Pet Cupcake Recipe

As many of you probably know I have been house/pet sitting for people for many years now. And like most pet owners they adore their pets and would do just about anything for them. One thing that every pet loves is people food, if they are allowed to have it. Below is a recipe of some healthy, delicious cupcakes/ muffins your pet is sure to love.

• 1 cup wheat flour

• 1tsp baking soda

• 1/4 cup peanut butter

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

• 1 cup shredded carrots

• 1 tsp. vanilla

• 1/3 cup honey

• 1 egg

Mix flour and baking soda. Add remaining ingredients. Pour into greased 8" round cake pan and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Let cool. Puree cottage cheese in blender for icing. Decorate with more peanut butter and carrots. Take several stick like treats to use as candles.

Here is a picture of my sweet Rothko on his 1st birthday 3/28/10.

The Laundress

In honor of being in NYC, I am posting about a company that I LOVE LOVE their products and is based out of NYC it’s The Laundress. They have eco - friendly laundry and household items that I can’t get enough of. I have been using them for years and love giving their products as gifts to family and friends. All of their products are amazing, but the one I use the most is the Stain Remover. It gets out the toughest of stains including those pesky armpit stains. You can get their products on their website or at various retailers listed on their website. Enjoy!

***I didn’t receive compensation for this post, I just love their products.

Travel

When you are traveling you may go for various reasons and have different objectives in mind on exactly what it is that they want to do. For me personally, when I am traveling I like to do off the beaten path things to really get a taste of the local culture mixed with the tourists’ attractions. One thing that you should consider before traveling is researching the things to do to make sure you are doing exactly what you want and not wasting anytime.

If there is a large amount of things you want to do in a short period of time than try to plan your days ahead of time to make sure it is the most time efficient for you. Don’t forget to allow for those unexpected ventures that may occur. Take some cash with you and put the rest in the bank. Keep your belongings close to you when you are walking around a lot.

Keep maps, money and identification always handy on you. If you are lost or are having trouble getting to where you are going never hesitate to ask for help or directions. Most major cities have a chamber of commerce or information center that has info on things to do and see. Talk with the locals. Always stay safe and have fun!

Packing Tips

Last week was really hectic for me therefore I didn’t post anything. I am currently on vacation in NYC and Boston. I have several things scheduled to be posted throughout my trip. Last week I was getting ready for my trip and volunteered for a fashion show and The Women’s Home here in Houston. Since I will be traveling for 12 days. Here some packing tips in order to help you get organized

• Lay out everything that you are going to take on your trip.
• Make sure your liquids meet the airline regulations.
• Check the weather before going to make sure you are prepared and will stay warm or cool.
• Have all your documents together license, passport, hotel info, boarding pass, etc.
• If you plan on taking a lot of electronics, than put all you cords, etc. in a separate bag, so when you have to move things from your bag it is easy and there is not a mess everywhere.
• Pack by making sure everything is nice, neat and folded.
• Try not to pack more in your suitcase or bag that you can’t carry all at once.
• Have a separate, small bag within your suitcase that you can put your dirty clothes in.
• Wear something comfortable when sitting for hours while traveling.
• Have fun!

Moving Checklist

So I recently moved myself and also have helped some others move recently and I thought that I would write about some important things that you need to think about when moving that may be obvious, but are often forgot about.

- Get bills changed into your name. First start by changing your information with the post office. Driver's license, insurance, work, electric company, gas company, cell phone, internet, cable, memberships that you belong to, magazines, etc.

-Hire movers at least 2 weeks in advance if at all possible. If you are not hiring movers, than at least get the people who are going to help you lined up.

- Label your boxes and as they are brought into your new abode, place the boxes in the rooms that they belong in.

- Moving is a great way to get rid of your things, so donate or sell those unwanted items.

- Transfer your electric, gas, cable, internet, etc.

- If you are renting take pictures and make note of anything that is wrong with the place. This is great for when you move out and the management company tries to blame it on you.

These are just a few of the main things that you need to do in order to get ready for your move. Moving can be stressful, but it doesn't have to be if you stay organized and plan ahead things are likely to go more smoothly.

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Organizing: Sorting

Now that you have purged many of your items, it is time to start sorting. Try separating your items by starting off in areas of your house, room, or wherever you may be. Try to start small and not get too overwhelmed with this process. Try to stay focused on one area like clothes, paperwork, kitchen items, etc. and then move onto the next.

The use of bins and/ or baskets are a great way to help with the sorting process. Sorting is also a great way to purge more of your unwanted items. If you are sorting clothes, sort by type of clothing first like, skirts, dresses, shirts, etc. With paperwork make an urgent pile for things that need to be taken care of immediately, to file - items that need to be field, bills, etc. Try to make as little piles as possible to eliminate it getting too complicated.

Once you have your items sorted try putting them in areas where they should go. This can be a very frustrating and tedious process, so if you have to do something else for a moment do so. Do not leave for no more than 10 minutes to get your mind off of the stress. Some things you can do are go for a walk, do yoga, meditate, or whatever it is that you need to do to get your mind off of the situation for a moment. Then go back and tackle the situation again until it is completely done the proper way. You will be thankful down the road when it is so easy to find the things you are looking for.

www.ecomodernconcierge.com

Mother's Day

Mother's day is just around the corner and if you are a last minute shopper you are probably trying to figure out what in the heck can you get the mom that has everything already. There are several things that you could do.

Try to buy locally. Most major cities have some type of farmers markets or areas to buy goods from local artisans. These are usually really unique gifts that not a lot of people will have. Sign your mom up for a class. Perhaps this could be something that she will really enjoy or you can take the class together like cooking, writing, floral, exercise class, etc. Of course spas and pedicures always seem to be a big hit. Have you seen anything special on Groupon.com. That is what I got my mom, a spa day together at an eco spa in Austin, TX, which I found on their website.

There are endless options on what you can get your mom, but more than anything just show her how much you appreciate her. This usually means more to her than any material thing.

Renting Tips

As a part -time real estate agent, that as of right now only deals with people who are renting, there are many of things that people ask my advice on and I try to help my clients to the best of my ability. Here are a few things that I think people should follow in order to get into the place they love:

• Take your time looking, never settle for anything you 1. can't afford and 2. just don't like. Many of times people become very frustrated with the fact that they have been looking for a long time or have to move very quickly, so they just settle. I highly recommend taking your time if at all possible and going with that gut feeling.
• Location, Location, Location. I know this is something that you hear about all the time, but many of times you will pay the price for the location, but you don't have to. When I was looking to rent I looked for what felt like forever, but there were several things that I wouldn't budge on, which was location and my budget most importantly. You just have to diligently search.
• When it comes to price never go over your budget because there are many things you need to consider besides the rent, which is all your other bills like utilities, insurance, car, food, etc. etc.
• Try to negotiate as much as possible. Ask if there is a discount, if you are a student see if there is a student discount, see if they will go down on the rent if you pay a chunk of $ upfront, if you sign a lease for 1+ years, etc. In real estate there is almost always room for negotiation and it never hurts to ask.
• Be patient. I know this is hard for many people, including myself, but it is something that you will appreciate in the end. Everything usually falls into place if you just stay relaxed about the whole process and try not to get too overwhelmed.
• Be sure to read the lease carefully and understand every part of it. If there is anything that you do not feel comfortable with be sure to ask questions.
• I would recommend to always get renters insurance even if it is never used, you never know when the complex or house can go up in flames.
• A great way to find a place is by looking on craigslist or just by driving around the neighborhoods.

There are so many more tips that I could elaborate on, but these are some of the main points that concern my clients the most and what I tell them when they are looking.

visit my website at: www.ecomodernconcierge.com

Smart Money - Save

I am by no means a financial advisor, but in the past several years I have had my ups and downs regarding my financial status. I would like to think that I am a very financially smart person. One thing that I am a true believer in is always SAVE, SAVE, SAVE.

No matter how great things are or how bad they are at the time, I always save on a weekly basis whether it is $5 or $55. I am a strong believer that no amount is too small or too large. Here are a couple of ways to save:

• Automatically deduct a certain % out of your paycheck weekly, every two weeks or however often you may get paid.
• When you get receipts from the grocery store or other stores and at the bottom it says you have saved______, put that amount that it says you saved into your savings account. Try to shop the weekly sales to get the most out of your total savings from the store.
• Set an automatic transfer to your savings from your checking account on a monthly basis
• Skip eating out or getting your daily coffee and put that money into savings.
• Coupons, I know it is time consuming, but they can be very beneficial if you put the money you saved into your saving.

These are just a few things that I do to save on a weekly basis. You will definitely thank yourself in years to come.

visit my website at: www.ecomodernconcierge.com