Family * Travel * Food

Tips on Integrating Cats and Dogs into the Same Home

June marks National Adopt a Cat Month, created by the American Humane Association to bring awareness to the growing cat population in shelters - approximately 3.4 million per year. Many individuals considering cat adoption may already have a dog. Regardless, before making the decision to bring a cat into your household, it is crucial that potential pet owners take a variety of factors into consideration.

To better help integrate cats into any family, Heidi Ganahl, CEO and Founder of Camp Bow Wow featuring Home Buddies, a premier in-home pet care service, has created a series of useful tips.

Tips on Integrating Cats and Dogs into the Same Home:

-Choose the Right Personality: Always consider the personalities of the animals you are bringing into the home. For example, if you have a dog who likes to chase, you will want a cat that won't be in fear.

-Separate Rooms: For the first week or so, keep the dog and cat separated. You can switch between confining one to a certain room or area for a couple of days and then switch which one is confined. This will give them each time to get to know each other's smells and become familiar with them.

-Supervise At All Times: Don't leave the animals together by themselves until everyone has settled into having new friends in the house. You want to be able to keep an eye on them, so lock them in separate areas when you are out of the house.

-Keep the Dog on a Leash: While the dog and cat are in the same room, allow the dog to see the cat moving around. Watch the dog to make sure it doesn't try to chase the cat and that it isn't too fixated on what the cat is doing. You can also feed the dog some treats when the cat is around to have them build up a positive association with the kitty.

-Practice Obedience: You can then use obedience commands to help keep your dog calm and focused when the cat is around.

-Create a Safe Zone: Make sure the cat has a place to jump up to if they need to. You always want to make sure that your kitty has a safe place to get away from the dog in case they dog does start to chase them.

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Nominate the Hess Toy Truck to get inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame

Our family has a love for Hess Toy Trucks – even my before my son was born, his grandpa started collecting a new truck for him every year. I’ve written about being a fan of the Hess Toy Truck before and now I’m asking you to help the toy truck on a very special mission. The Hess Toy Truck is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, a major milestone and a rare occurrence for any toy or toy brand. It surely is a favorite for generations of families out there as it is for mine!

For the 50th anniversary, we should all nominate the Hess Toy Truck to get inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame. The National Toy Hall of Fame was established in 1988 and is housed at the Strong National Museum of Play, based in Rochester, NY. Only 53 toys have ever been inducted and it’s about time the Hess Toy Truck became one of those special toys.

Nominations are due in July. You can nominate the Hess Toy Truck via an online form on the National Toy Hall of Fame’s website or send letters or petitions directly to the Strong Museum. In order to be inducted, a toy must fit a certain set of criteria (icon status, longevity, discovery and innovation). Based on my family’s love of the toy truck over the years, I know it can be a strong contender. Here’s why:

· Icon-status: The Hess Toy Truck has symbolized the holiday season and family fun for 50 years. Anyone who has lived on the East Coast the past few decades probably has heard the holiday TV commercials every year with the lyrics, “The Hess Truck’s back and it’s better than ever…”

· Longevity: Hess Toy Trucks were built to last. These toys are made of quality, durable materials that my entire family can play with for years to come.

· Discovery: With every kind of vehicle on the ground, the air or space as a new Hess Toy Truck design every year, there are so many ways children can pretend, play and learn.

· Innovation: Through the years, Hess has made history creating one of the first toy trucks with lights and sound, and the first to come complete with batteries.

If you want to nominate the truck like I do, please visit http://www.toyhalloffame.org/nominate. And talk about your love of the Hess Toy Truck on Facebook, Twitter and in the comments section below.
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Summertime with Santa Cruz Organic Lemonades- Review & Giveaway

I received complimentary product samples for review purposes. All opinions are my own as always. 
One of my favorite beverages to drink throughout the summer months is lemonade. I love different flavors too-- strawberry, cherry and mango to name a few. I tried the Santa Cruz Organic brand for the first time this week. My husband was so curious about what the mango lemonade would taste like, so we tried that one first. Before I actually took the first sip, I sniffed it. It smelled as if I just peeled a fresh, ripe mango. I went in for the first taste. It was like a mango and lemon explosion in my mouth. I was able to taste each flavor and combined, it was fantastic! I love that it was not too sweet and had the right amount of tart bite to it. My husband really loves the mango variety and has claimed what's left in the bottle for himself. That shocked me because he is a very traditional person when it comes to food or drink. He usually sticks to original flavors.

I love that these lemonades are made with no artificial ingredients or preservatives and are packaged in shelf-stable glass bottles. That makes it perfect for stocking up when they are on sale. I noticed a big end cap of them at my local Kroger the other day, so I hope to grab a few bottles of other flavors to try in the future.

About Santa Cruz Lemonades:
Santa Cruz Organic® Lemonades are certified organic in accordance with the United States Department of Agriculture's organic regulations.  Bearing the official USDA Organic seal, Santa Cruz Organic® Lemonades are guaranteed to be organic, from the ingredients through the recipe-batching process, and into the bottle.  This assures product integrity and supports efforts for environmental responsibility.

Santa Cruz Organic® Lemonades come in Cherry, Peach, Mango, Raspberry, Strawberry, and Original Lemonade. I want to try them all! You can find a location near you here that sells these lemonades.

Two lucky Mom Files readers will win 2 bottles each of Santa Cruz Organic® Lemonades. Enter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
This giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on June 20, 2014. Please follow giveaway rules in Rafflecopter widget. Two winners will be chosen at random and will be contacted via email. Mom Files is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Good luck!
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The Most Perfect Garlic-Ginger Salmon {Recipe}

If you follow me on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, you may know that I love to cook! I prepared some salmon the other day that was out-of-this-world and wanted to share the recipe with you all. This ginger-garlic salmon has so much fresh, savory flavor and pairs well with roasted vegetables and mashed potatoes. My husband absolutely loved it! No lie, if we weren't already married, he would have proposed! 
Ingredients:
-Fresh salmon fillets (I used 2 very thick ones)
-1 extra-large clove of garlic
-a 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled (using a spoon for peeling makes it easier)
-a small handful of fresh cilantro (you can substitute with parsley if you don't like cilantro)
-1 fresh lemon (cut up a few slices to top salmon)
-Assorted dry seasonings. Here are my favorites minus the salt.
-thin slices of salted butter

Preparation:
Set oven on high broil. Rinse salmon fillets in cold water and dry completely with paper towels. Place fish in foil-lined pan. Use a fine grater to grate garlic and ginger. Finely chop the cilantro and mix with garlic and ginger. Sprinkle seasonings on salmon to taste (do not add salt). Rub garlic, ginger and cilantro on fish, top with butter and lemon slices. Use remaining lemon to squeeze over fish. Place fish in oven under broiler until you start seeing a little brown color. Cover with foil and bake at 400 degrees until cooked to your liking. If you want it a little browner, remove foil before fully cooked and let it go for a few minutes uncovered. Enjoy!
Let me know if you try this recipe. Follow the hashatags #howtokeepahusband and #momfilescooks on Instagram for recipe ideas and cooking tips.
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Snackeez! Review

I received a complimentary product sample in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 
Have you seen the commercial for the Snackeez! cup? My kids (especially the teenagers) have always thought it was the coolest thing. I think the fact that they are big snackers is what makes this cup so attractive. 
Snackeez! is the all-in-one, go anywhere snacking solution. The cup holds up to 16 ounces of your favorite drink and also 4 ounces of a snack at the same time. 
They come in four fun colors and are so easy to use. My little one gave the Snackeez! a try and really loved it. He enjoyed sipping on his iced tea and was mesmerized that you can keep a snack in the top compartment. 
 
It was easy for my little guy to flip open the lid to get to his snack. I like the no-slip grip band around the cup for his smaller hands to hold on to. This makes me feel better about him not dropping it.
Check out the video of how the Snackeez! works...
Snackeez! retails for $9.99 and can be purchased online and at Bed Bath & Beyond, CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens, Walmart and more. I think this would be perfect for each family member to have for road trips, movie/game nights, beach tips or anytime for that matter. This would make an ideal birthday gift, especially for the kids' classmates. You can't beat a ten dollar gift that is practical and useful. These also make great stocking stuffers or as an addition to a gift basket. Anyone of any age would enjoy this!
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