Cold & Flu prevention tips!

In kindergarten we were taught sharing is good, but no one wants to share cold and flu germs. Here are a few simple things you can do to help reduce the chances of receiving an unhealthy gift this year.

Use common sense.
One of the best ways to avoid catching a cold is to steer clear of someone who has one. Many people suffering the effects of a cold are thoughtful enough or feel ill enough to limit social interaction, but some are not. If you have a coworker or friend showing all the symptoms — cough, runny nose, congestion and a scratchy throat — politely avoid them, especially during the first few days when they may be most infectious.

Hand washing.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), washing your hands is the single most important way of stopping the spread of viral and bacterial infections. Always wash your hands after touching someone who has a cold or touching something they’ve touched, like a doorknob, telephone, pen or keyboard.

Also wash your hands after blowing your nose or that of your young child. If your child has a cold, it’s a good idea to wash their toys after play.

And look out for that bathroom towel! If you or someone in your family has a cold, put up a separate towel in the bathroom for the healthy members to use. Also avoid touching your mouth, nose or eyes — you could be giving germs a free ride into your body. Visit WebMD for more about the value of hand washing.

Take care of yourself.
During the cold and flu season, be especially vigilant about doing all the things that keep you healthy during the year: get enough sleep, exercise regularly, get fresh air, eat well, drink plenty of liquids and limit your intake of alcohol. A daily multi-vitamin is also a good idea. Smokers have a much higher likelihood of getting a cold or other respiratory infection, so cut back or quit altogether. Most of all, relax! Stress takes a significant toll on your immune system. Check WebMD for more ways to keep yourself healthy.

Don’t go dry.
Winter dryness is uncomfortable for most people, leading to dry skin and sore sinuses. Did you know that dry, irritated sinuses are more likely to get infected? Turning down the heat and using a saline spray or well-maintained humidifier will help.

Keep your germs to yourself.
We know we should all be considerate and stay away from others when we are sick, but daily obligations often make that hard. If, despite your best efforts, you caught a cold and have to be around other people, be conscious of keeping your germs to yourself.

Though we’ve been taught from childhood to cover our mouths when we cough or sneeze, it’s actually better to grab a tissue (which should immediately be thrown away) or turn away and cough or sneeze into the air. Otherwise, you are simply spreading germs into your own hands.

There is no certain way to prevent a cold from following you home this season, but there are some smart habits that can help you avoid one. Be aware, stay healthy and odds are good that you can avoid a germy gift that keeps on giving.
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Winterize your apartment for winter!

When winter weather hits and the temperature starts to drop outside, the temperatures can drop inside as well. Use these tips to prepare for your apartment for winter and you will be able to protect yourself and your apartment from the chill.

Before you make any major changes to your apartment, however, read your lease and talk to your apartment property manager to manager to make sure you are not breaking any apartment community regulations.

Reverse ceiling fansRunning your ceiling fan in reverse in your apartment can keep you more comfortable in winter weather. Since hot air rises, your ceiling fan can push that warmer air back down onto you. Just flip the switch on your ceiling fan. If it’s in reverse, you’ll see the blades going counterclockwise when you look up at it.

Help your heating systemAn efficient heating system will cost you less. As you prepare for winter, your HVAC system should be inspected by a pro to ensure it’s running smoothly. Apartment management should take care of this inspection, having ductwork cleaned and filters replaced.

You can also help your heating system to work more efficiently by wrapping your hot water heater in a special blanket. Available at home improvement stores, hot water heater blankets run about $15 and insulate a heater to be more efficient — that’s a pretty big deal considering that nearly 14 percent of your energy costs go towards providing hot water.

Winterize the fireplaceThe fireplace should be number one on the list of places to check when you prepare for winter. If you don’t plan on using your apartment fireplace, make sure the damper (a piece of metal that keeps out cold air) is closed and install a fireplace draft stopper.

But if you do plan on using the fireplace to keep winter temperatures at bay, be sure to have the fireplace inspected first. Turning the thermostat down and cranking up a warm fire can save you big bucks on heating bills — as long as your ventilation system is working properly. Talk with your apartment manager about their procedures for getting the fireplace inspected.

Prep for zone heating. Think about where you spend the most time in your apartment, and purchase heaters to keep those areas comfortable. Those zone heating gadgets could include an electric blanket, a space heater, or a towel warmer — any device that allows you to use heat as you need it, where you need it instead of wasting energy to warm your whole apartment.

Close off infrequently used areas. Why should your laundry room have to be as toasty as your living room? Keep infrequently used rooms and closets closed off during winter weather so that your space heaters can work more efficiently.

Insulate windows for around $15, a window insulation kit uses shrink-wrap plastic sheeting to seal off drafts. The investment could end up saving you money during the cold winter. If your windows are older, consider getting heavy curtains. Just adding heavy drapery around your windows also cuts heating costs.

Have maintenance plug up gaps. Windows aren’t the only drafty places in your pad. Check for cracks and gaps outside your apartment near windows and inside by outlets and doors. Call maintenance and have them use caulk to plug up these leaks. You can also purchase door draft stoppers to stop cold air from seeping in through cracks.

Set the thermostat if you’ve got a programmable thermostat, prepare for winter by setting it to heat your home only during the hours you’re there. It’s much cheaper to turn the thermostat down during the day when you’re at work and back up when you get home rather than keeping your apartment warm 24/7.

Turning the thermostat down just three degrees can save you money. That’s why utility companies recommend setting your thermostat to 68 degrees. Even if you don’t have a programmable thermostat, you can still save money by adjusting your thermostat manually each day.

Check smoke detectors when you prepare for winter. While you’re at it, make sure you fire extinguisher still works too. Winter weather brings a lot of indoor fire hazards, so checking these devices now is a good idea.

Winterize yourself when it’s cold outside, dress appropriately for the weather. Get the right indoor garb for winter weather: sweat pants, slippers, warm pajamas, a blanket for the couch. Instead of turning up your thermostat, make yourself more comfortable with warm clothing.
Just a few small, inexpensive changes can you comfy — and keep you in the black — this winter.
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How to Make the Perfect Gingerbread House For Christmas!

Christmas is nearly upon us and this little project is great fun for kids and grown-ups alike. It's relatively easy to make, it just takes a little bit of time and a little bit of sparkle.

Gingerbread
6 Cups of Plain Flour
½ Teaspoon of Baking Powder
4 Teaspoons of Ground Ginger
4 Teaspoons of Ground Cinnamon
½ Teaspoon of Salt
½ Teaspoon of Allspice
2 Eggs
1 Cup of Dark Molasses
1 Tablespoon of Water
12 Tablespoons of Butter
1 and a ½ Cups of Light Brown Sugar

Icing
2 Egg Whites
2 and 2/3 Cups of Powdered Sugar
Sweets of your Choice for the Decoration
Preheat oven to 170 degrees C

How to Make the Gingerbread
1. Whisk the dry ingredients together
2. Add in the butter and sugar and whisk until fluffy
3. Beat in the water, eggs and molasses
4. Beat in the flour bit by bit and knead once it's all in there
5. Add more flour if needed
6. Refrigerate the dough overnight
7. Measure out a front and back panel of the same size out of cardboard. These will need to have a point in the middle to create an apex with the 2 roof panels which are also the same size. Make 2 shorter sides of cardboard for the side panels.
8. Cut out these cardboard panels and lay them on top of the gingerbread dough. Cut out the various panels and lay on buttered greaseproof paper.
9. Place in the centre of the oven making sure there is plenty of room all around your gingerbread pieces in case they spread.
10. Cook for around 6 minutes and remove small side panels or until they brown around the edges
11. Cook for a further 7-9 minutes and take out larger pieces when they start to brown around the edges
12. Lay the templates over the corresponding pieces and cut off any overhanging bits that have spread in the oven.
13. Peel off the greaseproof paper and leave to cool
14. While you're waiting for the biscuits to cool make your icing. This will bind the walls and roof together.
15. Arrange one of the short walls next to an apexed wall and stick edges together with icing. Stick other short wall on other side of apexed wall and bind with more icing then find the last remaining wall to the back. Leave to completely harden.
16. Once the walls are arranged and fixed, you can begin to construct the roof. For an added surprise, you could fill the house with various sweets before you stick the roof onto the mini construction. Put icing all along the top edges of the walls and arrange the two roof panels together and bind with icing. Leave to dry completely. If any pieces crack or break completely- don't worry as you can simply use the icing to bind back together. It will give the house an antique look!
17. Now for the fun part! It's time to decorate! Get your fudge and stick together with icing in a brickwork pattern. This will make your chimney and this can be laid against the back of the house.
18. You could stick chocolate buttons onto the top of the construction in an overlapping style to create tiles. This looks particularly lovely with both milk and white chocolate buttons.
19. Decorate and place on a cake board. Cover the bottom of the board with more icing for a snowy affect and place fudge around the edge of the board to create a brick wall!

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Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe!

Do you have a sweet tooth & are looking to satisfy that craving? You must make this pumpkin cheesecake to serve at one of your holiday functions. It's to die for!

Ingredients
Cake
1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
1 egg
1/2 cup butter
Filling
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter
4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg


Directions
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2) To make the cake, stir the cake mix together with 1 egg and 1/2 cup butter in a mixing bowl until well blended. Pat the mixture evenly onto the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
3) To make the filling, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin together in a mixing bowl until smooth. Beat in the eggs, vanilla, and 1/2 cup butter until creamy and smooth. Gradually stir in the confectioners' sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg until evenly blended. Spread the pumpkin mixture over the cake layer.
4) Bake in preheated oven until top is set, 40 to 50 minutes. Cool, and cut into squares to serve.

Macon Apartments
SC Bodner Apartment Communities