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5 Tips for Staying Safe this Summer

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Summer vacation is in full force. The kids are out of school and many families spend time outdoors enjoying themselves. While you and your family are out and about, make sure you are following these summer safety tips. Summer Safety Tips Prevent Playground Injuries The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that emergency departments in the United States treat more than 200,000 children ages 14 and younger for playground-related injuries. Check to make sure the surfaces under the playground equipment are safe, soft, and well-maintained. Before letting your child run and play, take a minute to make sure the … Continue reading →

Fifteen Minute Breaks Could Help Kids Stay Focused

When adults take a fifteen minute break at work, they tend to come back a bit less stressed and more able to focus on the tasks at hand. It turns out that kids at school can obtain the same benefits from a fifteen minute break. Schools in Finland have already implemented this strategy. They’ve been doing it since the 1960’s. A typical American public school could include one 30 minute recess per school day. The exact amount of time can vary. Some schools might have recess that lasts for 45 minutes, while others might only allow 20 minutes for recess. … Continue reading →

How Being a Stay-at-Home Parent Saves Money

Are you a stay-at-home parent or want to be? Good news! While you may not be earning and income, chances are you are saving a ton of money. Here is how. Child Care Fees Let us start with the obvious, child care fees. If you aren’t staying home with your children, you will probably need to pay for child care. The cost of child care can be high, sometimes wiping out any income you are gaining by working. Obviously this depends on your position and income level, but it is the first expense you should allow for in your budget. … Continue reading →

Staying Safe in the Winter

Winter brings its own set of hazards to our families. For example, did you know that sledding accidents will injure 20,000 kids this year? This is only the number that are serious enough to be reported through a hospital or visit to the doctor’s office. Short of putting our kids in bubble suits or making them stay indoors all day, what can we do to make sure that our kids stay safe in the winter? Here are some winter safety tips. Make Sure Kids Have the Right Stuff Before your child heads out the door in the winter, make sure … Continue reading →

The Importance of Staying Connected

Today was one of those days where I would have been wise to heed my own advice. How many of us, when we have time and space to do so, think of wonderful ways to approach parenting and then as soon as the kids wake up the next morning and we are launched into action promptly forget them? It happens to me more often than I would like to admit, and it happened today. Last night, I was really thinking about ways to focus on maintaining a strong connection with my boys throughout the hustle and bustle of the holidays. … Continue reading →

The Hits Continue for Lance Armstrong

Oh, it was good to be Lance Armstrong a few years back. Young, athletic, and attractive, Armstrong won the Tour de France, the grueling, yet historic annual multiple stage bicycle race, seven years in a row. Seven. In a row. Heck, even cancer couldn’t beat him. After chemo proved successful, he formed the Lance Armstrong Foundation, now known as the Livestrong Foundation, to help others defeat cancer and live a healthier lifestyle. He dated a rock star (Sheryl Crow from 2003 until 2005) and has fathered five healthy, beautiful children. Yes, it was good to be Lance Armstrong…until now. Armstrong … Continue reading →

Your Strong-Willed Baby

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Believe it or not, your baby is learning every day to be a little more independent. He is learning how he can control his environment, and how he can control you. Now, as a newborn, babies haven’t figured that out yet, but as a soon-to-be toddler, they are starting to figure this out. My little guy is almost 11 months old, and he is certainly trying to figure out how to get me to do what he wants. From following me around the house “yelling” at me until I pick him up, to actually flopping down on the floor when … Continue reading →

Save on Vacation Stays

Many travelers believe the best way to save on vacation accommodations is to bid online for the cheapest price. Turns out there are a slew of ways you can book a vacation stay without worrying about someone else’s low-ball price proposal. Farmstay: You’ve heard of housestays, where you can crash in someone’s spare bedroom during your travels, but what about farmstays? This alternative to expensive hotel rooms is one of the cheapest lodging options out there right now. Don’t let the name fool you; prior farm experience is not needed to take advantage of the affordable accommodations. In other words, … Continue reading →

Stay Strong

Sometimes as a mom you just have to stay strong for your child. That is how I have been feeling lately as we prepare to see our firstborn son leave the nest. While I would love to spend every moment I can crying about the fact that he will be gone, missing the old days and cherishing everything about him…I have to remember that his departure isn’t just about me. It is about him. Whenever a child leaves home, no matter what their destination, they are bound to have their own fears or worries. I imagine that for my son … Continue reading →

Staying Cool for Less

From May through August, our electric bill used to jump up high on the chart due to cooling costs. Then, a couple of years ago, we applied some serious strategies to staying cool for less. The change was so dramatic that the electric company sent out a work to check our meter, since our energy usage was so much different than they were used to seeing in the summer. Here are some of the changes that we made. Tightening up the House The major difference in our energy bill came when we sealed up the cracks and insulated our home. … Continue reading →