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The Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) is encouraging homeowners to take steps to reduce their risk and boost their homes’ defenses against wildfires.

According to IBHS, the key is removing everything fire would view as a fuel source. This will help create a zone around the home to help slow flames, should a fire start, and potentially direct it elsewhere.   Take these steps within 30 feet of most houses, 50-100 feet if it’s a heavily wooded area:

1. Eliminate fuel sources like dry landscaping, woodpiles and decks.
2. Prune trees and shrubs.
3. Trim taller trees so lowest branch is no less than six feet from the ground.
4. Remove dead leaves and branches from the yard.
5. Clear branches from around the roof and chimney.
6. Mow lawn regularly and dispose promptly of cuttings and debris.
7. Clear roof, gutters and eaves of debris.
8. Maintain your irrigation system.
9. Move firewood and storage tanks 50 feet away from the home.
10. Store flammable liquids properly.

Homeowners about to begin a landscaping project can increase their protection by introducing more native vegetation and spacing trees at least 10 feet apart.

And if a facelift is being planned for a home’s exterior, use only non-combustible materials on the roof, walls, eaves, soffits and fascia.

Thanks to www.disastersafety.com and IBHS.org for this article

My friend Katja Presnal is doing a live web show today at 2 p.m. EST and you can watch it live here on The Mom Maven. How’s that for cool technology? She will be giving away 5 x $25 e.l.f. Cosmetics gift cards during the show.

Part of the show is a video of Snazl interviewing Katja about her fashion tips at the e.l.f. Cosmetics headquarters in New York last week.

So, tune in at 2 p.m. EST !

Since starting The Mom Maven I have also been working on writing some e-books/e-courses on parenting and family topics. Some of them are nearing completion, finally. I want your input on the topics and delivery formats that interest you the most. So, I have a favor to ask you. Would you please take a few moments and fill out my very short survey? Here is the link http://bit.ly/F7CS5 . Thank you so much for your help!

First I want to congratulate Leslie from LeslieLovesVeggies for winning another Tyson Heat ‘N Eat Entree for her family in the Tyson Finale drawing. Next I want to share with you some great tips to help you save time in the kitchen.

From Robin Miller’s Kitchen to Yours

Simple Time-Saving Tips for Fast, Easy and Delicious Home-Cooked Meals

Dinnertime can be quite a stressful time. With busy schedules, it can seem impossible to sit down with your loved ones at the kitchen table to enjoy a simple, satisfying meal. That’s why Robin Miller, chef, nutritionist and Food Network, is sharing her time-saving tips and strategies to help “spring ahead” in meal prep time and get a home-cooked, delicious dinner on the table super fast.

Five or Fewer

Always try making meals with five ingredients or less. Not only will this save time and simplify planning, but it will also save money. For example, take Tyson® BBQ Brisket with Mild Chili Sauce, cheddar cheese, green chilies, salsa and flour tortillas for delicious Brisket Quesadillas. With only five ingredients, you’ve made a perfect dinner!

Designate a Day

Meal planning should start long before stepping into the kitchen. Designate different days to help prepare for each weeknight meal. Make a weeknight evening or early Saturday morning supermarket shopping day, and make Sunday a prep day to pre-chop ingredients for meals during the week. Even with only 30 minutes per day, the payoff of prep time is worthwhile, especially during a super busy week.

“Spring Clean” Your Shelves:

Keeping shelves organized in the pantry and fridge is key to creating fast, home-cooked meals. Take any unwanted or expired items and replace them with ingredients that can be kept on hand for a long period of time. Store canned beans and veggies, a variety of nuts and boxed rice on pantry shelves. Stock fridge shelves with condiments and garnishes (olives, prepared horseradish, hot sauce, etc.), cheeses and recipe ready protein like Tyson Fully Cooked Heat ‘N Eat Dinner Meats. It will feel great to clean out your shelves, and keeping quick-fix items on hand will help to get meals on the table in no time.

Buy in Bulk:

Instead of purchasing just one of a given product at the grocery store, consider buying items in bulk next time you shop. You can store extra items in the pantry, fridge or freezer for a meal later in the week. Not only will this save money since buying in bulk often offers a better value, but you’ll save yourself an extra trip to the grocery store, which will definitely help cut down on dinner prep time.

Wash as You Work

Not only is it beneficial to plan ahead for meal preparation, but it’s equally helpful to start clean-up in advance! Ask your spouse to team up with you in the kitchen. While you cook, your teammate can clean the pots, pans and cooking utensils you’ve finished using. That way, the dishes will be at least halfway done by the time you sit down for dinner, helping to make clean-up a snap.

For more information on the new varieties of Tyson Fully Cooked Heat ‘N Eat Dinner Meats, or to learn more about Robin Miller’s tips for quick and easy meals, visit www.embracedinner.com

Today The Pirate’s League at the Magic Kingdom opens its doors to the public. On Saturday the Florida Magical Moms got a sneak peek into this cool new service. The Pirate’s League is located in Adventureland next to Pirates of the Caribbean. There you can be transformed from a landlubber into a true buccaneer.

When you enter The Pirate’s League you first get your pirate name. This is an involved process that includes a ship’s wheel, a treasure chest, 2 dice, your birth month and a code book.

Shari aka @Shash is turning the wheel to get her pirate name

Next you choose the package and look that you want. There are 3 “makeover” packages available The First Mate Package for boys and men $49.95, The Empress Package for girls and women $49.95 both include facial effect, earring, eye patch, sword & sheath, temporary tattoo, pirate coin necklace, map case treasure folder with photo and a personalized pirate oath. The third package is The Captain’s Package for $124.95 which includes the choice of a costume.

The details that Disney Imagineers put into the building are amazing. As we walked through the rooms there were constant oohs and ahhs over the intricacies of the decorations.

The Disney Cast Members at The Pirate’s League are amazing! Everyone we came in contact with were truly convincing pirates. The Magical Moms were all wearing princess tiaras as we entered The Pirate’s League. We were warned that the pirates may try to plunder our jewels and that they did.

When you pick up your pirate portrait, you’ also receive a Secret Pirate Cypher and a unique pirate coin necklace that are your keys to more pirate adventures throughout Adventureland – you can find clues and discover treasure, and even meet Captain Jack Sparrow himself!

The Pirates League is now open in the Magic kingdom for guests ages 3 and up. To make your reservations call (407) WDW-CREW.

You have probably noticed that for the last 2 months UPrinting.com. Basically what this means is Uprinting.com provides my readers awesome giveaways, like the 16×20′ poster print for Mother’s Day and the 18×24″ poster print for Father’s Day. They are also sponsoring the Summer photo contest that I entered last week. In exchange for hosting the giveaways and promoting their site I get additional traffic to my site (people who come to enter the giveaway) and occasional free posters and other printed items. My partnership with UPrinting.com has been a lot of fun so far. UPrinting.com is an innovative company and they would love to sponsor more blogs!

Why UPrinting.com isn’t your average printing company:

Blog Sponsorships: If you are looking to find a sponsor for your blog, UPrinting.com is definitely interested. We offer giveaways, advertising and more for qualified bloggers.

Non-Profit Sponsorships: The U-Community Program sponsors hundreds of non-profits and education to improve our local communities.

Social Justice Projects: The UPrinting Kiva account promotes small business growth in developing countries.

Green Printing: UPrinting supports a sustainable future by recycling, using non-toxic inks, and offering eco-friendly recycled paper stocks for business cards and postcard printing.

Ever feel like you don’t understand your teen?
Maybe you are a new teen parent and just need some guidance how to handle this new territory.
I’ve found a good and quick reading report by Aurelia Williams to help you.
Download it here for free.

This week’s Walt Disney World Wednesday post is a little different.  I wanted to take a minute to let you know that this weekend I will be at Walt Disney World! I will be there learning more about the resort and all that it has to offer. Seven other mom bloggers and I are participating in the first Disney’s Florida Mom Blogger Mixer. We will have 2 days of resort tours, fine dining and educational opportunities.

My camera and Vado HD batteries are charged, I’ve added texting to my cell phone so I can Tweet from the resort, I have a notebook that fits in my backpack and a few pens. I also have my sunscreen and comfy shoes. I am determined to have fun but learn everything I can so that I can come back and share with you everything Disney has to offer families.

I am so excited to be a part of a great group of mom bloggers, all of whom love Disney. It will be great to meet in person ladies whom I have tweeted with on Twitter. I will be tweeting all weekend long using the hashtag #magicalmoms. If you don’t already follow me on Twitter, now is a great time to do so, I’m @MomMaven.

Just in time for the Fourth of July, the Momfluence network has partnered with Sara Lee and Ball Park Franks to provide one Momfluence Network Blog reader with a ready-made picnic!
One lucky winner will receive 10 packs of Sara Lee’s Soft and Smooth Buns and 24 packs of Ball Park Franks – all delivered to their door! Add the condiments and some sides and you’ve got a holiday celebration to remember.
This contest is open to all U.S. residents age 18 years or older and ends on noon eastern, June 29th. This contest is brought to you by Momfluence…rocking the cradle and shaping the world.

Purex®, Kiva® and Angie Harmon have teamed up to create the Purex® Changes Lives program to help moms around the world who are struggling to provide for their families. When you submit the bar code from the back of your 20-count starter kit or 24-count refill pack of Purex® Complete 3-in-1 Laundry Sheets™, Purex® will contribute $1 to the mom entrepreneur of your choice, allowing you to make a difference in the developing world and help empower a mom to lift her family out of poverty.

Kiva® is the world’s first person-to-person micro-lending web site, empowering individuals to lend directly to unique entrepreneurs around the globe.

I have chosen to support Nancy A. in Kenya. Nancy is a married mother of 2 children ages 5 and 2. She works hard to provide for her family and give back to her community. Nancy has started several buisnesses and is also training to be a volunteer community health worker. Specifically, Nancy has applied for this loan to expand the stock she carries in her grocery stand. I chose Nancy because she is a hard worker and give to those around her. Please click on Nancy’s link above or on the widget in my sidebar and help Nancy and her community.

If you do make a donation, please leave a comment here. It would be awesome if The Mom Maven family could meet the entire $150 of this loan!