This  is one of those odd tales that couldn’t be made up if you tried. It is based on true events, people that we really know,  but the people’s names have been changed since it’s creepy to talk about your friends on the internet.

After a particularly horrible storm which flooded many local roads, Officer Ollie had found his vehicle was would not start. However, as an officer of the law, Ollie had to go to work to serve and protect his community.  He was in a bind. While much of this could have been averted with some help from the proper insurance company, nothing could be done in that moment- Ollie’s cars were going nowhere fast.  Alas, poor Ollie had never heard of Protect Your Bubble. Protect your Bubble helps keep your personal bubble of property safe and secure. With the proper insurance, most disasters can at least have had a lessened blow. We will get more into Protect Your Bubble in a bit- back to the story.  Ollie is a police officer, as we stated, so he is at least partially prepared, and has good friends. With a few phone calls he was able to call up Scuba Steve who, with a few paddles of his boat, was able to be anywhere in town, no matter how hard the rain had struck or how much it accumulated. So once Scuba Steve arrived it, was time for the adventure of the day to begin. With Officer Ollie as the navigator, Scuba Steve was able to zig and zag his way through town, getting Ollie safely to work.  We were told by our friends later on (we were stranded in our own home, as were most local residents) that people were coming by to stop and stare, some just to laugh, at the strange sight of a man in scuba gear rowing a cop to work down the flooded street.   I know we wish they had taken photos- those would have been frame-worthy.

If Officer Ollie had the proper insurance on his vehicles, he would have had way less of a headache.  Protect Your Bubble works in a interesting way, in that one plan covers all of your belongings for one low price. Phones and tablets get replaced within 24 hours. Also available is national coverage of rental cars. This would have helped out Officer Ollie much earlier. But what would happen if, lets say, Officer Ollie (or anyone)  is out of town when trouble occurs?  Travel Insurance coverage would help immensely. The moral of this story is two fold 1) Be prepared with proper insurance no matter how unimportant it sounds. 2) Make friends- especially ones who have row boats and scuba gear.
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Nintendo’s Wii U and Nintendo 3DS are two of the hottest gaming systems of the year based on the number of new games available for kids and families.  There’s so much for kids to explore, including Nintendo’s eShop (Nintendo’s online store located directly on the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS) – which is also a great resource for gift givers.  Check out the below infographics for more info!  Happy holidays.
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Whether you have an older or a newer home, you rely heavily on your furnace. With one flick of a switch or a touch of a button on your thermostat, you can instantly turn the temperature up and down to get the perfect amount of heat. Knowing how to maintain your furnace can help you keep that system in good working condition and reduce the need for future repairs. Calling an HVAC technician to your home can leave you facing some expensive repair bills, but there are a few things you can do to take care of your furnace yourself.

Look for Debris

One of the most important components of your furnace is the blower. The blower is what pushes the warm air through the vents or ducts to reach other areas of your home. Any type of debris, including dust and pet hair, lodged in the vents or around the blower can prevent it that flow of air. To check for debris, turn off the furnace and examine the space around the blower. If you have an upholstery attachment on your vacuum cleaner, you can use that to gently remove the debris before turning the system back on.
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Our first full day on board the Norwegian Breakaway cruise (out of NYC, convenient!) was just that- a full day. It was a day at sea, and it was still too cold to use the pools, hot tubs, or water slides in my opinion. Instead, we explored the ship and took part in many of the ships on-board activities.

We went down to the buffet for breakfast, and found ourselves a table. Before you enter, the staff sprays your hands with a disinfectant hand sanitizer to help stop the spread of germs. The food was good, and it’s nice not to have to cook ourselves, I will tell you that. My son, of course, had to use the bathroom halfway through the meal, so I took him out. In the hallway, we came upon quite a sight- a sound, really. Several staff members, one with a guitar, were singing a song about washing your hands. The song was “Washy washy, happy happy, everybody wash your hands”. We stopped for a full minute, it was such a strange song- but they sure put all their energy into it. Then we were off to the bathroom- and we of course remembered to washy washy before we headed back to finish breakfast. (Check out the video below- it’s not a great video, people had no problem walking in front of me, but you will get to hear this insane song. Bonus- it’s the one that will get caught in your head for the rest of your day. You’re welcome.) You need to give it a few seconds. Really- it’s just nuts. And you will love it.

After breakfast, we went to Family Arts and Craft time. Today’s craft was making a SpongeBob bandana. After everyone made their craft, the kids got to put them on and did a little parade around the room.

We then took the kiddo to Splash Academy- Norwegian’s kid’s club. No, they don’t take the kids swimming, no worries. We signed him up yesterday right after we boarded the ship, and he got a bracelet with his ID on it that has our names and cards linked to it in their computer. We also had to make up and give a password so no one could “Fake” being one of us. The kid’s club staff are all very energetic and keep the kids active and having fun all day. They all have silly nicknames as well, like “Boots”, “Tic Tac”, “BBQ”, and etc.
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NestFresh is a proud member of the National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association. We are so excited to have a guest post from them in which they share their favorite egg recipes.

In today’s busy world, we all want tasty, wholesome AND convenient meal solutions. Surprise! The frozen food and dairy aisles offer it all! As an initiative of National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association, which promotes the sales and consumption of frozen and refrigerated foods, Easy Home Meals came to life as a resource to find simple recipes, easy meal ideas, new product information, tips and much more.

We launched our Easy Home Meals blog this past spring to help you find real solutions for your real life needs. Our Easy Home Meals blog is a place to find recipes, meal ideas, tips and tricks and culinary inspiration—with help from shortcuts from the “cool” aisles of the grocery store.

So, what does that have to do with eggs, you may ask? Eggs are especially important to the Easy Home Meals team for their health benefits and versatility. What we love about eggs is that they’re more than just a breakfast staple. You can incorporate eggs into every meal occasion due to their adaptability! Being an egg-sential part of many food menus, eggs seamlessly fit into a variety of cuisines while maintaining a comfort-food appeal. In 2014, American eateries have seen an increase in dishes that highlight eggs from breakfast to dessert. Because of this trend, 2014 is known as “The Year of the Egg” due to the explosion of egg dishes that go from your average morning omelet to global-inspired lunch and dinner entrées.
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Nina Shoes, Handbags, and Accessories along with RUUM American Kid’s Wear will be hosting a holiday sample sale!

Thursday, December 18^th and Friday, December 19^th from 10am-4 pm

Nina Footwear headquarters, 200 Park Ave South (at 17^th Street), 3^rd floor.

Nina & Nina Originals Shoes: Stock up on summer shoe essentials that will take you from the beach to the boardroom at the Nina and Nina Originals shoes sample sale! Nina and chic sister brand Nina Originals has your shoe game covered from weddings to sun, surf, and sand. Most sample sizes are 6.5 & 9
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