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When it comes to a house, there are things that are essential. Sure a floor, a ceiling, and walls all fall into this category, a house cant exist without them. But, once the basics are in place, a house needs certain things to make it a home. The following five things help it do just that.

A playground: If you dont have kids, you can probably do without putting a playground in your backyard. But, if the pitter-patter of little feet is a common sound in your house, a playground is a must have. Whether its something as simple as a swing set or a jungle gym complete with a bouncy bridge and monkey bars, a playground is essential to keeping your kids happy...and you sane.

Locks on Doors: This day and age, a house is not safe without locks - and deadbolts - on all entry doors. But, a home also needs locks on bedroom and bathroom doors. Without locks, people feel robbed of a sense of privacy: parents might feel insecure about being intimate, kids might feel as if they arent ever trusted, and a husband may worry that someone will come busting through the bathroom door, spotting him reading a sweet Valley High book as he sits on the toilet. Locks on doors allow people to have time alone. Plus, locks can always be removed...say when your kids become teenagers.

A Peephole on the front door: Whenever there is a knock on the front door, its good to know whos standing on the other side before you open it: a peephole is like the caller ID for the door world. Unlike peeking out a window, an act that can cause the person at the door to see you, a peephole allows you to be subtle: you can act like youre not home whenever solicitors, nosy neighbors, or people to whom you owe money come aknockin. A peephole also gives your children the best chance at making sure they dont open the door to a stranger.

A front or Back Porch: When it comes to spring and summer, few things are better than sitting on the porch and enjoying the nice weather. But, a porch isnt just a place for relaxation: a back porch is great for barbequing and hosting summer dinner parties, while a front porch is a great place to sit and watch your kids play, and a great place to decorate with flowers and plants. Sitting out on your front porch and speaking to people who walk by is also a great way to meet and get to know your neighbors.

A Dining Room without a TV: Sitting down and having a family meal together may seem like a lost art, but thats only true for those unwillingly to try to find it. When it comes to a quality family dinner, the television is the nemesis. Thus, the TV has got to go. This doesnt mean you need to smash your plasma in a fit of rage or treat your Sony like it betrayed the mob by throwing it overboard into a desolate lake, just make sure your TV cant be seen from your dining room. Once that happens, your family will be forced to talk to each other.

Jennifer Jordan is the senior editor for http://www.etodoors.com. Someone who changes her mind every five minutes, her house is in a perpetual state of home improvement.

# posted by 89048 @ 6:53 PM 0 comments

Now that you have fought off the nasty crowds at the electronics store, and secured your nintendo Wii system, got it home without incident and into your house, this is what you should do. Follow these steps to set up your Wii:

1) Remove the Wii from the box
2) Remove the AV cable and the AC adapter
3) Remove the stand plate, vertical stand, sensor bar and sensor-bar stand
4) Remove the Nunchuk and Wii remote
5) Choose your location near the TV for your Wii and set it up vertically or horizontally
6) connect the AV cable and the AC adapter to the Wii
7) Plug the AC adapter into a power outlet. connect the AV cable to the input on your TV. connect the yellow cable to the video input and the red and white cables to the audio inputs
8) Get out the remote control and put in the batteries
9) Turn on your Wii
10) The onscreen instructions will appear and you will be required to choose your language, location, time of day, etc.

How to set up your Wii control

The Wii Remotes do not automatically bond with you Wii console. You will have to tell it to do so. The remote controls and arrives with your console is prebonded, but any additional Wii Remotes you purchase will have to be synchronized with your Wii in order to work smoothly with your console. There are two ways to accomplish this: the Standard Mode and the One Time Mode.

Standard Mode

To use the Standard Mode for connecting additional Wii Remotes to your Wii system permanently follows these steps:

1) Press the power button on your Wii console to turn it on
2) Remove the cover for the batteries on the back of the Wii remote
3) Press the Sync button inside the cover
4) Open the door located over the SD card slot and on the Wii console
5) Press the Sync button inside that compartment
6) When the LEDs on the remote stop blinking, your synchronization is complete

One Time Mode

The One Time Mode does just that and allows your Wii remote to work with a Wii other than the current synchronized remote. This is handy when you are at a friend's house. Follow these steps:

1) Press the Home button on the Wii remote that is already synchronized with the Wii remote that you intend to use
2) Select the Wii remote Settings option
3) Select the Reconnect Option
4) Simultaneously press 1 and 2 buttons on the remote that you want to sync to the Wii console
5) When the lights stop blinking and your remote vibrates your remote has temporarily synchronized with that particular Wii console
6) The attachment of the remote should be shown on the screen as well

James Kronefield

# posted by 89048 @ 12:50 AM 0 comments