Archives for 2019

Are your kids bored this summer?  Do they sigh heavily when you offer your usual litany of suggestions — go on more bike rides, meet friends at the local playground, visit the county fair, or set up camp in the backyard for a night of stargazing? 

Maybe it’s time to try something different, time to help them expand their growing minds with a fascinating new subject. 

Learning doesn’t just occur in school. Introducing your child to learning outside the classroom, does more than just teach them invaluable skills. You’re also teaching them to be lifelong learners. 

Here are five suggestions to help your kids experience the thrill of discovery:  

Teach Your Kids About Genealogy 

Genealogy can help your kids understand their family tree. 

If, for example, your family has an Irish genealogy, use stories published in Irish American newspaper articles dating back to the 1800s to help them discover their roots and the type of lifestyle their ancestors lived. They might be surprised to learn that from 1820 to 1860, a little under two million Irish people immigrated to the U.S. to escape the potato famine in Ireland. They came here to find jobs and build a new life for their families — and that could be why your family resides in the U.S. today.

Teach Your Kids How to Cook 

Cooking doesn’t have to be a chore. You can make it fun and exciting. Use this opportunity to teach your kids about the nutritional value of different foods. 

Teaching them how to make salads will do far more than teach them practical culinary skills. Your kids will start appreciating the value of eating unprocessed, natural foods rich in enzymes, vitamins, and minerals. You’ll also be making them aware that junk food is loaded with unhealthy amounts of sugar, salt, and fats.

Who knows? They may even surprise you by making their own Crack Chicken Pasta in an Instant Pot. 

Teach Your Kids How to Read Aloud

Reading, of course, is an essential life skill that will increase attention span, improve vocabulary, and strengthen cognition. 

Books still have their place in modern life despite the plethora of multimedia devices. Good books have captured the wisdom of the ages in the voice of their original authors.  

Reading aloud adds a new dimension to literacy. Your kids will learn enunciation, dramatic pauses, and correct pronunciation. They will learn how to entertain an audience with the spoken word. 

Teach Your Kids How to Write Creatively

Even if your kids have learned the fine motor skills of how to use a pencil on paper, learning how to write can be priceless. If they’re already proficient at handwriting, then teach them how to get good at typing, and if they already know how to type, then teach them how to compose their ideas on paper. 

But, of course, writing well is not about knowing how to put words on paper, nor is it about learning grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Rather, it is about learning how to organize a sequence of coherent ideas. Also, when you have your kids focus on creative writing and composing short stories, it helps spur their imagination.

Teach Your Kids How to Code

Many online educational programs teach children the fundamentals of computer programming. Learning how to code will become an increasingly valuable skill in the future.

Learning this skill is like learning a new language or playing a musical instrument. While using tutorial software like MIT’s Scratch Program is not always intuitive, it’s a highly rewarding creative activity once someone gets the knack of learning how to write their own programs. 

Your child will learn how to enjoy experimenting. 

The purpose of these five learning activities isn’t to acquire proficiency. Instead, it’s a way to show kids that learning can be fun. These skills also contribute to learning how to think.

You’re helping your kids learn how to feel excited about discovering new things without the pressure to compete with others or perform for a grade or approbation. You’re teaching them the joy of learning for its own sake. You’re teaching them how to think. You’re teaching them that the world is a far more interesting place than they thought.

Life often requires a little bit of ingenuity and the ability to accelerate in a moment’s notice. Eating healthy is hard in the best of circumstances, but when on the go, it can be tough. Bags of potato chips is easy, and fast food convenient. Yet with a little time and creative thinking, you can create healthy snacks to grab and go whenever you’re in a rush.

Part of eating healthy is cutting back on fats and processed sugar. Buying snacks with fewer ingredients can help to prevent purchasing a snack that looks healthy but is loaded with the very ingredients you’d like to avoid. Another option is to make your own at home, and prep them so that all you need to do is grab as you run out the door.

Five Healthy Grab-and-Go Snacks

• Honey. For a quick pick-me-up, honey is the way to go. Purchase individual honeycomb packets and you can add honey to anything: crackers, bread, on top of a banana, or over the slices of apples. Offering needed antioxidants and linked to reduced strokes, heart attacks, and may also help promote eye health, honey is a great way to finish that seventh inning stretch until your next meal.
• Peanut butter and apples. The fiber from apples will help you feel full for longer, not to mention digestive health, and peanut butter contains protein, fiber, and vitamin B-6. Putting the two together is as delicious as it is healthy. Just remember to squeeze lemon juice over apples to slow the oxidation process that turns them an unappetizing brown.
• Turkey jerky is a great idea if you need something to sink your teeth into on the run. Lower in the bad fats, but loaded with taste, turkey jerky is a low-cost alternative to beef jerky, and depending on which flavor you choose, can be low in sodium and sugar. Many find making their own is a great alternative, allowing for taste and preferences.
• Trail mix. Store-bought trail mix offers at least five flavor options, but if you’re up for it, creating your own means you have limitless possibilities. At the base of every great trail mix is nuts, often peanuts, almonds, and cashews. Add in some dried fruits, perhaps a small amount of chocolate and liberally sprinkled with your favorite spices. It’s also one of the easiest to create different sizes, from small for snacks at work to large for those long road trips.

• Popcorn with dried roasted chickpeas. Not often thought of as a pair, wash and thoroughly drain the chickpeas and add to pre-popped popcorn. The lovely flavors mix; the chickpeas add a nice savory crunch to the satisfying chewiness of popcorn. As with trail mix, it can be separated into small or large portions depending on your needs.

If you don’t have time to make all of these healthy snacks, many are readily available at your neighborhood stores. Remember to store them according to directions, but none should need refrigeration. All are great to toss into a bag and head out the door, whether for a quick trip to the beach or an overnight trip out of town. 

The kitchen can really get chaotic in the household. While you’re preparing meals your toddler is trying to grab the pots and pans out the cabinet, your school-aged daughter wants to be a big helper, and your preteen is hovered over the countertop looking for a snack as they complete their homework. There has to be a better solution to this regular evening madness. 

And there is. Redesigning your kitchen to meet the needs of not just yourself, but your children can help smooth things over. Not sure what a kid-friendly kitchen would look like? Here are some ideas below:

 Install Lower Cabinets and Drawers

For the little helper in the family, accessibility is key. You don’t want them getting hurt trying to climb on a chair to reach higher cabinets. Having a few low cabinets with drawers installed at a lower level can make your helper’s job easier. You can check out different cabinet styles by visiting sites like https://www.gkandb.com/locations/san-francisco/ to find designs that match your decor best. 

Breakfast Nooks

Breakfast nooks are ideal for families with children because they serve a dual purpose. They give the kids a place to sit and eat their snacks after school while also providing a space for them to do their homework, draw, color, or mix ingredients to help you prepare dinner. There are many different styles and sizes to choose from based on the size of your kitchen. Try to designate an area away from the stove and the prepping area to keep kids safe. 

Easy to Clean Surfaces

A few minutes in the kitchen with your kids and all your hard efforts to clean go down the drain. You can make cleaning a lot easier by working with easy to clean surfaces. Whether installing countertops or flooring keep cleanliness in mind. While natural stone like marble is quick to stain quartz isn’t. Lament flooring is also an option to make it easy to mop up messes. 

Entertainment

When your kids are younger they seem to be attached to your hip. They don’t want to leave mom’s side even if she is cooking dinner for the family. If they’re going to be in the kitchen with you, but you want them to stay out of the way, then consider adding things to your design that will keep them entertained. A feature chalkboard wall, for example, can keep them drawing for hours. You could also buy a television for them to watch their favorite shows. 

Space is Ideal

If you have the funds for a complete kitchen remodel then remember space is key to a family-friendly kitchen. The more space you have the less cluttered you guys feel if you’re in the kitchen at the same time. Open concepts are very popular and provide a ton of space which can be ideal for putting up child gates, a playpen, or a section with toys to keep the kids occupied. 

Island

For kitchens without a lot of counter space, things can get pretty crowded really fast. You can make the kitchen more family-friendly by installing an island. A nice island not only provides more storage but gives you space for prepping meals. It can also double as an eating or studying area for the kids if you don’t have space for a nook. 

Babyproofing

For infants and toddlers roaming around the kitchen, you want to be careful. Be sure that you have babyproofed everything to keep them from getting hurt. Section off the area by the stove with a child safety gate put socket covers over low but unused outlets, put rubber bumpers on sharp corners,  and install locks on cabinets they shouldn’t access.

The kitchen really is the heart of the home. It’s where meals are prepared and families spend time with one another. If your kitchen tends to become a madhouse when the kids are around, make some changes like those discussed above to make it more kid-friendly.

Buying a home is expensive. By the time it’s all said and done, you’ve likely used all or most of your financial resources to secure the property. When the time comes to start moving, it may seem practical to save money by holding onto everything you can. Contrary to popular belief, however, taking everything from your old place to your new one can cost you more. 

 The more you pack, the more moving supplies you need, the more time and energy you spend packing. Not to mention, whether you rent a moving van or hire movers, the size of your load will determine how much you’ll pay to transport your belongings. 

For these reasons and more, it is simply best to get rid of certain things and purchase new stuff once you get moved in. How do you decide? Below are some suggestions. 

Old Appliances – If your new home doesn’t have appliances like a refrigerator, stove, washer, or dryer, you might be tempted to load your old ones up on the moving van and take them with you. Yet, if the appliances were on their last legs in your old home, it would make more sense to sell your old appliances and use the money to purchase new ones once you get settled in. 

Old Mattresses and Box Springs – Why bring a beat-up mattress and box spring to your new bedroom? They can be the host of everything from dust and debris to mites and other bugs. Transporting your mattress unnecessarily can end up being more of a nightmare than it’s worth. Not to mention, it’s pretty cumbersome to lug up or downstairs and into a truck. Simply order a new organic mattress and memory foam mattress foundation online and have it delivered to your new place.

Unworn or Damaged Clothing – Purging your closets is one of the top recommendations before a move. Over the years people have a habit of holding onto more clothes than they really need. Some have never been worn while others are outdated, stained, or ripped. 

Food – If you have a stockpile of canned or boxed goods in the kitchen you should probably start eating those items before the move. You can also donate some to a charity or give them to friends and family who may be in need. However, these items simply weigh down the truck. As for perishable items, they simply don’t travel well. 

Disabled or Old Vehicles – Cars cost a lot of money to transport whether you’re moving a city away or states away. So, unless the car has some sentimental value to you, it’s best to get rid of it. You can sell it to a salvage yard for parts or try and sell it to an individual buyer. 

Old Furniture – Don’t load the couch with a missing leg or the loveseat with holes in it onto the moving truck. Old furniture will only create a hassle in your new home. Even if you have to wait a while to get new furniture, it’s better than trying to patch up something that could give out on you at any moment. Not to mention it’s bulky so it will be difficult to move and costly. 

Selling Your Items

After you’ve gone through your entire house to discern which things you’ll pack and which you’re going to sell you can begin deciding how you’ll get this done. You can host a yard sale before your move, you can take photos of the items you have for sale and sell them through the classifieds, or you can sell them online through platforms like eBay. While yard sales can be a bit more work, selling your things online will take a lot longer and can cost a lot more to ship things to their new owners.  But you may be able to sell your things faster on Amazon if you use the right amazon marketing.

Moving is stressful enough. It also costs a pretty penny. Why frustrate yourself or stretch your budget further by trying to hold onto things that provide no real purpose or value? Rather than busting your back to move bulky, cumbersome items that will just end up being thrown away once you get to your new place, simply find a way to get rid of them now. Whether you sell them online or host a yard sale, the money you receive from it will certainly come in handy.

Moving home is one of the most stressful things that you can do in life. But, it doesn’t always have to be that way. When you’re organized and go through it step by step, it’s much easier than trying to deal with it in a haphazard manner.  Don’t get me wrong, it can still be stressful organising certain things, like hiring a removal firm, or a vehicle relocation firm alike to Cars Relo, but once everything is organised, it will be a much smoother process.

To make life easier for anyone who’s moving home soon and completing the purchase a new property, here are a few useful steps to take.

1. Don’t Have Buyer’s Remorse

Choosing a new home is not like picking an outfit at a clothing shop, taking it home, changing your mind later and wanting to return it. It should be thought of as at least somewhat permanent. Therefore, choose your new home wisely and carefully.

We say carefully because, while you need to be mindful about not choosing a property with many issues to fix down the road, it’s also important to get a place that you’ll be happy with in the future (not just today). This means it must have the features that you most want, so you can avoid buyer’s remorse. It is very expensive to later have to move because you didn’t pick well the last go around the property ladder.

2. Make Sure You’ve Covered with Adequate Insurance

When moving, things get dropped and broken. Whether it’s just taking items off a high shelf, losing your grip on them and seeing them sail to the floor or the removal men damaging them during transport, it all matters.

Ensure first of all that you have enough insurance at your current home to cover all the valuables there. Accidental damage should, of course, be covered, but also check with the removals company what coverage they offer should one of their own employees damage your possessions. Ensure the removals company has been around for many years and will honour the protection they claim to offer too.

Also, don’t forget to insure the new property, too, in case something gets broken by you or your family when moving in after the removals van has left. It’s easy to forget to do this in the rush to move.

3. Get a Good Conveyancing Solicitor

Getting a good conveyancing solicitor is essential to ensure everything is taken care of when purchasing a property and selling your last one.

They not only take care of property deeds and charges with the Land Registry, but they also look into any easements, extra rights on the land and other concerns that are pertinent with a purchase to avoid surprises too.

You’re relying on their expertise and also the knowledge they have gained by completing many home purchases for their clients over the years. An experienced conveyancing solicitor is vital when buying and selling a home, as it avoids mishaps and delays too.

Given that moving and buying a home is a stressor in life, be sure to take time to unwind. The last thing you need is to get too wound up about it because it’s time consuming and it’s more of a marathon than a sprint. So, follow these steps and pace yourself appropriately.

A home with a pet is definitely a happy home, but that doesn’t mean there are no downsides. Cleanliness can be a bit of a challenge for some, especially for those who do not have the right pet cleaning products to give them a hand. The following are a few examples of what you should have at home.

Rubber Broom

One essential product to have is a rubber broom. The price range of these brooms vary from inexpensive to pricey, but they are definitely worth your consideration. Rubber naturally attracts hair and makes it stick to bristles as you sweep. As you know, pet hair is something all pet owners are going to have to come to terms with, but it’ll be easier with a broom that can get it off your floor and carpets. Make sure you consider getting a rubber brush to remove pet hair from furniture and such.

Pet Grooming Products

Pet hair can be cleaned up with the right products, but you can also take a step towards reducing the amount your pet sheds by practicing good pet hygiene practices. This is the reason you should make sure you have pet shampoo and conditioner handy. Clean your pet regularly, and make sure you brush your pet’s fur often to remove any loose fur in a controlled environment. Of course, you could also have your pet cleaned professionally, but that does cost money.

Air Purifiers

Each pet emits a particular type of odor, and these odors can make your home smell a certain way. While you might be able to ignore them over time, guests and other people entering your home will not. You can purchase an air purifier designed to filter out and trap the odor-causing particles floating around your home. This can help to ensure the air in your pet-friendly home remains fresh and free from bad smells.

The Pet Doormat

The same way you use a doormat to clean your shoes, pets need one to clean their paws. Every time you let your pet out or take your pet out for a walk, it may come back with some dirt or debris on the paws. This means those paws are going to be dirtying up the carpet, furniture, and the floors. Minimize that by simply having a dog doormat outside for them to use.

Pet Wipes for Your Pet

Another thing you want to have at home is pet wipes. These wipes clean up all sorts of things from your pet. You can use them to clean your pets body, tail, or anus. It helps keep your home clean, but it also does not hurt your pet because pet wipes do not come with fragrances or other similar chemicals because pets naturally groom themselves, so you do not want to leave any residue that might cause harm to your pets.

Hopefully, some of these suggestions make it easier for you to keep your home clean, even if you own a pet. Make sure you take your pet to the vet if it is shedding too much because too much could be a symptom of another issue.

Outdoor garden areas are an amazing place to create a lush oasis of calm, tranquility and peacefulness, no matter if you live in the city or out in the countryside. Many people make the most of small spaces with lots of plants, flowers, thoughtfully curated furniture and accessories to make their outdoor space just as comfortable and welcoming as their indoor space. Creating such a space with a very intentional use takes some time and searching, but with a little help from those that have done it already, and done it well, you can rest easy knowing you can rely on the experience of others to create just the type of outdoor garden space that makes you want to spend your free time outside.

Purposefully curated and intentionally placed furniture and decorations. This sets the tone of the use of your space, from the color of each item to the size and type of each piece, to the placement of everything. Furniture that is small, uncomfortable and close together communicates you aren’t open to many guests. Making your home more party friendly can mean a lot of changes, or just a few simple ones, depending on your current setup and arrangements. If the inside of your home looks like it’s straight out of a magazine, but your outdoor area hasn’t been tidied and organized in years, now is the perfect time to spend an afternoon to clean it up, assess what you have that you love, and consider getting new furniture and accessories. 

Some people that love their outdoor space enjoy it so thoroughly because they’ve added outdoor garden speakers to their setup. Adding speakers for playing relaxing favorite tunes adds a level of luxury and special feel that is unmatched by playing on a mobile device or portable radio. Music adds ambiance to outdoor areas, and creates memorable experiences for you and your guests. Different types of music can create different types of energy for various activities and events. If you wanted to have a relaxing reading evening, perhaps classical music or jazz is a good choice for your garden speakers. If you’re hosting friends over for games and some laughs, a more upbeat genre is the way to go. Whatever your choice, having music play through outdoor speakers is a simple way to add a nice ambiance to your beloved outdoor garden space.

Outdoor kitchens are quite popular in some areas of the world. Wood burning ovens and grills, mini-fridges and outdoor dining areas add a special ambiance to outdoor gardens everywhere to be enjoyed when the weather is nice. Outdoor kitchens make cookouts a more frequent and more enjoyable activity, in comparison to running back and forth to the indoor kitchen to a lonely outdoor grill. It’s a nice addition to some outdoor garden areas if space permits, and gives everyone another enjoyable reason to spend more time outside in nature.

How do you enjoy your outdoor garden space? No matter how big or small of an area you have to work with, chances are you can make some small improvements by adding plants and greenery, or some nice furniture and accessories such as speakers to make your outdoor garden area your sanctuary. 

If you’re heading out of town before the summer’s over, there’s one important item you don’t want to forget – a bathing suit. These days, however, there are so many styles to choose from a girl could get lost in selections. Not to mention there are so many rules about body type and shape, patterns and prints, that you could get confused about which bathing suit is best.

Before you drive yourself crazy or spend so long making a decision that the summer ends, here are a few simple bathing suit shopping tips to keep in mind:

Think Purpose

Obviously, you’re getting the bathing suit because you’re going on vacation, but what will you be doing when you’re wearing it? For instance, are you going to the beach, a waterpark, a yacht, or do you just plan on lounging around the pool? You may think this doesn’t matter, but imagine buying a bandeau bikini and heading to the water park. In this family-friendly environment, you don’t want to have to keep tugging at your bathing suit top or end up flashing some kids as you get off a ride. In this case, modest tankinis or a one-piece would be more ideal so you’re fully covered. 

Confidence Level

There’s so much talk these days about women and body types when it comes to buying a bathing suit. Are you a pear, diamond, or coke bottle. It’s all a bit overwhelming trying to compare your body to a piece of fruit or inanimate object. When shopping for the right bathing suit for your end-of-summer vacation consider your confidence level. If you’re ashamed of your midsection, it would probably be best to look for a tankini or a one-piece so you feel more confident. If you aren’t trying to hide anything then the skies are the limit. When you feel better about how you look somehow it makes the bathing suit look that much more attractive. 

Think About Your Assets

Though you don’t have to get into figuring out whether you’re shaped like a slice of pizza or pear, the best bathing suits are those that help accent the best parts of your body. Take a good look in the mirror and decide which features are worth showing off. They have bathing suits that can enhance everything from your chest to your buttocks. So whether you’re looking for a bikini top with an underwire to help keep the “girls” in place or a bikini bottom that will lift and firm your backside, it will be easier to narrow down. 

Try A Bunch On

If it’s been a while since you’ve purchased a bathing suit or you simply don’t know what you’re looking for then try a bunch on. Here’s where you can get bold in your selections and try on safe bets and more risque pieces to see which styles look the best on you. Even if you decide to order your bathing suit online, having tried them on in person beforehand helps to narrow down your options of swimsuits that look the best on you. 

Quality and Price

Here are some practical shopping tips to keep in mind when buying a swimsuit. You don’t want to buy something that’s cute and cheap but literally starts unraveling as you get in the pool. However, you also don’t want to spend a ton of money on a swimsuit either. So, keep product quality and price in mind. 

You want something that’s going to last throughout your summer vacation and beyond. You can read customer reviews to find out more about the quality of the brand. Other women will be quick to tell you if something was cheap or a waste of money. As for price, shop around and do some comparing. This is easier done online as you can view the price of similar bathing suit styles at several service providers in one place as opposed to running from one store to the next. 

Bathing suit shopping tips provided on the internet sometimes could have you picking yourself apart as you try to decide your body type and focus in on parts of the body you don’t want to be seen. Instead of getting caught up in all of that, simply use the tips from above and find a bathing suit that is of good quality and value, works for the occasion, makes you feel good, accents the best parts of you.