on Slimfast’s Facebook page. You and one other lucky winner will “Unlock Your Closet” and receive $5,000 grand prize to a specific retailer or a Visa/Amex gift card! That not only will buy you a new swimsuit, but a whole new wardrobe after losing those pounds! So get ready to share what you want to wear and you may win! Just check out my “Unlock My Closet” Pinterest Board! And while you’re there, check out all the tips to help you slim down with Slimfast!
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Barilla®. Everyone has a favorite meal and for my hubs, hands down, it’s Italian Sausage and Peppers! Since he’s been hard at work to complete his law degree (Go Aggies!), I wanted to give him a special meal that the whole family would still enjoy! In efforts to make everyone happy, I took our family recipe for Italian Sausage Sandwiches and using sauce, added a serving of veggies without them knowing it!
Made with all-natural, quality ingredients like vine-ripened tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil and herbs, opening up a jar tastes like you’ve been working for hours for that homemade taste without the mess! So in less than 30 minutes, I had made a delicious dinner that was good to eat while it was doing good for others. See, when you buy a jar of sauce from Barilla® from now until May 31, Barilla will donate $.05 cents to Feeding America’s National Produce Program, with a minimum donation of $150,000! How easy is that to make a good meal that does good using !?!
And to sweeten the “spaghetti bowl” even more, one lucky reader will win a prize pack from Barilla® to help you plan your own family dinner! This amazing prize pack includes a jar (1) of Barilla® sauce and one (1) Barilla® branded wooden spoon, one (1) Barilla® Spaghettata Bowl, and five (5) coupons, each redeemable for one (1) jar of Barilla® pasta sauce – valued at $60!
Just see below how you can get your hands on this prize pack! I know I can’t wait to make a big bowl of pasta for dinner with this perfectly sized bowl! Italian Sausage Sandwiches 1 lb. Italian sausages 1 package of submarine sandwich bread or small Italian bread loaves (do not cut in half, but instead of cut into a V to insert the fixings 1 jar Barilla 1 onion, sliced thin 1-2 peppers (green, red and yellow), sliced thin Six slices of provolone cheese, cut in slices Olive oil Preboil the Italian sausages by boiling them whole in water for 5-7 minutes to keep sausages juicy and cuts down the grease. Then grill/pan fry the sausages until cooked through. Allow them to cool slightly and then cut them either horizontally or vertically depending on your preference (I like them like coins so it’s easier for the kids to bite into.) In the saucepan on medium heat, add olive oil and vegetables. Sauteed vegetables until brown. Grill bread by broiling in the oven on high for a few minutes with a little olive oil or begin building your sandwich. Dress the sausages with the sauce, vegetables, sausages and cheese across the top. Keeping the oven on broil, place sandwich on pan and allow the cheese to melt over bread. Serve sandwich with salad or potato chips!
The Barilla Taste the Difference, Make a Difference Giveaway is open to US residents and ends on May 31, 2014 at 11:59 EST. To enter, please comment on this post below sharing how you give back to your local community.
ALSO, 10 randomly selected readers who comment will also be chosen to receive a coupon! Full giveaway rules can be found at http://barilla.com/RealTasteRules.
How do you give back to your community? Comment here with your email for your chance to win with Barilla!
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Barilla®. For every jar of Barilla® sauce purchased, $0.05 will be donated to Feeding America’s National Produce Program which secures one pound of fresh produce on behalf of local food banks. Barilla® will make a minimum donation of 4.2 million pounds of fresh produce ($150,000) from 4/1/14 through 5/31/14.
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Yourkidvid. It’s no secret that moms like to be acknowledged for their hard work, especially on Mother’s Day. However, as my hubs can attest, appreciation doesn’t need to come in the form of big expensive gift to be meaningful (although I am still grateful for those diamond earrings that year). This is where “the thought is what counts” can really be put to work. Unfortunately, creativity, time and presentation are difficult for most people to put into action to create a picture-perfect gift for Mother’s Day that brings the tears, hugs and major brownie points.
While framing that adorable shot of the kids at Christmas or Easter and presenting to mom is nice, it just doesn’t give the whole story…
But there is something truly magical when you hear the sound of a laugh, giggle or the words “I love you” that only a video can capture!
So with a little help from , you can give mom an unforgettable, unique personalized gift that she’ll cherish for years. The concept is genius: using all those cute videos of the kids on your smartphone and computer, Yourkidvid’s award-winning team edits them into an original cinematic experience with hand-picked music, color-corrected images, graphics and that special touch for a video that she’ll be proud to share with everyone including Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and email, starting at only $29. (And for those of us with family that we don’t get to see often, this is the ideal gift for grandma to get on Mother’s Day too!)
SPECIAL OFFER:
Get 20% off any Yourkidvid order with promo code: 1in85million until May 12, 2014.. It can be used towards all products (including gift cards).
Don’t think you’ll be able to get the videos off mom’s phone without her noticing? Then get her a and she can make her own video to cherish for years to come.
There are 85 million moms in the U.S., but is there a mom in your life who is truly #1? Yourkidvid, the professional video editing service for you and the little ones you love, is holding a contest to find America’s #1 mom.
To enter, like Yourkidvid on Facebook AND publish a description of why your mom is #1 on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram using the hashtag, #1in85million.
Your entry can be as simple as sharing a moment, a story, a quick note or even a video about a lifetime of motherly love. Just include the hashtag #1in85million and like us at www.facebook.com/yourkidvid by May 11, 2014. A winner will be selected by the video editing geniuses at Yourkidvid, to receive an iPad mini plus a Gift Card for a free Yourkidvid Premium Video! The winner can give the prizes to their #1 mom or keep them . . . we won’t tell! Go to www.yourkidvid.com/1in85million for details and rules.
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Yourkidvid.
This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign withPollinate Media Group™ and Dr. Pepper Snapple Group but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #TENways #ad http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV.
With summer time just around the corner, it means we only have 60 days left to attempt to zip up that cute summer mini dress or squeeze into the always-dreaded swimsuit! But eating healthy doesn’t necessarily mean we have to give our my favorite things to eat AND drink.
What a lot of people don’t think about is the amount of calories consumed with just one cocktail! However, with the Ten beverage line from Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, you can enjoy all the fun and flavor of Sunkist, A&W Rootbeer, Canada Dry Ginger Ale and 7-up for only TEN calories!
So I’ve concocted four fantastic recipes that taste even better than your old standby summer cocktails, but without the empty calories! I love being able to enjoy anytime of the week, at get-togethers and even playdates with other moms and they think I’ve added something to our drinks, but in fact, I’ve taken out most calories by using the TEN beverages I found at Walmart. And they taste delicious enough you may choose these as your go-to summer sippers! I mean nothing says summer like a rootbeer float…and with this recipe I’ve cut half the calories, 25 percent of the fat and none of the flavor!
7UP TEN PUNCH
1 ounce orange juice
1 ounce pineapple juice
2 ounces Ten 7-up
½ teaspoon grenadine
Orange wedge
Full a shaker with ice. Add all ingredients except the soda, shake well. Strain into a wine glass and top with 7UP. Garnish with orange slice.
SUNKIST TEN COSMEAUX
4 ounces Ten Sunkist
2 ounce cranberry juice (or cranberry juice cocktail)
Garnish with a twist of orange peel
Mix together all ingredients in a cocktail shaker lightly. Serve in a martini glass.
CANADA DRY FAUXJITO
6-7 Mint leaves
1 tablespoon lime juice
6 ounces of Ten Canada Dry
Garnish with a slice of lime
Muddle mint leaves and lime juice. Fill glass with ice and Ten Canada Dry, stir, and serve.
A&W ROOTBEER LO-CAL FLOATER
½ cup Greek Frozen Yogurt Vanilla
8 ounces Ten A&W Rootbeer
Scoop frozen yogurt into cold mug glass. Carefully add A&W Rootbeer to the glass until foam rises to the top.
SAVE MONEY AND CALORIES WITH THE
$0.50 off of the purchase of TWO 2 Liter bottles or TWO 4-pack cans of Ten 7UP, Ten A&W, Ten Canada Dry, TEN RC or TEN Sunkist soda. However, if you share the digital coupon via email, Facebook or Twitter, you will get brought to a coupon that will get $1.50 off that purchase rather than just .$50! Get this coupon while supplies last! Enjoy celebrating summer by toasting with these non-alcoholic, lo-cal summer sippers featuring the Ten Calorie sodas!
Disclaimer: I received complimentary food for purposes of this review. #BestLobsterfest
When it comes to a family dinner outing, pizza, spaghetti, chicken nuggets or corndogs are somewhere on the menu.
However, this time the husband and I had a craving. And not just for a little extra bacon on our burger or spice in our pasta. We wanted LOBSTER.
But with two kids to feed, that option would normally be out the window with them in tow or reserved for a special occasion when we also would have to pay for a sitter, get into something more pressed and shiny, and make a reservation.
For our family, those types of moments don’t happen often and for the price of the evening, we are already in the hole before we even eat the meal. But we had a craving and we had two kids to feed, so…
Bring on the Red Lobster.
Yep, the friendly seafood chain known for the best garlicky, buttery cheddar biscuits and stiff drinks in my college days (for good measure we’ll say at least a decade ago), once again was my desired destination. And not only was it Red Lobster, but it was during Lobsterfest.
Lobster for everyone!
On a Friday night we did have a little wait, but that’s to be expected for most restaurants. Once we had our seats, we quickly had a server who understood that kids that were happy meant parents were happy, so he was super about getting orders made and delivered quickly even on a busy Friday night.
Going through the menu, there were so many options for dinner, especially during Lobsterfest since there’s more lobster dishes available than any other time of the year!
Some of the Lobsterfest menu highlights include:
Lobster in Paradise®
Ultimate Surf and Turf
Dueling Lobster Tails
Lobster Lover’s Dream®
Seaport Lobster & Shrimp
Lobster & Shrimp Linguini Alfredo
Rock Island Stuffed Tilapia
Ultimate Feast®
Bar Harbor Lobster Bake
While reading any of them just made my mouth water, it was the Rock Island Stuffed Tilapia that won my tastebuds. And although the kiddos ended up with broccoli, chicken and macaroni ‘n cheese, the family snacked on a sampler platter with cheese sticks for the kids and calamari for the adults.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t how it happened since the kids just ate the whole plate of cheese and “circle chicken.” I felt no need to correct him if it meant they were enjoying something different than chicken nuggets. So I just ate the cheddar biscuits… Like the whole basket. And they were good.
In just around an hour, we had all enjoyed a lovely lobster laden meal at a reasonable price and I had planned for the next time I came into Red Lobster what I would be trying. Perhaps with or without the kids.
REMEMBER: Lobsterfest only last until April 14, so make sure you get into your nearest LobsterFest at your Red Lobster. And if you are looking for an even better deal, you can get $10 off your meal when you buy two Lobsterfest entrees with this special coupon.
If you’re reading this post you probably fall into only one of two categories: you are excited to learn why you should or shouldn’t go to SXSWi OR you are wondering if SXSW is the newest version of P90X. Honestly, you might not know what either one is, but when it comes down to the conference for all things digital, music and more, it comes all down to SXSW or what’s more formerly known as South by Southwest or the conference goers as “South By.”
As the big daddy of conferences especially in the music world and now the technology environment too, SXSW, I’ve always wanted to attend. Thankfully, I was asked to be an ambassador for Pfister, so I had the opportunity to travel to Austin for three days to Austin with my blog friend from Milk and Cuddles to explore SXSW together.
My one word to describe SXSW? Overwhelming.
But overwhelming doesn’t necessarily mean something negative, it’s just a lot to take in. However, with a few points of advice, you can figure out if SXSW is for you, what to expect and how to get the most out of it.
Four Tips for a Successful SXSW Experience
1. Book:
Hotels for SXSW open as early as fall for the following year. I’d highly suggest you book one close and realize it’s going to be costly. Since I didn’t decide to go until February, I was stuck with some expensive, yet crappy choice for hotels. While it was only three miles away, each day I had to deal with a little traffic, I did have to plan my parking strategy. Many nearby lots offer parking at $25 for just the day, so I would have to have my evening plans scheduled in advance or I might have a ticket waiting for me or a car not waiting for me. However, having a hotel downtown would have made things easier if it’s within walking distance of the Austin Convention Center.
2. Bring:
Charge cords for all those smart devices, cameras, and computers are a must. While I picked up two freebie ones at SXSW, that was just a lucky circumstance. Remember, there are stations as well in the lounges (see below), but if you plan to tweet a session and the phone starts to go low 30 minutes in, I’m telling you that you aren’t finding a cord. (For other helpful things to bring, check out this post on “Last-Minute Must-Pack Items for SXSW.“)
3. Schedule:
With more than 70,000 at this conference and hundreds of topics, tradeshows and discussions you can attend, it’s impossible to attend everything you want. So you have to be choosy. I attended several sessions at SXSW and would have attended more if I hadn’t learned my first lesson early: know what session you really want to go to, make sure you are there in advance and just because it’s a few blocks away, doesn’t mean it will only take you 10 minutes to get there. My favorite session was with Dallas Mavs owner/technology genius/Shark Tanker Mark Cuban. I honestly wanted to hear a hometown hero at work and I think he represented Big D in a big way. He talked candidly and in true SXSW fashion, rolled out his new app.
4. Network:
There are social events out the wazoo at SXSW. Some are within the event, some are just in around the city. Ironically, only a few are official, so get those thumbs to working on social media looking up what’s available. There were luncheons, dinners, happy hours, tours…well anything and 99% of was free. The Austin American-Statesman had a list of events I found and so did Eventbrite. Just make sure to sign up for these too, as some of them will sell out.
As a brand representative, PR pro, and blogger, I experienced SXSW with several different points of views.
Standouts from my SXSW included:
The Paypal Social Media Lounge was a phenomenal of creating a space for attendees that they wanted to come to repeatedly throughout the event and even enjoy difference experience. Set up as a recharging station for powering up devices, attendees also could order a handcrafted barista-made coffee, meet and greet with a book author, grab a quick snack and even grab some much needed swag at the Paypal store for free. The “store” was actually a way to try out its new online store app to purchase from brick and mortar retailers with a smartphone. While Paypal was actually giving attendees a choice of a charging adapter, umbrella, hangover kit, etc., a product representative a chance to guide the attendee through their first use of the app, making sure everyone who entered the door left with the downloaded app and branded merchandise.
While I wasn’t sure what the brand was when I walked in, I can tell you that everyone wanted to be in the Circus Maximus Lounge. With breakfast, the best Tito’s Bloody Marys and really cute shirts, this coordinated effort between several technology brands had something going on at all times. I’m still not sure exactly all the company names or if they had any real importance for me, it made an impression.
I literally bumped (actually just stumbled) into the Samsung Loungeacross from the Austin Convention Center. Taking over a restaurant space, the Samsung lounge had experiences happening all over the place and it felt like several night clubs in the middle of the day. We had tacos, cocktails, customized juice blends based on our activity style – and everything had a Samsung touchpoint. For those with Samsung devices, attendees could trade in their battery for a new one on the spot.
Of course, the best part of SXSW is that it’s in Austin. No one doesn’t like going to Austin; it’s beautiful (except when it rains in the winter), laid back and full of fun places to eat and experience. From food trucks along Caesar Chavez to rolling down South Congress (SoCo), there are tons of places you can eat.
Places to eat in Austin: I enjoyed the food trucks including this crazy hot mess of tater tots with Longanisa and Sriracha one night for Be More Pacific. Then after a day of nothing but cold rain (which also makes for a different experience in Austin all together), a creamy, rich bowl homemade Papardelle from Enoteca-Vespaioand a risotto balls to die for. I’m still getting cravings for that dish as we speak. However, no Austin experience would be complete without brunch, so the only restaurant we had reservations for was La Condesa and it was worth it. A guacamole tasting, duck fries and some amazing chorizo eggs benedict on a quinoa cake – it was pretty delicious and a wise move since there was a huge waiting line after we left.
Still trying to decide? I’d suggest if you are with a brand launching a service that represents the tech demo or wants to own your place amongst your competition, it’s a must. If you are a blogger, SWSW has some great opportunities, but the sessions I attended seemed less workshop style and more discussion of social responsibility and how technology will play out in the future. However, the energy was intense and was an amazing way to immerse myself in all things in the digital world. And remember, you can always go to Austin during SXSW and be a part of the scene and not even buy a ticket. (I think my friend actually had an even better experience than me and she paid just her spending money while she was there.)
My last bit of advice for SXSW: Make sure you have a solid goal and stick to it. If you are going to hang and to check out the scene, then understand that’s what you are doing. If you are going in efforts to meet tons of people, then pound some coffee and get after it. Just make sure your agenda is clear from the beginning, so you accomplish what you set out to accomplish! Basically, it might not be a life-changing experience, but “it’d a whole lot cooler if you did.”
However, I still need something to get me excited enough to move my hiney. Thankfully, runs are getting creative so people like me that don’t like to run still want to get involved and enjoy the fun.
In the words of Julia Roberts: Well then color me happy!
The COLOR FUN FEST 5K comes to North Dallas/McKinney onApril 19, 2014. Both a day and night 5k color run featuring finish-line festivals, the goal of the Color Run is to combine fun and fitness while helping local charities!
COLOR FUN FEST 5K is an EPIC color fun run that heightens positive emotions by combining a5k fun run with the energy of electronic dance music, all while coloring the crowd with thousands of pounds of vibrant colored powder. The event is family-friendly, and features a post-run celebration with DJ entertainment.
The charities the run benefits Free Arts for Abused Children, a nonprofit organization that gives children that have suffered adversity a chance to express themselves through art. Another nonprofit that benefits from this event is a new startup charity called Flight for Cystic Fibrosis that gives children with CF a chance to feel alive by experiencing the incredible feeling of skydiving through wind tunnels and jumps. The mission of this program is to show these kids how to overcome fears and feel hope, bonding families and encouraging healthy living, which is vitally necessary for a person with Cystic Fibrosis.
And this run is one the whole family can get involved in including kids/parents, couples, groups of friends, fitness gurus, dance enthusiasts, runners, joggers, walkers, bloggers, couch potatoes, the young, the old, and basically everyone and anyone that likes to have fun!
Would you like to have some color fun?
Win a pair of registrations for the Color Run ($35 per registration/ $70 total)
Disclaimer: This was a sponsored post by Adams Exterminating.
Before I bought my first home, my visions of homeownership included painting the walls, planting the flowers, buying furniture, etc.
Once I bought my first home, I realized homeownership consisted of much more than that like replacing roofs, shifting foundations, and implementing pest control. Not exactly the images of the Home & Garden Channel I once thought, but certainly a huge responsibility that happens when you own a home.
Unfortunately for me, pest control has been one of those not-so-fabulous issues I’ve had to learn a lot about. Not because we aren’t clean people or don’t keep a clean house, but when if live next to a creek, are surrounded by trees or simply have a home that is comprised of wood…surprise! You can have any number pest concerns to take care to make sure you and your home are protected.
Since March 16-22 is Termite Awareness Week, I was reminded of real honey-do I had yet to take on – a termite inspection. While an inspection was completed on our home during the buying process, that of course, was seven years ago. Well, a lot can happen to a home in seven years, especially when it comes to termites. These “silent destroyers” (as termites are often referred as) can take down the façade of a home as well as its interiors way before a homeowner will detect a structural problem.
Did you know that termites cause $5 billion in property damage every year, according to the National Pest Management Association?
And as we move into the spring season and the ground’s temperature increases, termites are in search of new mates and new homes to conquer. Isn’t home ownership fun? While I consider myself a jack of many things and a master of nothing, this is one area I recommend be left to the professionals. However, there are things you can do to prevent termites. The Better Business Bureau offers four ways to avoid a termite infestation: 1. Repair and replace when necessary. Repair leaking faucets, water pipes and AC units on the outside of the home. Repair fascia, soffits and rotted roof shingles. Replace weather stripping and repair loose mortar around basement foundation and windows. 2. Keep it clear. Store firewood at least 20 feet away from the house and five inches off the ground. Direct water away from your house through properly functioning downspouts, gutters and splash blocks. Keep mulch at least 15 inches from the foundation. 3. Inspect, inspect, inspect. Routinely inspect the foundation of your home for signs of mud tubes (used by termites to reach a food source), cracked or bubbling paint and wood that sounds hollow when tapped. Monitor all exterior areas of wood, including windows, doorframes and skirting boards for any noticeable changes. 4. Protect your investment. Not sure if you have termites? Consider a termite inspection from a qualified pest management company like North Texas’ own Adams Exterminating, every 1-3 years. Since 1947, the Adams family has provided quality, affordable pest control service to the North Texas area for 66 years.
While I don’t know much about termite control, I am excited that employ the Sentricon System, the only pest control product ever to earn the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award presented by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).Thankfully with this system, you don’t have to compromise between earth-friendly and being effective. To learn more about the Sentricon System or to find the nearest Adams Exterminating near you, visit www.adamspest.com or follows them on Facebook. Don’t let bugs get to you!
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
