Enter our Halloween Decorating contest!

Calling all Halloween Decorating Divas--yes that's you. Have you outdone yourself this year with goth and glitter, ghosts and goblins or Martha Stewartish stylish decor? Did you carve a pumpkin for the first time? Did your six-year old come up with his/her own creative idea and create a masterpiece from items around the house? Did your less-than-nimble or arthritic fingers get the job done and turn a humble home into a haunted mansion?

Enter our contest and you could win a $50 Gift card to Macy's or Marshall's or Toys-R-Us.

To participate please send your pictures or video to Blog.Sisters@yahoo.com with a paragraph telling how or why you chose your items, how you did it, and what resources (ie. templates from Martha Stewart.com or Target or online site) you used to spooktacularize your decor! If you decorate a room or house, take before and after pictures too! Deadline is October 31, 11pm.

No matter how small or large, simple or outlandish, we are looking for the overall story!

Blog Sisters will highlight many entries so even if you're not the grand winner, your work can be featured here. This is a great boost for kids. Let us know if you want your first and last name and city mentioned or just first name and city. If you have a website and want us to include--we will be happy too!

You still have time!!! Here are a few resources to guide you even if you want to jazz up your home with a couple of items for the night! Oh yes--men are welcome to enter! All ages are invited to participate!!!

http://www.celebration.com/: forum for party and decor ideas from experts and registered contributors.

http://www.marthastewart.com/: Halloween ideas and craft templates

http://www.pier1.com/

http://www.potterybarn.com/

http://www.grandinroad.com/

Why "Colonel" is pronounced "Kernel"

The answer: it's French. Aaaah that explains it.

Well hold onto that croissant before you smash it. There's an Italian origin as well and it appears both have root in the current pronunciation and spelling.

But the French word colonel, amazingly for a French word, is pronounced exactly as it's spelled, with no r sound whatever. "Koh-lo-nelle"

The story begins with the Italian word "colonello", from Latin columnellus, the leader of a (military) column, and then was borrowed into French twice. The first time, it became "coronel" (koh-row-nelle) in French, possibly on the notion that it was from Latin corona 'crown' rather than columna.

The form "coronel" spread to English and Spanish before being replaced in French itself by a second borrowing from Italian, this time more correctly as "colonel".

The spelling, but not the pronunciation, of this second form then entered English, leaving us with "l" in the spelling and "r" in the pronunciation.

Now I know you were dying to get to the root of this mystery for years. Leave a comment!

Tips for Buying Used Car

Used car sales are up as people shy away from pricey new cars.

My Blog Sister and I only buy used--one year old cars with low mileage to save a few thousand dollars. Why buy new when it depreciates the second you drive it off the lot? Well, new does have its advantages, especially if you're not sure how to spot a car that has undergone extensive body work after horrendous accident.

The trick is how to conduct the first initial inspection before making an offer.
Do you know if the car is a salvaged wreck? This is critical. While it's legal to resell rebuilt wrecks, it's also dangerous. One young man was killed when upon impact of an accident, there was no airbag. The steering wheel was filled with shredded paper.

CLICK HERE to view a news report by ABC News and the test they performed with local passerbys to see if they knew which of the five cars was the rebuilt wreck. The results will surprise you.

Bottomline, whenever buying a used car, follow these two golden rules and you'll drive off with a great deal and a "new/used" car!

1- Conduct a history report on the vehicle
2- Have a certified, professional mechanic inspect it for you


VERY IMPORTANT: Despite well-circulated , deeply-rooted information, used cars can NOT be returned within three days.

Share your tips or stories of buying a used car.

The Culprit Ingredient that Causes Weight Gain

You've heard of this "flavor enhancer" also considered a toxin that excites. Well an "excitotoxin" to be exact. Found in many frozen, prepackaged meals (I.e TV dinners) and especially in Chinese food, MSG is the latest culprit for weight gain! Studies also show that growing number of Americans are becoming increasing allergic to the ingredient which can cause migraine headaches or palpitations.

To learn more about this ingredient known as monosodium glutumate, click here for an article by Margaret Furtado.

Bottomline, gradually change your eating habits, remove Chinese food (or those menu items laden with MSG) and READ LABELS for everything!

Great Tips to Preserve Food Instead of Throwing It Away

Lifestyle expert Nancy Soriano recently shared these money-saving tips on extending the life of your food on Good Morning America. Americans waste $1,200 a year in spoiled or unused food. These simple tips go a long way in protecting your grocery budget.

If you're a mother with kids, you may recognize some of these tips, like using Lifesavers candies to catch the wax from birthday candles. My Blog Sister, Christine, said "these are the best tips yet that I've come across! Especially the one about turning soggy potatoe chips into Crispy chips, or how to keep a cake moist after cutting a few slices."

Freeze to Reuse and Save
There are many common foods and drinks that Soriano says you can freeze in order to save and reuse later. Take an ice cube tray and fill it with leftover wine. You can reuse the wine cubes to spice up your sangria or for cooking casseroles and sauces.

Freezing tomato paste is also a great way to save time and money. Many recipes do not call for an entire can of tomato paste. Instead of throwing the remainder away put the rest in an ice cube tray or in teaspoon or tablespoon drops between two pieces of waxed paper and freeze it. Later simply tear off the amount you need.

Dessert Short Cuts
In order to keep the ice cream cone from dripping through the bottom, Soriano suggests cutting up a marshmallow or placing miniature marshmallows at the bottom of the cone. It prevents the ice cream from leaking and is a sweet treat at the end of the dessert.

Use lifesavers to hold the candles in place on children's birthday cakes. The kids will enjoy the candy and it prevents the candles from falling.

Soriano says placing cookie dough onto a baking sheet does not need to be a sticky mess. Simply dip the spoon in milk before scooping the dough. It should easily fall off the spoon onto the sheet.
If you don't have enough batter to fill an entire cupcake tin, place a tablespoon of water into the remaining spots. This prevents rust from forming on the tin.

Make It Last: How to Keep Food Fresh
In order to keep a cake fresh for a longer period of time, place half an apple in the cake dome (or container to cover the cake). The cake will absorb the moisture from the apple. But don't leave the fruit in there too long, otherwise the apple will rot.

Here's an interesting one I'll have to ask my son to do a science project on: Storing cottage cheese upside down will help keep it fresh because it will slow the oxidation.

The next time you're wondering if an egg is still fresh, place it in salt water. If the egg sinks to the bottom then it is still fresh. If it floats to the top throw it away.

Household Items and Food that Can Do Double Duty
Food and certain household items can be used for multiple purposes, such as meat basters. Use a baster to make perfectly round pancakes every time.

Blog Sisters loves this one as we always have leftover pie dough: The next time you have leftover pie dough, coat it in egg wash and sprinkle Parmesan and Gruyere cheeses on top. After you bake it you'll have a delicious appetizer to serve.

Leftover coffee grounds are rich in nutrients and can help your garden grow, especially acid-loving plants such as hydrangeas. Simply spread the grounds around the plant and then work them into the soil.

With mosquitoe-infested, humidity-hugging-your-body weather like Florida, you can relieve the itch of a mosquito bite by putting undiluted white vinegar on the bite. You can also soften and fluff your sweaters by adding white vinegar to the rinse cycle. [Christine literally raced out the door to grocery store for this remedy].

Microwave Magic: Combat Stale Food
Brown sugar often gets hard after sitting in the cabinet, but Soriano says you can soften the sugar in the microwave by just placing it in there for 10 to 15 seconds. You can keep it right in the bag if you open it at the top to let it breathe.

The microwave can also combat stale potato chips. Crisp the chips by putting them in the microwave for 30 to 60 seconds, and then let them stand for two minutes. Although not as good as new, the chips will have their crispiness back because the microwave draws the moisture out of them while cooking. [So that's the trick!]

The next time you need to peel a clove of garlic, put it in the microwave for five to 10 seconds. The skin will slip off easily.

If you have any similar tips to preserve food, and increase it's shelf life, share it here by posting a comment below! Or send us an email to Blog.Sisters@yahoo.com

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Back to College --Dorm Living Tips

From the expert on lifestyle tips, Heloise shares tips for those 18.5 million students headed for college this semester, particularly those who will live on campus.

Off the bat she warns:

1. Vacuuming sheets and spraying them with Febreze is not as effective as washing them with soap and water. Remember the sheets absorb the sweat and bodily grime. Vacuuming is good for loose dirt but not washing.


2. Black nail polish hides scratches on your iPhone case.


3. If you drop your cellphone in the toilet, take out the battery, then blot the phone with a towel and blow dry.


4. For a quick dry of bras and panties, use a salad spinner.

Today's college-bound students grew up with working parents who didn't have time to teach them basic skills in cleaning, laundry, and cooking. So trial by error becomes the way of life for freshman students which often means bleached spots in favorite jeans or other permanent stains.

Some more dorm hints from Heloise:

1. Overstuffing the washing machine is a common mistake. Pack the machine loosely and remember not to use more detergent than recommended on the packaging. If you soverstuff a dryer, your clothes will take longer to dry and come out very wrinkled.


2. Don't lug a huge box or jug of detergent to the laundry room. It's too bulky and heavy to carry with your bag of dirty clothes. Instead, measure what you need into small plastic bags or yogurt cups.


3. Use dryer sheets sparingly and never with towels. (They can coat the fibers and reduce fluffiness--we never knew this). Don't add a sheet in the middle of a heat cycle because it can leave grease-like spots on clothing. Dryer sheets are good to stuff in smelly shoes, gym bags, drawers and closets.


4. Don't take your laundry home if the airline charges for checking luggage.


5. Turn the computer keyboard upside down and shake it every once in a while to get crumbs out. It will work better.


6. Clean the lounge microwave every once in a while by heating a large bowl of water with slices of lemon or orange for a minute or two. (Maybe this is for the reason you may not have cleanser readily on hand?).

Sip This for Breakfast to Curb Your Hunger

If you often feel ravenous by noon despite a good breakfast, try drinking some of this with your morning meal: skim milk. We know it works. For Alicia's children it curbs their cravings for cookies and snacks and Christine's kittens love the milk that they fill up and stop chirping or meowing for more food.

In a small study of overweight people, those who drank about 20 ounces of skim milk with breakfast ate less at lunch than the folks who drank fruit juice in the a.m.

An Appetite-Dousing Drink
The milk drinkers also felt fuller and more satisfied after their morning meal. Most likely thanks to the whey and casein proteins that are in milk; they’re better at quelling hunger than the carbs in fruit drinks. Find out what the research says about milk and weight loss.

Other Hunger Crushers
If you don’t like the taste of milk, have lactose intolerance, or don’t drink milk for other reasons, don’t worry. There are lots of other ways to introduce lean protein into your morning meal. For example, try making this quick, protein-rich, milk-free smoothie: Banana-Cocoa Soy Smoothie.
Try these other appetite-taming strategies as well:
Eat big in the morning. Find out how it helps with cutting calories later in the day.
Fill up on fiber and healthy fats. Here’s how both help curb hunger.
Diversify your workout. These two types of exercise tame your appetite better than one.
Here’s one thing you definitely don’t want in your breakfast: high-fructose corn syrup. Find out how much people consume a year and why you don’t want any.