Tips for Traveling With Pets!

According to a study by AAA and Best Western International, more than half of U.S. pet owners take their cats and dogs with them when they travel!

If you're planning on hitting the road with Indiana Bones, here are some tips to get you guys through:

• Trial run. Go on some shorter drives to see how your pet handles them to give you an idea if you're ready for a longer trip.
• Buckle up. Pets freely wandering the vehicle aren't only a distraction to the driver, but they're also more likely to be injured in the event of an accident. Keep Sir Yips-A-Lot safe with a pet barrier, pet seat belt, pet car seat or travel crate.
• Keep heads and paws inside. Lord Voldebark may enjoy sticking his head out the window, but riding this way could cause ear damage or expose your pet to lung infections.
• Prepare for the worst. Attach a second tag to Bark Wahlberg's collar that includes the address and phone number of where you'll be staying during your trip. Also, bring your his medical records along in case of an emergency.
• Pit stops. The American Veterinary Medical Association advises pet owners to stop every two to three hours for your pet to use the bathroom and get some exercise.
• Hydrate. The ASPCA recommends keeping a gallon of cold water on hand to ensure Christian Tail stays sufficiently hydrated during the trip.
• Don't leave them alone. On an 85-degree day, the temperature inside a car with the windows cracked can reach 110 degrees in 10 minutes, which can be deadly. If you'll be visiting a destination where pets aren't allowed, leave them at a pet-friendly hotel — or at home — instead of the car.

5 Tips to Keeping Your Christmas Tree Fresh!

1. Cut your own from a local farm, or have one cut for you.  However, if you choose to buyt a pre-cut tree from a nursery, store or scout troop, ask them how recently they were harvested, and where they came from. The fresher the tree, the longer it will last.

2. If you bought a pre-cut tree, it's important to make a cut across the bottom, removing an inch or an inch and a half off the bottom. That's because once it is cut, the sap in the tree will start sealing over the base, and this will hinder its ability to absorb water. 

3. As soon as possible, get the tree in water. The base of the cut tree should never dry out, in order to keep the needles fresher.

4. Keep the tree away from direct sunlight, heaters or fans. Be cognizant of fire hazards and make sure your lights are all in good condition.

5. Once you are done with your tree for the season, don't just toss it on the curb, where it will end up taking landfill space. Recycle it!

By taking good care of your tree, it can last up to a month! 

The BEST Holiday Movies of All-Time! Is your favorite on the list?

1. It's A Wonderful Life
2. The Nightmare Before Christmas
3. A Christmas Story
4. White Christmas
5. The Polar Express
6. The Muppet Christmas Carol
7. Elf
8. Love Actually
9. Home Alone
10. Miracle on 34th Street
11. The Santa Clause
12. How The Grinch Stole Christmas
13. A Charlie Brown Christmas
14. Frosty the Snowman
15. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Beating Cyber Monday

Uninterested in the absolute madness that is Black Friday, but still want the great deals? The solution in recent years has been Cyber Monday -- the Monday following Black Friday where you can get all the deals online from the safety and comfort of your home.

Here are some tips to getting the best deals this year:

1. Don't wait until Cyber Monday! To be competitive, companies are starting earlier and earlier. Start researching now and find great discounts.

2. Copy & Paste. It's so easy to search and compare prices. Take that one extra minute to copy whatever item you're looking at and throw it in the Google search bar and find the lowest price. We suggest looking for things on Amazon.com and then using their descriptor titles to copy.

3. Use coupons to get extra savings! CyberMonday.com and BestCyberMonday.com offer coupon codes that, when applied while making an online purchase, will take an additional discount off the final Cyber Monday sales deal price.

Good luck!

5 Tips to a Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey!

1. The safest method is to thaw turkey in the refrigerator at 41 degrees F. Be sure to plan ahead — it takes approximately 4-5 days for a 20 pound turkey to fully defrost.

2. For crisper skin, unwrap the turkey the day before roasting and leave it uncovered in the refrigerator overnight.

3. Cooking times will differ depending on whether your bird was purchased fresh or frozen. Plan on 20 minutes per pound in a 350 degree F oven for a defrosted turkey and 10 to 15 minutes per pound for fresh.

4. A turkey will cook more evenly if it is not densely stuffed. Go easy on packing it in.

5. DO NOT OPEN YOUR OVEN after you have put the turkey in! When the oven temperature fluctuates, you increase the chances of drying it out.

Good luck and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

5 Holiday Traveling Tips!

1. Travel on off-peak days. The Wednesday before Thanksgiving is the busiest travel day of the year. A better option is to leave early on Thanksgiving Day and avoid the record traffic the night before. Same goes with flying: if you fly on the actual holiday itself you’ll be avoiding the long lines and hoards of travelers.

2. Ship gifts ahead of time or don't wrap them. TSA suggests to ship wrapped gifts or wait until you reach your destination to wrap them, as they might have to unwrap a present to inspect it.

3. Travel early or late in the day. Flight statistics show that planes traveling earlier in the day have a better on-time performance. And if your flight is cancelled, you will have the option of taking a flight later in the day. Also, there will be fewer lines at security. Best time to hit the road? When every one else is asleep -- early morning or late at night.

4. Don't drive yourself to the airport. Airport parking prices rise around the holiday. Have a friend or family member drive you instead. Less money, less stress!

5. Always have snacks available. When it's a long day of traveling and waiting in lines or sitting in a car, snacks will help diffuse a meltdown! You may be tired, but you won't be hungry.

Car Myth: Exploding Gas Tank

We all know Hollywood likes to exaggerate. How many times have you seen a movie where someone shoots at a car and all of a sudden it bursts into flames? Well, turns out that doesn't really happen.

Discovery's "Mythbusters" proved that in real life, bullets go right through the tank — without fire. But however unrealistic it may be, exploding cars still look pretty awesome.

Spooky Strawberry Cheesecake!

Get into the Halloween spirit with this delicious, spooky treat! 

Spooky Strawberry Halloween Cheesecake Treats

Serves: 20 squares

Finished in: 1 hour, 35 minutes

Ingredients

• For the crust
• 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1-cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1-cup flour
• For the Cheesecake
• (2) 8 oz. packages of light cream cheese at room temperature
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 Tbls cornstarch
• Toppings
• ½ tub of Litehouse Strawberry Glaze
• edible candy eyeballs
• 
  

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350.

2. To make the crust, first beat the butter and sugars together. Slowly add the cracker crumbs and flour. Press the crust mixture evenly in a greased 9x13 pan and bake for 10 minutes and cool.

3. Meanwhile, prepare the cheesecake mixture. First, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients.

4. Pour mixture over the slightly cooled crust and bake for an additional 25 minutes.

5. Cool for a few minutes then refrigerate for at least 45 minutes.

6. When ready to serve, drizzle the Litehouse Strawberry Glaze and top with eyeball candy.

Fall Maintenance Tips!

Fall is here and winter is coming! Here are some maintenance tips to keep your car looking good and running smoothly: 

• Wax your car
• Replace carpeted mats with rubber or waterproof mats
• Replace your windshield wipers if they are more than six months old
• Top off your windshield wiper fluid (if it’s especially cold, use fluid with de-icer)
• Check your radiator coolant level when your car has been idle for a while (never open the cap when the car is hot)
• Check all hoses for wear or leaks
• Make sure all your lights (headlamps, brake lights, tail lights, signals) are working