A Wild Turkey Flew Through My Window

Last Friday night it was like any other typical night.  I picked Scarlett up from school at 3:30 and she hung out with Jack while I made dinner.  We all ate together and then Jack went to bed at 6:30.  Scarlett and I had talked earlier that week about making a dessert pizza for a fun Friday night treat.

I had the oven pre-heating to bake the crust.  While it was pre-heating, I walked through my dining room and saw a few turkeys walking across my backyard.  I live in a woodsy neighborhood and it's not uncommon to see coyotes, foxes, deers, and wild turkeys at any given time.  It's always fun to see the wildlife and it never gets old. Scarlett was in my dining room which is right off the kitchen.  All of a sudden I hear the loudest sound of breaking glass and her screaming.  I couldn't even process what happened.  I see a turkey running across the floor and tons of broken glass everywhere.  My entire dining room window was broken.  I don't mean like a small crack, I mean the entire window was GONE.  Luckily, Scarlett was standing against a wall behind the window or else she would have gotten incredibly hurt.

She is hysterical and I took her upstairs to calm down while my husband Jay tried to get the turkey out.  He opened the front door and the turkey would not leave.  Scarlett is screaming that the turkey would destroy the house.  All I can do is calm her down and say it would be ok.  I didn't know what the turkey would exactly do.  Would it fly everywhere and knock things down? I was picturing scratched up walls and furniture with just mass destruction. Our dog Lynnie was attacking the turkey and Jay was trying to get a leash on her to get her out of the way.  The turkey was just lying on the floor being eaten alive.  Did I mention my entire downstairs was covered in loose feathers?

Once Scarlett calmed down, we came out of my room to see what was happening.  Our staircase at the bottom has a baby gate which actually came in handy for the situation.  We sat at the top watching Jay and we all came to the conclusion that we needed help getting the turkey out.  He called animal control and there was nobody who could help at that moment.  Jay called the police and within a few minutes an officer was at our front door.  Scarlett liked the police coming over and thought it was exciting.  Oh, kids! The officer was able to trap the hiding turkey into a recycling can and release it back into the woods by our house. The policeman joked about it being a wild Friday night for us.

Once the officer left, we started to clean up our house.  There was just so much glass and feathers that it was overwhelming.  I swept everything up as much as I could.  Jay vacuumed after to ensure that the tiny shards of glass were gone.  It seems like as much as you try to clean up broken glass, there's always microscopic fragments hiding! I washed the floors after to ensure that they were clean since wild turkeys are not clean.

From start to finish, it was about a 4.5 hour ordeal.  We forced Scarlett to go to sleep at around 10, when her normal bedtime is 8:30.  Jay and I went to bed at 11:30.

He put a tarp up on the window until it was fixed.  I was nervous envisioning some other animal coming inside.  It was eerie knowing you have an open window and sleeping with it tarped up.  The window was $400 to fix which I would have much preferred to spend elsewhere.

I posted about the incident to inform and warn others on my town's Facebook page.  A local reporter wanted to speak to me about the story which will be published this weekend in my town's Newspaper.  A photographer came by to take a picture of the broken window.  What a crazy story, right?

We do have some scratched floors from the turkey and the broken glass.  My wooden hutch has some cuts on one leg too.  Lastly, my painted windowseat in the kitchen is all cut up as well.  I'll need someone to sand it down and repaint it.  It could have been much worse though. We're glad we're ok!

Here's to hoping we never have to deal with this again!

Storkcraft Has All Your Baby and Toddler Needs Covered

Most would think that since Jack is a boy he automatically would have less clothes than Scarlett.  I'm notoriously guilty for overbuying clothes for my kids.  It's a sickness that probably should be addressed.  Honestly, I find it incredibly difficult to say no to adorable clothes for my kids! Of course it's essential to have a stylish yet functional dresser to store all the clothes in too.

Storkcraft has had 75 years of bringing dream nurseries and kids rooms to life.  If you're pregnant or have recently had a baby, I'm sure you're familiar with the Storkcraft name.  Storkcraft offers sturdy and reliable baby furniture like cribs, gliders, rocking chairs, dressers and also baby gates that are built to last.  Choose from beautiful white, espresso, or even grey furniture depending on your needs.  I can guarantee that whatever quality piece you choose, it will bring you years of joy and use.  Keep Storkcraft in mind for baby shower presents for friends or family.  

We moved into our current house when Jack was 3 months old, and gave him Scarlett's dresser she had in her nursery when she was a baby.  Since the dresser is approaching 7 years old and has been used for 2 kids now, it's not in the greatest shape.  The bottom drawer is breaking down and unable to be properly closed.  I knew it was time to start thinking about replacing the dresser for Jack.  Plus, he's going to be 2 soon and having a new piece of furniture would be ideal for him for the coming years.  I love espresso furniture and knew that I wanted the dresser to match his espresso crib and toy box.  When I saw the Graco Noah 6 Drawer Double Dresser, it was the perfect pick for Jack.

The current dresser that Jack has now is 6 drawers but it's tall.  Since it's tall, it blocks a lot of the window in his room. One big advantage to the Noah is that it's shorter and wider, but still has the 6 spacious drawers that I'm used to and won't be blocking a window! The Noah is the perfect addition to a nursery or child's room. It's constructed with sturdy, durable, high-quality engineered wood to last the test of time  All parents will enjoy the stain resistant surface that is easy to wipe clean, along with the universal design and easy-to-match style makes it ideal for any room! 

I was surprised at how quickly the dresser was shipped to me.  Once it arrived, my husband Jay had someone help with assembling it. I am not handy at all and can use all the help I can get in assembling furniture!

The dresser did take about four hours to put together, but that's to be expected. Once it was all put together it looked fabulous.  I stepped in to transfer the clothes from the old dresser to the new.  I feel that the dresser is extremely compact and would fit in any size room perfectly.  After the clothes were transferred, I put Jack's sound machine, lamp, and little knick knacks on his dresser that he was used to.  I loved how the new dresser looked and was grateful to have a new and functioning dresser for Jack.  The espresso is deep and rich, just beautiful! I couldn't ask for anything more. 

If you're looking for high quality, the Noah dresser definitely fits that bill.  It's sturdy and a solid piece of furniture.  The drawers are spacious, open and close with ease, and hold all of Jack's clothes effortlessly.

Storkcraft must have been reading my mind because they wanted to know if I would be interested in featuring a baby gate as well.  Jack is 19 months old now and beyond active.  You turn your back for a split second and he's halfway up a flight of stairs or getting into things he shouldn't be.  He laughs at danger (literally!).  We want Jack to be as safe as possible at all times. Thanks to the Graco BabySteps Premium Walk-Thru Metal Child Safety Gate, Jay and I can breathe a little bit easier.

This child-friendly (and also pet-friendly) pressure-mounted baby gate has a clean and modern look that was designed to blend perfectly with any doorway, in any style of home.  It's extremely easy to install with no drilling required.  The rubberized tension knobs and 3 extensions securely pressure mount to any door frame from 29.5 to 40.5 inches wide.  Anyone in a rental home or apartment will appreciate no holes in the walls! The walk-thru gate is easy to open and close with one hand, and features a 2-directional opening (that can swing open in both directions) with a convenient double-locking system.  You'll feel safer and more at ease knowing your dog, toddler, or baby is safe!

I chose the black gate and knew that we needed it at the bottom of our stairs going up to our second level.  Jack has just recently starting climbing up the stairs and it's very scary.  It needs to stop now! The gate was extremely easy to install.  Within minutes my husband had it at the foot of the stairs, ready to go.  The best part about this gate is that it doesn't put any extra holes in my walls.  Trust me, I have enough of those already! It's easy to open and close and much to Jack's dismay he can no longer climb up the stairs.  I'm thrilled because I was tired of him trying to climb up all day.  I can have peace of mind while I cook dinner and know he can't get hurt now.  You can't put a price tag on security.

I'm thrilled with both Storkcraft items and am very impressed with the quality of each.  If you're considering order any piece of Storkcraft furniture for a child's room or nursery, you will not be disappointed with the quality whatsoever.  I'll definitely keep the brand in mind for future recommendations. 

*Thank you to Storkcraft for providing product samples in order to facilitate this post.  All thoughts are strictly my own. 

5 Reasons Why You Should Take PEMF Therapy

5 Reasons Why You Should Take PEMF Therapy

A common alternative healing methodology you find there is PEMF therapy, also known as pulsed electromagnetic field therapy. One of the PEMF mats can be purchased, and the health benefits obtained from therapy can be achieved. Let's learn about 5 of its most significant advantages you can experience before you purchase a mat.  

1. Sleep can be improved with PEMF therapy. 

Sleep deficiency affects the majority of people in today's world. You should buy a PEMF mat if you are one of them. The electromagnetic therapy with low intensity will allow you to sleep better at night. There are many explanations why people end up with sleep trouble. Restlessness, tiredness, and insomnia are prominent. Regardless of the cause, PEMF therapy is available, and you can enjoy the wonderful benefits that it provides for you. Because of the soothing effect it provides, you will easily fall into a deep sleep. 

2. PEMF therapy can help you feel more energized. 

If you can raise your energy levels, you'll reap a slew of wonderful health benefits. Here you can learn more about PEMF therapy. By increasing the frequency range of PEMF treatment, you will naturally raise your energy levels. This would be the most successful approach available for someone who is having energy-related issues. Especially if you are feeling a lack of energy due to another health issue, you can use PEMF therapy to enjoy all of the wonderful health benefits. 

3. PEMF therapy can help to alleviate pain in a natural way. 

PEMF therapy should be your primary focus if you're looking for a drug-free pain relief process. You can think of it as a cell-based wellness spa. Copper coils have the ability to produce a magnetic field that pulsates across your body. This will work on a cellular level for your body to relieve pain. This is due to the magnetic field's ability to repair cells efficiently. You can live a healthy life when you improve your body's overall health naturally. 

4.PEMF therapy has been shown to help people deal with stress. 

People buy PEMF mats for several purposes, one of which is to help them relieve stress. You must maintain control over your stress levels. You should go ahead and try PEMF therapy without any reservations because it can help minimize stress levels. The low-frequency effectively decreases stress levels in your body. This will help the body relax in its natural state. In the long run, you can get a better night's sleep as a result of this.  5.You have the opportunity to hasten your recovery. 

Since PEMF therapy will improve your immunity, you'll be able to prevent several health problems. Furthermore, you might be able to obtain assistance to hasten your recovery. You only need to receive PEMF therapy if you come across a wound, and it will allow you to fix it quickly. 

You now have a good description of the influential benefits of PEMF therapy. You can use this procedure without any reservations because it is absolutely safe. You will love the advantages, and it tempts you to use PEMF therapy regularly.

How To Prepare For The Future When You Have Children

How To Prepare For The Future When You Have Children

When you have your first child, it can be very exciting and overwhelming at the same time. Not only do you have to look after your children when they are young, but you also need to be thinking ahead to the future to make sure that they are cared for throughout the rest of their lives. What would happen if you were to get in an accident? Do you have a plan in place?

Below, we thought we would give you some tips to help you prepare for the future when you have children.

Create savings accounts

In Florida, savings accounts are easy to come by and there are tons of banks that can help you to get set up in no time at all. You might already have a savings account for yourself or with your partner, but you should also consider your kids. Would you benefit from having a separate savings account for your child’s college funds? Do they receive cash as gifts that you could put away for a rainy day? With the right savings account, you can make sure that you are prepared.

Write a will

Do you currently have a will in place? If you haven’t spent the time writing out a will that details your wishes should something happen to you, your family might face some difficulties along the way. For example, if you have young children, your will should detail who you want to look after them if you were to die. Additionally, you’ll want to detail where you want your possessions and finances to go when you die. This might not be a very pleasant topic, but it is worth considering.

Plan ahead

In the same way that Floridians should plan ahead by writing a will, it doesn’t hurt to take a look at some Funeral Homes & Cremation Services in Florida ahead of time. You might not realize this, but you can actually plan and pay for your funeral or cremation ahead of time, saving your family money and stress in the future. We recommend looking at sites like baldwincremation.com to learn more about the steps that you can take.

Teach Them Important Tasks

Finally, you should prepare for the future by considering what you are teaching your children. Yes, they will learn basic knowledge and some additional skills in school but there are so many life lessons that you can teach them early on. For example, why don’t you prepare your children for the future by teaching them how to cook or file taxes? The more knowledge you can impart on them at a young age, the more prepared they will be for the life ahead of them.

Don’t Fail To Plan

As a parent, you should always be thinking ahead to the future and making sure that you have prepared everything as much as possible. Think about your finances, your will and anything else that might come your way.