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Low dough birthday parties for kids.
When I was a kid, I always dreamed of an throwing a birthday pool party outside in the summer sun, but having a birthday in the dead of winter made that dream impossible. Now that I’m the mom of a winter birthday child, I’ve given a lot of thought to the easiest and least expensive way to throw a winter birthday bash.
Read MoreA Home Maintenance Check List For 2014
The New Year is a time for resolutions, and if maintaining a clean and safe home is one of yours, here’s a quick list of tasks to get you started. You can also print this handy check list as a reminder. Clean A/C Drainage Pipes Don’t wait until algae and other debris clogs the drainage pipes of your air conditioner. Make cleaning the pipes on your A/C unit an annual task. You can hire a professional, or use this DIY guide. Flush Hot Water Heater Mineral build up can cause your hot water heater to run less efficiently. By flushing out the minerals annually, you can ensure your hot water heater is functioning at its peak and you may even extend it’s lifespan. Step-by-step instructions can be found here. Lubricate Garage Door Springs If you don’t want your garage door to start squeaking ominously every time it opens and closes, then you’ll want to make lubricating the garage door springs part of your annual check list. It’s not just about the creepy noises either; all that wear and tear will eventually cause the metal springs to break. According to this entertaining video guide, you’ll want to use a lithium or silicon based grease to lubricate all the moving parts of the door. Check Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Detectors Everybody knows that smoke detectors save lives, but it’s a good idea to set a side time at least once a year to fully test the functionality of your smoke detectors. That includes making sure they can be heard from all points in the home, and even buying a can of smoke detector test spray to test the functionality, not just the hitting the test button to make sure the batteries still work. A complete step-by-step guide can be found here. As covered in a previous blog post, most carbon monoxide detectors don’t detect low levels of carbon monoxide. You may wish to consider upgrading your detectors or purchasing a hand held detection device. No matter what type of detector you’re using, these instructions will help you ensure yours is working properly. Change Furnace Filters Some furnaces have filters that you can pull out and clean, while others require a filter replacement. Regularly cleaning or replacing filters will help prevent break-downs and keep your furnace working at maximum efficiency. Furnace filters actually need to be checked more often that just once a year, but it can depend on a number of factors including the type of filter being used and whether or not pets are present in the home (pet hair can accumulate in filters rather quickly). Here’s a quick guide to how to replace or clean a furnace filter. Clean Clothes Dryer Vent Lint from you clothes dryer can make it’s way into the dryer duct and cause a fire hazard. Cleaning your dryer vent annually will prevent a fire and keep your appliance operating smoothly. You may also wish to consider swapping a flexible foil or plastic duct for a solid metal one to help prevent a build-up of flammable materials. Here’s a link to instructions and helpful tips for cleaning out your clothes dryer vent....
Read MoreExplore offbeat and traditional holiday events in Portland.
Do you like your holidays traditional or a little bit offbeat? Either way there’s plenty of holiday cheer for Portlanders to enjoy this season. For an offbeat holiday, start it off right by joining Anticon Santicon, a new take on the Portland underground ritual beautifully recounted in Chuck Palanuik’s classic travelogue Fugitives and Refugees. Part pub crawl, part Santa-themed dress up party, this event will satisfy duel desires for costuming and imbibing. Anticon participants are encourage to meet up under the Paul Bunyan statue in the Kenton district at 12:30pm on December 7th dressed in their St. Nick inspired finery. Follow up your red rampage with a holiday shopping at Crafty Wonderland. Featuring wares by northwest artisans, it’s like having a regional “best of Etsy” gathering under one roof. With everything from fancy toiletries to unique clothing, you’ll find plenty of trendy gifts that feature art by locals. Previous years have also offered an ugly Christmas sweater photo booth, perfect for a family portrait to embarrass and amuse. Crafty Wonderland happens on December 14th and 15th from 11 am – 6 pm at The Oregon Convention Center. Finally, for some wickedly offbeat holiday fun, take in a performance of The Santaland Diaries written by humorist David Sedaris. Based on an essay of the same name, Sedaris drolly recounts his experience working as an elf in Macy’s department store. For any person who’s ever felt jaded by the commercialism of the holiday season, Sedaris’s take on faking holiday cheer for a paycheck will no doubt tickle your funny bone. The show runs through the end of December. For a traditional and family friendly start to the season, why not skip the long lines at your local mall in favor of breakfast with Santa at one of several McMenamin’s locations? Enjoy a hot breakfast and a cup of joe while the youngsters take a turn on Santa’s lap. Check out the McMenamin’s calendar for tickets and times at each location. For a more traditional holiday shopping experience, visit the Expo Center for the annual Christmas Bazaar. Billed as America’s largest holiday bazaar, you’ll find unique gifts of both the handcrafted and commercial variety. With over 1,000 vendors, you’re sure to knock at least a few entries off your shopping list. The Expo Center Christmas Bazaar happens over two weekends: Nov. 29th-Dec. 1st and again on Dec. 6th-8th. Tickets are available online, but you can get in for free this Friday (Nov. 30th) with two cans of food for the Portland Sunshine Division. As far as holiday entertainment goes, it doesn’t get more traditional than the Christmas Revels show. A variety show of sorts, the Christmas Revels combines instrumental and choral music, folk dance, children’s music, drama and poetry to celebrate the winter solstice. A large cast of actors, musicians, and local choral groups come together to produce a show that celebrates the season through song, dance, story and ritual across cultures. This year’s show will explore the traditions of Old Europe presenting music and dance from Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, Hungary and Poland. The show runs Dec. 6th-14th at the Scottish Rite Center...
Read MoreYour CO detector could be putting you at risk.
Low levels of exposure can lead to an increased risk for heart disease and asthma.
Read MoreMake a date with Kenton Station.
Oregonlive.com recently featured a neighborhood favorite, Kenton Station. With over twenty beers on tap including a few rare gems, Kenton Station is a good place to grab a burger and a brew, but it’s also steeped in Portland history. The whole place has an air of more than meets with eye with vintage motorcycles on display in the front window to lure in curious passers by. According to historian Jim Spiers, plenty of shady business took place there and according to his article in the St. Johns Review, you can go on a “ghost tour of the basement.” Sounds like a great place for a Halloween date! ...
Read MoreGreat King City Condo with View of Pond
This upper level end unit overlooks a pond, and the beautifully landscaped grounds of this 55+ community. The condo features two bedrooms and two full baths in 1,128 square feet. Unit also features a detached garage and A/C.
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