My parents last water bill was nearly triple what it normally is. So they are trying to track down the cause. There are no obvious leaks and with the amount of usage that is being reported, it most likely has something to do with the meter. But I did pick up this cool tip for finding a water leak from the water company.

This tip has to do with the toilet. Sometimes the flap doesn’t always close but usually this is pretty obvious since the water doesn’t turn off after flushing. But some times the rubber flaps become hard and won’t close properly and cause a slow leak. We had this happen in our rental house. You could hear the water dripping even though it wasn’t as loud as when the flap is open.

But here is an easy way to check for a water leak in your commode tank. Drop a some food coloring dye into the water in the tank. Wait for a while to let it settle. If the dyed water shows up in your toilet bowl before you have flushed, then you have a leak. The lady at the water company said this was the easiest way to determine if you had a lead with your tank.

Now here is a really healthy and fun idea for classroom Valentine’s Day gifts. They are called Cuties.

Cuties are a hybrid between a sweet orange and a Chinese mandarin. So cuties are small in size, seedless, and easy to peel. And as most school kids can probably tell you, they are packed with Vitamin C. Also, Cuties have plenty of antioxidant and are high in fiber. They are also a low calorie snack since each Cutie has 80 calories.

Cuties have a special Valentine’s Day packs that not only include these healthy alternative snacks but also Valentine stickers that feature sayings like, “Kiss a Cutie” and “U R Cutie.”

Cuties has graciously offered up five five-pound of Cuties for a Valentine’s Day giveaway! To be entered into the drawing, just leave a comment on this post about what you are doing for Valentine’s day.

I will draw from all valid comments(no spam please!) on Friday at noon central time. I will them contact the winners to get shipping information since Cuties will need to mail out the oranges Monday February 9th to make sure they arrive in time for Valentine’s Day.

This week I’ve been snacking on some Everybody’s Nuts pistachios. I must say that I have never been a fan of pistachios but gave these a try. Now I can’t stop snacking on them.

Like most nuts, a handful seems to satisfy me. They are easy to open and are full of flavor. Pistachios are also a healthy snack full of antioxidants and fiber. Each ounce of pistachios has 3 grams of fiber. They are also an excellent source of Vitamin B6 and other B vitamins. People have been eating pistachios for thousands of years. Did you know that pistachios are one of the two nuts that are mentioned in the Bible? (Genesis 43:11)

I have been really enjoying the pistachios lately. And since they have nutritional value, I don’t have to feel so guilty about enjoying a handful every day.