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How to Fold a Fitted Sheet Without Frustration

May 6, 2014 by

It's the most dreaded task of laundry day: the attempted wrangling of the unruly fitted sheet. You might think it's impossible to get this oversized, elasticized piece of fabric into a shape that's nice and neat, but it can be done! These three steps take the mystery—and frustration—out of folding fitted sheets.

1. Take the sheet out of the dryer as soon as the buzzer sounds; this will prevent wrinkles and make the task of folding a little easier. Then, lay the sheet on a flat surface, like a table or your bed, and fold it in half width-wise. (To make the corners line up, flip the bottom corners inside out and tuck them inside their corresponding top corner.)

2. Now that you have somewhat of a square shape, fold the sheet in thirds by flipping the bottom (closest to you) up toward the middle of the square. Flip to top down on top of the first fold. Be sure to "crisp" the corners as you proceed.

3. At this point, you should have a rectangle shape. Fold the sheet in thirds again: Bring the left edge of the rectangle to the center, then bring the right edge of top of that. Voila! You should have a perfect square.

Do you have another method for folding fitted sheets? Let us know!

Living Well: 6 Secrets To Folding a Fitted Sheet [Design Mom]
How to Fold a Fitted Sheet [Martha Stewart]
How to Fold a Fitted Sheet into a Nice Flat Rectangle [Lifehacker]

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Find Sudoku Puzzles Online With These Sites

April 1, 2014 by

Sudoku is a stimulating and addictive pastime that’s great for down time at work, relaxing at home, or even waiting in line at the doctor’s office. If you want to start learning Sudoku or you simply want to find more puzzles, these online Sudoku sites are some of the best.

Gamehouse Sudoku
For everyone from the beginner to the serious Sudoku player, this beautifully designed site offers an endless number of games at your choice of beginner, easy, medium, hard, or expert levels. It features a time clock to help you track how long you’ve been playing, as well as Sudoku tips to help you improve your game. If you start to feel frustrated, you can also check the solution and begin a new game.

Web Sudoku
If you just want the Sudoku game board with none of the extra features, this is the site for you. Web Sudoku offers a clean, black and white board with easy-to-read numbers, as well as games in your choice of easy, medium, hard, or evil (yikes!). This site also offers an offline version for times when you’re away from Wi-Fi.

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/Cirofono

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Simple Ways to Eat More Healthfully

March 4, 2014 by

It may seem difficult to change how you eat. But if you'd like to begin eating a more healthful diet, one of the best ways to do it is to start with some small, incremental changes. These tips from the NIH can help simplify the process of making positive changes to your daily diet.

Here's just some of the site's advice:

  • Make a grocery list before you shop. It may seem obvious, but planning meals in advance can prevent you from becoming frustrated and reaching for frozen meals.
  • Buy a new fruit every time you go to the grocery store. Have you ever tried papaya? If not, it can be a fun way to discover a new favorite fruit!
  • When you go out to eat, share entrees! Portion sizes have become increasingly larger in recent years, and sharing helps to cut calories and avoid overeating.
  • Change your cooking techniques. Often it’s not the foods you prepare that are unhealthy, but the ways you cook them. Instead of frying chicken, grill or bake it. Instead of using heavy oils, cook with olive or coconut oil instead. Seasoning with herbs and spices instead of heavy sauces also helps to reduce the fat in your meals.

To find more simple tips for eating more healthfully, visit the NIH website.

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Happy Presidents’ Day

February 17, 2014 by

Remembering the courage and vision of past and present leaders, we honor and share the spirit of Presidents' Day together as a nation.

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Happy Valentine’s Day!

February 14, 2014 by

Wishing everyone a day filled with fun and happy memories!

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3 Easy-to-Serve Brunch Recipes

February 4, 2014 by

When you’re planning a brunch for a large group of people, it can be difficult to make sure that everything is done at the same time. Creating large portions of each dish so that everyone can serve themselves makes things much more convenient, and it makes it so that you can sit down and enjoy the meal as well. Here are a few easy-to-serve brunch recipes to try this weekend:

Eggs with Tomato on Toast
To make this sophisticated brunch dish, simply bake the tomato sauce and the egg yolks in a large skillet. When you’re ready to serve, place the skillet on the table and allow guests to serve themselves onto a piece of warm toast.

Potato Chip Frittatas
A creative and accessible take on the beloved frittata, these delicious Spanish creations use potato chips instead of the usual toppings. Bake them in the oven and you’ll have enough frittatas to serve 6 people.

Grapefruit Buttermilk Donuts with Candied Zest
These homemade donuts are anything but your usual glazed dozen. Made with rich buttermilk and flavored with tart, refreshing grapefruit, they’re so delicious that all of your guests will love them, and the recipe is large enough to serve everyone.

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Our New Facebook Sweepstakes Has Started! Enter to Win an iPad Mini!

January 15, 2014 by

To enter the Sweepstakes, Like our Facebook Page and then look for the Sweepstakes tab (image shown below) located on our Facebook Page to enter. Sweepstakes ends February 28th, 2014.

For mobile users ONLY, like our Facebook Page, and then click here to enter!

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4 Tips for the Perfect Pour of Wine

January 7, 2014 by

Pouring wine is more than just tipping a bottle over a glass. Certain wines need to breathe before drinking, and pouring the right amount is essential. Check out these four great tips for pouring the perfect glass of wine.

  • Not all wines are served cold, so be sure to keep bottles at the correct temperature before pouring. White and sparkling wines are best served between 40—50 degrees Fahrenheit; full-bodied whites and light, fruity reds, 50—60 degrees Fahrenheit; full-bodied reds and Ports, 60—65 degrees Fahrenheit. Invest in a thermometer to be sure you have the right temperature.
  • Give the bottle a quick taste test before serving. This will give you an idea of its temperature and familiarize yourself with what you're pouring.
  • The right glass gives the wine room to open up its flavors. Tulip-shaped glasses are ideal and be sure they are clean, as musty or grimy glasses can ruin a wine flavor.
  • If serving a red wine, pour it into a decanter first to let it sit for an hour before serving. The full flavor of the wine will be evident on the first sip.

How to Serve Wine 101 [Wine Inspector]
Organic Wine Serving Tips [Frey Wine]
25 Tips on How to Serve Wine [Bauduc Blog]

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The Facts About Dietary Supplements

December 3, 2013 by

Even if you try to eat a varied diet, it can be hard to get all the necessary nutrients. Many people turn to dietary supplements to fill in the holes. Are they safe for you? Here are some things you need to know about dietary supplements:

  • A dietary supplement can be a vitamin, mineral, herb, amino acid, or enzyme.
  • Dietary supplements are not drugs; they should not be used to treat a disease. They may claim to help with a certain ailment but are not actually approved to do so.
  • Eating a healthy diet is the best way to get all the nutrients you need. Taking a supplement is not a replacement for a healthy diet; supplements only aid in meeting the requirement.
  • It's important to do your research before taking any type of supplement. Some supplements should not be mixed with certain types of medication.
  • Just as it is not good to get too little of a supplement, it can also be bad to take in too much of something, especially iron, vitamin A, and vitamin D.
  • Remember: Claims on the label have not been certified by the FDA. 

Dietary Supplements: What You Need to Know [U.S. Food and Drug Administration]

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Blast Off with These Three Podcasts About Space

November 5, 2013 by

It’s almost impossible not to be fascinated by the vast mystery that is outer space. These informative, scientific podcasts will take you on a trip to another planet, around a moon, across a galaxy and even teach you something new about our own planet Earth.

Astronomy Cast
Astronomy Cast is a podcast tailored toward amateur astronomers and those who want to learn more about astronomy through fun, conversational discussions. With topics like the zodiac, celestial navigation, and astrophotography, Astronomy Cast might just leave you with your head in the clouds.

NASA Podcasts
Collector of much of our outer space knowledge, NASA shares its most current findings and space explorations with the general public through a variety of podcasts and corresponding videos. This Week @ NASA uses a news-style format to deliver summaries of the organization’s latest happenings to listeners, while the Earth podcast explores the newest advancements in the study of our planet.

Talking Space
Talking Space is a podcast created by space enthusiasts for space enthusiasts. Its passionate and enthusiastic team discusses topics such as the advancement of rocket science, the history of the space shuttle Atlantis, conferences like the 100 Year Star Ship Symposium, and current space launches from across the globe.

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