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New Printable: Weekly Menu Planning Sheet

Tuesday, January 27th, 2009


I am so excited to share with you that we have a new printable available for you to use on our site. It is a Weekly Menu Planner that you can use to jot down your meals for the week and even has some room for snacks, lunches, and breakfast. I hope it will help make menu planning easier.

If you have other ideas for printables that you would like to see on here, please let us know. My web designer (also known as my husband) might be able to squeeze in a few more here and there!

If you need more ideas for menu planning be sure to visit the resources list and check out the podcast for more discussions on simplifying our home management routines!

Posted in Printables | 4 Comments »

Free & Fun Resources for Book Lovers

Tuesday, January 27th, 2009

The coffee tray was assembled with all the necessary items for a good cup of coffee.

I gathered a stack of books from my bookshelves that I was not planning to read right now and books that I had read and truly loved.

Our fearless book club leader, Jessica, suggested a book swap for the month. I offered to host our book gathering and couldn’t wait to see what everyone brought. We piled the books on the table, we shared what we thought about our respective stacks, and we sipped some coffee. Everyone left with a bag full of new books and not a dime was spent. It was like going to the library, but no one will fine me if I don’t get it read in three weeks time. As a busy mom, this is exactly the type of book activity that I was game for.

If you don’t have some friends to swap books with, here are a few book resources that I have gathered for the book lovers of the world:

GoodReads or Shelfari– I use GoodReads to keep track of all of the things that I am reading or plan to read. I am not good about remembering the books I have read or that I would like to read in the future. This site helps me keep track of my impressions of books and keep my bookshelves fully stocked with the books I am really interested in reading. I love to keep a pad of paper with me in my purse or make notes into my cell phone when I am at the bookstore so if I happen upon a book I am interested in, I can jot down a note so I can pick it up at my local library.

BookCrossing– This site offers a fun way for you to clear out your bookshelves. The idea is simple, but so fun. Just put a tag within your book to track it and release your book into the wild, which just means leave it somewhere where someone else can find it (coffee shops, doctor’s offices, schools, etc.). When someone finds a book with a BookCrossing ID number in it, they can enter that code into the site and report where the book has moved to. It is a fun way to track where your books have traveled and see how far they can go.

Library Elf– This program helps you keep track of your library materials so you won’t get socked with late fees. Elf is an Internet-based tool for keeping track of what’s due, overdue and ready for pickup. Reminders are sent when the user wants it — before items are due (up to seven days advance notice, weekly notice or everyday reminders). For my local friends, South Bend is not currently participating, but the Elkhart Library is. The basic membership to Library Elf is free.

Frugal Reader, Paperback Swap, & Bookmooch– Just three of many sites where you can exchange books for free. You simply sign up for a membership and list the books on your bookshelf. You can then browse the books from other members and make a request to receive a book. When you are done with the book, you can list it back on the site or keep the book. New members start out usually with credits to get started on exchanging books. The more you ship and share, the more credits you recive to get more books.

Bookins– This is another great site where you can not only swap books, but also movies. Their system will automatically arrange for shipments from you to one member and from a third member back to you, and so on. You never have to contact anyone, there is no bidding, and there are no hassles of dealing with different traders and personalities for each exchange. The shipping charges are always a flat $4.49 for the service. You can keep what you get or exchange it again when you are done.

SwapSimple– This is a site where you can list textbooks, books, games or DVDs. Begin by listing what you have to be available to others. Right when you list an item, they will figure out what it’s current market value is, and award you 20% of it’s value up front for your use. You get the remaining 80% when you send your item to another swapper. This means you can list items, and get items immediately!

Amazon’s Free Kindle Downloads– For those that have moved towards the electronic books, Amazon has books available to download for free through February 28th. Be sure to snag these books and save!

Of course, the ultimate in free resources for book lovers is your local library. Be sure to check the Resources page on your library’s website and see what tools you might be overlooking. My library card comes with free passes to local museums, online memberships to many research tools, even iPods and audio book downloads right to my iPod!

Do you use any of these resources for your reading? Feel free to share your own resources that you have discovered that could help your fellow book lover out!

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Posted in Gifts, Reads | 6 Comments »

The MomAdvice No Spend Challenge

Monday, January 26th, 2009

Our family is planning to take an adventure for the month of February into the world of no spending. We have sat down as a family and discussed the benefits of doing this and what we hope to get out of this challenge.

What can be gained though from a no-spend month can prove to be of great value for families. When you are not able to spend, you suddenly see how plentiful your life already is. The richness of what is around you and how little you truly do need to be happy quickly comes into focus.

As a consumer, we become conditioned to spend so I imagine that first initial week will prove challenging. I know the rewards are great though for families who can overcome that hump and break the cycle of spending. A no-spend month does come with challenges, but it also comes with the gratification of knowing that you have let your bank account grow!

When we say no spending, we mean no spending outside of our normal daily living expenses. Some things will still need to be purchased in order to keep the lights lit, food on our table, and diapers on our baby. This is what we have set aside for the month:

Clark Family February Spending Plan:

$250 for the month for groceries (including diapers)
Normal utility payments
Gas for cars

We will be doing our best to not spend on anything else for the month and share our experience with you.

I really wanted to come up with a creative way that people could share about their No Spend Challenge that would be fun and also insightful into what people do when they aren’t out spending money. My brilliant idea was to document it by creating a Flickr group where people could pick up a No Spend Challenge any day, week, month, or year that they would like to document their adventure.

To join the MomAdvice No Spend Challenge group, you simply need to make a commitment towards not spending for a set amount of time. It could be a day, a week, a month, or even a year. Make that commitment to your family and share a picture of what you do each day when you are not spending money. Get your finances back on track and have fun documenting the creative ways you spend your time together.

Would you like to take a no-spend adventure with me? Just think of all of the free time you will have if you are not out shopping and spending for a month.

Here are a few ideas for how you could spend all of that free time!

  • Get your finances back on track by trying out a free program like Mint.com and get in better touch with your past spending.
  • Dust off those old board games and spend an evening playing them together.
  • Watch free movies on Hulu.com or take out the DVD collection and watch your favorite movies again. If you are really craving a new release, sign up on Redbox.com to get a free movie code every Monday and use that to get your movie fix for the month.
  • Break out that really old game system and relive those games again with your kids.
  • Dig through your old cookbooks and try out recipes using some of the ingredients in your pantry.
  • Play a game of Iron Chef with your spouse and let your children be the judge of the best dish by having your very own cooking contest. You might be surprised that even dad’s toasted Pop-Tart might be the judge’s favorite in this contest.
  • Actually use the craft supplies that you have bought and start tackling some of your crafty ideas for the holidays.
  • Find the floor in your laundry room.
  • Look for free community activities that you could do as a family.
  • Volunteer or find things in your home that you could donate to those less fortunate.
  • Visit the library and actually read the books.
  • Clip coupons and plan your grocery shopping in advance for next month.
  • Take a wonderful and delicious nap.
  • Learn a new skill set or check out books on self-improvement to help make your life better or easier.
  • Get free museum passes from the library or check the local museum’s websites for information on their free admittance days. Don’t forget to pack a lunch!
  • Have a potluck-style swap night with your friends and exchange three of your things for three of theirs.
  • Read that pile of magazines or newspapers that never gets read.
  • Exercise.
  • Listen to free music on Last.fm and make a fun mix of songs you listened to when you were dating your spouse.
  • Take a bubble bath.
  • Play on the floor with your children.
  • Organize your closet and take inventory of your wardrobe.
  • Put batteries in the children’s toys to make them “new” again.
  • Tackle a home improvement project that you bought supplies for, but still haven’t finished.

However you decide to spend your no-spend day, weekend, week, month, or year, I hope that it brings into focus how great it can truly be to not spend and that it gives you the opportunity to build meaningful relationships with those around you.

The group will always be open so if February is not a month you can commit to, feel free to commit at any time.

Next week (starting on 1/29), we will be sharing on The MotherLoot an adventure that we got to take with Mercedes. The company is coming out with a more budget-friendly car and we will be giving away $50 Visa Gift Cards for each day that the campaign will run. In total, $250 of gift cards will be given away and I hope I can give these to a no-spend participant to give you a night out on us! I will be sure to let you guys know when these posts start running so you can enter to win!

Would you like to join a no-spend challenge with me? How long will you be committing to? (Feel free to grab our banner and share about your adventure on your own blogs!)

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Posted in Money & Finance | 53 Comments »

Baked Tiliapia With Lots of Spice

Monday, January 26th, 2009

I have wanted to try some new tilapia recipes for a long time now, but I have to admit that I was afraid to waste a package of it and have it not turn out. My Herb Baked Tilapia is served almost weekly in our house and is loved by the whole family. Why mess with a good thing, right?

Well, I saw this recipe and just had to try it. It is so low in fat (one tablespoon of olive oil for four pieces of fish total), was made with everything in my spice cabinet, and it was a baked fish so I wouldn’t have to dirty up a skillet or my oven to make it. I thought it would be worth a try, just to see if we could switch up our old standby.

This fish was excellent. The balance of spices in this is perfect, the crust tasted almost fried because it crisped up so well, and the fish was perfectly flaky. Our whole family truly loved it and I think I will be making this again and again. It would make an excellent fish sandwich so I think I will be trying that next time, just to keep the dish fresh and new.

Thank goodness I stepped out of the comfort zone so I could add this meal to our meal rotation!

Baked Tilapia With Lots of Spice (Recipe from Recipezaar)

1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon paprika
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon basil
3/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
4 (4 ounce) tilapia fillets
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons sliced green onions
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1 tablespoon olive oil

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. In a small bowl combine the spices from the salt through the Italian seasoning and set it aside. In a shallow container mix the bread crumbs, dried parsley, and green onions. Measure 4 tsp of the spice mix and sprinkle that all over the 4 fish fillets. Add the remaining spice mix to the bread crumbs, mixing well. Add the olive oil to the bread crumb mix, blending it in with your hands. Dredge the fish in the breadcrumbs, coating well. Shake off any excess breadcrumbs. Place the fish on a baking pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake for 6 minutes. Turn over and bake for 4 minutes. Turn over again and bake until flaky, about 4 more minutes. Serve immediately.

Posted in Main Dishes | 9 Comments »

Freebie Friday: January 23, 2009

Friday, January 23rd, 2009

Thanks so much to Heather, from Freebies 4 Mom, for helping us with our freebie list today! Be sure to visit Heather’s hot coupon list before you hit the grocery store this week and visit Heather’s site all week long for all the latest freebies! Her site is an invaluable resource to moms who are trying to stay on their budget!

I have some new articles up this week on the Right@Home website that I think you will really enjoy. I really enjoyed this guest spot opportunity and I hope you can check it out!

We would also like to thank FIRE Finance for featuring us in their Top 100 Personal Finance Blogs. We came up as #7 in their list and are so thankful to our readers for visiting the site and sharing it with your friends and family. Please visit this list and add these great people to your regular reading to keep your finances on track!

Happy Freebie Friday, everyone!

Health & Beauty

Crest Whitestrips Advanced Seal (Walmart)
Kirkland Diapers (Costco)
Kotex Lightdays (Costco)

Food

Quaker True Delights
Chocolate Turtle Chex Mix (sign-up for Betty Crocker emails)
Total Cranberry Crunch Cereal
Grill Power: A Girl’s Guide to Grilling

Entertainment

Lowe’s Racing Track Record Magazine
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (audio download)
Cosmopolitan Magazine (I applied to this magazine and then was able to check the boxes for Blender & Maxim Magazine too at the end of the survey)
Blender Magazine
Maxim Magazine

Home & Garden

TurboTax (click the Free Edition)
TaxACT

Pets

Rachel Ray Nutrish dog food
Rachel Ray Nutrish dog food (Walmart)

Upcoming Freebie Events:

Please call your local store or restaurant to confirm they are participating in these freebie events.

JANUARY
24 – Change a Pet’s Life – Free Adoption

FEBRUARY
7 – The Home Depot Kids Workshop – Make a trinket box with heart
14 – Lowe’s Build and Grow Clinic – Make a jewelry box
24 – IHOP National Pancake Day 7am-10pm
28 – Lowe’s Build and Grow Clinic – Make a 48 race car

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Posted in Freebies | 5 Comments »

Simplifying Our Time In the Kitchen Resource List

Thursday, January 22nd, 2009

Thank you so much to everyone who was able to catch the show live and chatted with me while I was on the air. Anyone who listened has to agree that Robin Miller was full of such great information for moms. It was really an incredible interview and I hope you can take a half hour to listen to what she shared with us!

As promised, here is today’s resource links and a couple of recipes from Robin Miller!

Getting to Know Your Freezer– Some inspiration and ideas for ways to stock your freezer!

Starbucks Peppermint Mochas– This is my favorite recipe to share and just one reason to stock those ice cubes in your freezer.

Schedule a Day In Your Kitchen– Recipes for items you can make ahead of time on a scheduled day in your kitchen. This is a great way to save cash and eliminate the convenience foods in your diet.

Bulk It Up– Ideas for maximizing that wholesale club membership to the fullest, if you plan to cook in bulk.

Feed the Freezer Cooking Guide

Sneak Up on Freezer Cooking

Freezer FAQ

30 Day Gourmet

Recipezaar’s Freezer Recipes

Books to Check Out:

Robin to the Rescue

Quick Fix Meals

Dream Dinners Cookbook

Frozen Assets

Super Suppers

Don’t Panic- Dinners in the Freezer

Beef Stroganoff

Recipe Courtesy of Robin Miller and Tyson Foods

Recipe serves 4
Preparation Time: 15-20 minutes
Time Savings: 30 minutes compared to traditional recipe

Ingredients

8 ounces wide egg-free egg noodles
2 teaspoons olive oil
½ cup chopped onion
2 cups sliced fresh cremini or white button mushrooms (about 8 ounces)
1 teaspoon dried thyme (optional)
1 ½ cups reduced-sodium beef broth
2 packets (6 ounces each) Tyson® Fully Cooked Seasoned Steak Strips
1 cup light sour cream
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Pinch salt and ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives (optional)

1. Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Add onion and sauté for 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and sauté for 3 minutes, or until mushrooms are tender. Add thyme (if using) and stir to coat.
4. Add beef broth and steak strips and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 more minutes.
5. Stir in cooked egg noodles, sour cream and Dijon mustard. Mix well.
6. Remove from heat and season to taste with salt and black pepper. If desired, top with fresh chives just before serving.

Chicken Parmesan Casserole

Recipe Courtesy of Robin Miller and Tyson Foods

Recipe serves 4
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Time Savings: 30 minutes compared to traditional recipe

Ingredients

1 pound whole wheat pasta
2 packets (6 ounces each) Tyson® Fully Cooked Grilled Chicken Breast Strips
¾ cup prepared no-salt added tomato sauce (pasta sauce or pizza sauce)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, regular or part-skim
3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons Panko bread crumbs
Pinch salt and ground black pepper

1. Cook whole wheat pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Arrange chicken breast strips in the bottom of a shallow baking dish. Pour tomato sauce over the chicken and sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the tomato sauce.
4. In a small bowl, combine the parmesan cheese and bread crumbs. Mix well and sprinkle the mixture over the mozzarella cheese.
5. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the top of the casserole is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly, and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
6. Divide whole wheat pasta among four individual bowls, spoon casserole mixture over the top and serve.

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Posted in Cleaning, Home & Organization | 2 Comments »

Notebook Experiments: Can an Indoor Snow Day Keep the Kids Busy?

Thursday, January 22nd, 2009

Experiment: Can I entertain my kids with a pile of snow?

Experiment Taken From: Notebook Entry 01.15.09

Materials Needed: Please see The Homespun Heart for the full instructions.

Results: It has been brutally cold here with blowing snows and blizzards and the usual Midwest winter fun so it makes playing outside in the snow difficult. We have also been battling bronchitis and the winter bugs that make their way from school to our home so going outside hasn’t been in the cards lately.

Luckily, I saw Monica’s brilliant idea for having an indoor snow adventure and thought that would be just the ticket for the kids. I found a small tote in the basement, filled it up with snow, found some random spoons from the kitchen, and gave them the Little People to make snow angels. I put some jazz music on, and got some work done while they played.

I will admit, the quiet was quite lovely. And then the giggling. And then the chatter. And it pulled me away from my work.

And I plopped on the floor and enjoyed their sweet little selves for an hour.

And Emily wrapped her icy cold hand over mine and said, “Mommy, you are my best friend.” And I admit it, I teared up.

But by dinnertime I was told, “Mommy, you are not my best friend.” It didn’t phase me.

I just held that moment in my heart because for that one hour, we held hands over the snow and pledged our friendship for that moment.

Conclusion: Playing in snow INSIDE is our new favorite winter activity and I look forward to doing it again…and just maybe I will be back on the friend list! I encourage you to put this on your activity list this week. Thanks to Monica, at The Homespun Heart, for the brilliant idea!

********************

I am so excited to open our Notebook Experiments up to everyone and I hope that you will be able to participate this week or in weeks to come! I will be posting this each Thursday so please mark your calendars if you plan to participate. You can post your entries at any time throughout the week and then leave your entry in the links below.

We have this handy banner that you are more than welcome to use, but it is not a requirement! It is just something you can add to add a little sparkle to your entry.

Rules for Participation:

1. Choose anything from any of our notebook entries (past or present) to do with your family. We have hundreds of bookmarked links of crafts, ways to save money, and organizing ideas.
2. Complete an experiment from the notebook and share about it on your blog or website. We would love to see pictures of what you accomplished or a detailed description of how your projects turned out. Please include a link to this entry, a link to the original posting of the entry (at the original crafster’s blog), and (to help us relocate the project) the date or link of the notebook entry where you found it. You can use the same formatting as our entries or you can just include that information in your post in your own unique way!
3. Post a link below. Please include your name or blog name & a fast description of your project. Example- MomAdvice (WHO bread)

I can’t wait to see what you create and what you find inspiring!

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Posted in Kids Crafts | 8 Comments »

MomAdvice Simplified: Simplifying Our Time in the Kitchen

Thursday, January 22nd, 2009

I am very excited to have a very special guest on MomAdvice Simplifed this week. Food Network star, Robin Miller, from Quick Fix Meals with Robin Miller is joining me today to share her tips for simplifying our time in the kitchen.

I am so incredibly excited about this interview because I am such a big fan of Robin Miller and her time-saving strategies for making healthy meals without cooking for hours and hours. Robin promotes healthy eating and I so admire what she has done with her background in nutrition. During this interview, Robin is going to share with us some ideas for stocking our freezer, some ideas for easy side dishes that aren’t boring, and ideas for ingredients that you can make ahead so you can spend more time with your children, and less time cooking.

Robin Miller has 18 years of experience as a food writer and nutritionist and is the author of the best-selling cookbook “Quick Fix Meals.” Her popular show, Quick Fix Meals with Robin Miller, currently airs on Food Network, and her prime time show, Robin to the Rescue premiered on Food Network in March 2007.

Robin’s recipes and nutrition features can be seen regularly in a variety of magazines, including Clean Eating, Experience Life, Guideposts, Cooking Light, Health, Fit Pregnancy, and Toddler. Robin is also the author of eight books including her latest, Robin to the Rescue.

Robin has been a guest on hundreds of local and national television and radio programs and has hosted home videos (for Jane Fonda), cable television vignettes (for Food Network and a variety of food companies) and spoken at media events in various markets nationwide.

She regularly appears on local, network and cable television, with past appearances including The Early Show (CBS), Regis & Kelly, The View, The Today Show (NBC), Good Morning America(ABC), CNN, ABC Eyewitness News and CBS Evening News.

As a nutrition expert, chef and mother of two, Robin has teamed up with Tyson Foods to give busy families strategies and tips using Tyson® Fully Cooked Chicken and Steak Strips to create faster, lighter and budget-friendly versions of favorite meals.

Just as a reminder, you can listen to the show live every Thursday at 2PM EST or you can listen later right here on my the left sidebar!

I hope you will join me and feel free to chat with me in the chat room or you can even phone in your questions. I think this is going to be an invaluable episode for moms and I am really excited about the information that we are going to share in this half hour.

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Posted in Cleaning, Home & Organization | 1 Comment »

Amy’s Notebook 01.22.09

Thursday, January 22nd, 2009


I am loving these photography tips for taking great photos of your kids (@ Make & Takes)

I may have to start trying to cook artisan bread again (@ house on hill road)

This chicken & wild rice soup looks delicious (@ Home Ec 101)

I am loving this little indoor swing and I love these loft beds for space saving (@ Ohdeedoh)

I really love this office tour and the organization solutions in this space (@ {A})

These knitted Mary Jane slippers are adorable (@ sew nancy)

These oatmeal streusel cookies look so delicious (@ Baking Bites)

I want to try this any way coffee cake for my next get together (@ Joy the Baker)

This light chicken parmesan recipe looks yummy (@ The Kitchn)

My kids would think I was the coolest mom in the world if I made them this rainbow cake (@ Omnomicon)

These spice jar labels are so cute (@ Craft Leftovers)

This knitted owl sweater is simply amazing (@ needled)

I love these ideas for reinventing the soup can (@ the long thread)

This is such a cute idea- doing family interviews with each other (@ Small Notebook)

I also love these ideas for preserving family memories (@ Scribbit)

These candy cane hearts would be a great way to use up candy canes leftover from Christmas (@ Skip to My Lou)

This flat bread and hummus look like a yummy treat (@ Your Homebased Mom)

I want to try this copycat recipe for Starbucks Coffee Cake (@ Divine Domesticity)

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Posted in Amy's Notebook | 2 Comments »

Play It Again, Momma: Fruity Play Dough

Wednesday, January 21st, 2009

Each day we have been enjoying something off of Ethan’s summertime list. One of the things that he wanted to do was to make play dough so I found a really great recipe that I thought would work perfectly and keep our kitchen nice and cool. This recipe requires no cooking, which is a bonus on a hot summer day, and uses Kool-Aid mixes to make your colors.

I made a batch in each of the kid’s favorite colors and was suprised how quickly and easily this dough came together. In about five minutes, the dough was ready to go for little hands to enjoy.

Boy, did they enjoy this! I put out my biscuit cutter, plastic forks and knives, cookie cutters, and a giant rolling pin- all items courtesy of my kitchen! The kids played in this for over an hour and then I stored the batches in plastic containers.

This dough stays nice and soft and the smell is delicious… which is very confusing for a two year-old. Emily found out the hard way that it didn’t taste as good as it smelled, but it only took one taste to find that out.

Fruity Play Dough (courtesy of Recipezaar.com)

1 cup flour
1 package Kool-AidKool-Aid (any flavor)

1 tablespoon cream of tartar

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup salt
3/4 cup boiling water (the original recipe called for one cup of boiling water, but I found it made the dough too loose- aim for 3/4 cup and add more if needed)

Mix all dry ingredients in bowl then oil, then pour boiling water in and mix thoroughly. Wrap in cellophane or air tight container and store in fridge. The play dough should last a few months.

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Posted in Kid Eats, Kids Crafts | 6 Comments »

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