At Home With Valerie

(Family Features) In most pets, the signs and symptoms of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning are nonspecific and could easily be attributed to other illnesses. To protect yourself and your pets from the dangers of CO, it’s important to keep working alarms throughout the home, test and replace them as recommended and understands the signs. Learn more about protecting your two- and four-legged loved ones at Kidde.com . SOURCE: Kidde

(Family Features) Traditional family activities like trick-or-treating create fun moments and memories, but the effects of COVID-19 on this Halloween will bring about change for the spooky excitement. You can still ensure a special night for your little ones and all the ghouls, goblins and ghosts in your neighborhood by following safety measures aimed at keeping everyone healthy on All Hallows’ Eve. Consider these tips for safe trick-or-treating from the experts at the National Safety Council and leading candy maker, Mars Wrigley. Before Buy individually wrapped candy to hand out to trick-or-treaters. Fun-size packs are one of the easiest forms of candy for trick-or-treaters to grab and go. Create fun, individual candy goody bags for a no-touch option for trick-or-treaters. Make sure your yard is well-lit; replace any burnt-out light bulbs. Create signs encouraging trick-or-treaters to stay 6 feet apart and display them in your yard. Don’t hand out treats if you a

(Family Features) Warm, delectable dishes go hand-in-hand with cool fall evenings when the crisp air sends you to the kitchen for a filling meal. Look no further than easy recipes like meatballs that pack fulfilling flavor to feed your family when the autumn temperatures dip. These Grass-fed Beef Meatballs with Garlic and Herbs can be the perfect solution anytime you’re craving a warm, comforting meal. They’re made with New Zealand grass-fed ground beef, which provides an unrivaled taste. Grass-fed year-round, the animals roam and graze freely over lush green hills and pastures, resulting in lean, flavorful meat that tastes just as nature intended. Paired with a tomato-based sauce, the meatballs are baked before being topped with Parmesan cheese and parsley then served hot for a dish that warms you from the inside-out. While preparing the meatballs, be sure to wet your hands prior to shaping them as it helps prevent the meat from sticking to your hands. Find more comforting fall

(Family Features) Even though Halloween may look a little different this year for many families, there are still ways to make the most of popular seasonal traditions, like costumes, spooky decor and festive treats. Rather than venturing out to look for a costume, get creative at home with everyday craft supplies and delivery boxes to make unique, low-cost costumes – or “boxtumes.” Not only are boxtumes a simple way to save money by upcycling delivery boxes you’ve accumulated, but making them can be a fun activity for the whole family. Your creations can be as simple or elaborate as you’d like. Turn an everyday hero into a Halloween superhero this year with a DIY Fire Truck Boxtume, or make it a duo costume perfect for siblings by adding a DIY Fire Hydrant Boxtume to match. With Amazon Prime’s fast, free shipping, any crafting supplies or candy you may need – and the box for your DIY creation – could be just one order away. Share your upcycled box creations on social media using #

  Sending you my warm wishes from home to home and from heart to heart to wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving! May this day be a beautiful reminder of the wonderful things in life.

  Disasters often strike without warning. Is your home prepared?

  🍁 Fall is a great time to sell.

Did you know cooking is the #1 cause of home fires and home fire injuries?! Fire Prevention Week is here and the theme for 2020 is safety in the kitchen. 👨‍🚒👩‍🚒🚒 #FirePreventionWeek #Firefighters #FireSafety #homesafety  

Getting pre-approved doesn’t just give you an idea of how much house you can afford, it also lets sellers know you’re a serious buyer. With more houses receiving multiple offers, a pre-approval letter can be a key factor in a bidding war, and you don’t want to miss out.