Couple Time Make It A Priority

You’ve seen them in restaurants – those older couples who eat slowly and quietly without looking or speaking to each other. In your newlywed years, you and your husband gaze at each other knowingly, and promise never to become like that yourselves.

Then …

You have kids. The two of you barely have time to speak to each other, and when you do, you talk about – what else? – the kids!

The only thing standing between you and the couple in the restaurant is time. Right now is the perfect moment to make a decision to place the relationship between you and your husband at the top of the priority list.

How do you do this? The first step is to firmly make that decision that being a couple is the focus of your marriage. This is a lot easier said than done, as children, no matter what their ages, are time-consuming and all-encompassing little creatures.

Don’t be deterred. Once you’ve made the decision, you must back it up with action. Fortunately, the action doesn’t have to be time-consuming or complex. It’s as simple as remembering how it was to be a couple without kids.

Remember things like cooking your husband’s favorite meal. Cook it regularly, and if the kids don’t like it, make them something else. Or even better, feed the children early, and have a romantic dinner for two later (and don’t forget to light those candles!). Not only will your husband appreciate your thoughtfulness, the time will give you two a chance to talk and reestablish your connection.

If your budget allows for it, hire a babysitter on a regular basis and go out. Getting away from the home, children and responsibilities makes it possible for you and your husband to relax and enjoy each other’s company without fear of interruptions or feeling the pressure of your obligations. You can have dinner (or lunch), see a movie or just go for coffee. What you do and the time of day you do it isn’t as important as actually making the time to do something just for the two of you.

Sharing daily household chores is another good way to keep the couple as the center of the family. Your husband can fill dishwasher while you clean the kitchen and put away the food. Or he can clean the kitchen while you make the next day’s lunches. This gives you time to chat, catch up with each other, and stay in touch with what’s on your partner’s mind.

Even cleaning out the garage or attic together is a good way to both stay connected and share the overall workload so that neither of you feel overburdened and underappreciated. Those negative feelings work against any relationship, so sharing chores ensures that this won’t happen to you. Together activities will reinforce your bond as a couple.

What about having that first cup coffee together before the children get up? If you’re feeling adventurous, take your morning shower together! Most often couple time comes at the end of the day when you’re both too tired to fully appreciate it – just about the time you’d rather fall into the deepest sleep possible. Making time for each other at the start of the day, however, means you’re giving each other a portion of what is likely to be the best part of your day. And couple time should always be the best part of your and your partner’s day.

Article Source: http://www.a-1articles.com

Karen Fusco is co-founder of www.SilkBow.com which supports Busy Moms with free gift ideas and helpful tips to meet the challenges of motherhood. SilkBow is the perfect place for the perfect gift. Karen can be reached directly at: karen@SilkBow.com

Host a Unique Baby Shower - Four Fun and Fabulous Ideas to Honor Mom-to-Be

Baby showers can unfortunately be so formulaic, we’ve all been to one or even thrown one that has similar decorations, plays similar games (usually accompanied by many groans), and gives all the guests similar personalized baby shower favors that were given at the last one we all attended. So why not get away from the “usual” and try something different that everyone will remember – especially the mom-to-be!

Party décor and baby shower favors don’t necessarily have to be baby themed. Although we tend to immediately think of pink or blue, tiny little feet, storks or cradles, this isn’t the only way to represent the little one at the shower. Choose one of these four creative ideas or use them for inspiration:

Baby, It’s YOU! – Tribute the mom-to-be – when she was a baby! This is an especially great shower if lots of family will be present who can help you carry this off. It’s a delightful way to connect the dots of the generations and remember back. Use her baby picture on invitations and choose a personalized baby shower favor that fits her character. To customize it, use the same or a different picture and add a “did you know” quote about something endearing she did as a baby such as “did you know one of Amy’s first phrases was “who bought this?” or “…her favorite book was The Gingerbread Man”. You can use her favorite colors to decorate and serve her favorite foods, if they’re available blow up pictures of when she was little for centerpieces or to hang and if her mom has saved them, pull out the treasure box of her childhood artwork and toys and have them displayed around. During the shower, have family members or lifelong friends tell stories about when she was little using phrases like “I hope your baby takes after you (or doesn’t!) because when you were little you ____” It should be a fun filled time and a pleasant trip down memory lane for everyone!

It Takes A Village -- Have a project focused baby shower - what could you do to help the mother-to-be that would be a boost? Has she been focusing so much on the baby coming, or maybe been having a tough pregnancy that she hasn’t had time to paint a room she’s been wanting to paint in her home, do spring cleaning, plant the vegetable or flower garden or maybe even decorate the baby’s room? Just like an old-fashioned barn raising, coming together is a powerful way of showing your support for the guest of honor as well as rewarding for all that participate. You may need to bring her into the planning on this one – but it is something that can be a real gift to her and a lot of fun for everyone at the same time. As hostess you’ll have to be very organized in advance with tasks thought through and supplies gathered to make things go most smoothly. Set up the schedule for the day realistically, make sure the guests know there will be an activity involved and to dress accordingly and then relax all together after the project is done and celebrate the group accomplishment and honor mom-to-be with a light meal or coffee and cake. Send guests home with a baby shower favor that is a treat for them to enjoy after their efforts – maybe a cocktail mix and special glass to enjoy it in or a yummy custom cookie treat personalized with the date and a nice phrase. It’s all about YOU! -- Does mom-to-be have a favorite hobby that would be appropriate for a shower theme? – For example, does she love gardening? Use a garden related theme complete with décor and personalized baby shower favors that represent her hobby. Include the little one by decorating with child size garden tools and gloves usually available at any garden center. They’ll add a cute flair and will be useful when Mom passes along her green thumb in the future and will bring back memories of this special day. A rose to be planted in honor of the baby is a lovely thing for everyone to chip in on and present as a reminder of the day. As hostess, or together with a couple of other guests, your baby gift could be other gardening type clothing for baby that could also be used to decorate such as tiny overalls and t-shirts or sun hats or items with garden theme prints on them. They don’t have to be infant size – up to a year is great and gives mom clothes to look forward to putting baby into after those initial growth spurts. Send everyone home with personalized baby shower favors of seeds to plant in their own garden to honor Mom and baby on the way. Several other hobbies or interests of the mom-to-be work great with a shower like this – think Beach or Travel – lots of possibilities for a fun event.

Take a Deep Breath…it’s Spa time! This is a wonderful time to be nurturing Mommy-to-be in anticipation of the down time she’s likely to lose soon! Create a spa day at home for mom and her guests. Be as luxurious as bringing in a couple of massage therapists for neck and shoulder, or hand and foot rubs for those who would like them or have a masseuse (or you reading from a book) give instruction to all the guests while demonstrating on mom-to-be. (This way you all can take the knowledge home with you too.) You can practice on one another while tranquil spa music plays and you sip on herbal tea, sparkling waters or a refreshing mint julep. Have a few friends or as hostess, put together a mommy gift that she can use in the future to keep the relaxation going – a nice bubble bath, a meditative CD (great also for putting baby to sleep) – calming bath products for baby (that will work on mom as well when she slips into the tub with the little one) or perhaps mommy and baby hooded terry robes to be cozy in. You can decorate with soothing colors, flowers and candles and serve light and healthy spa cuisine. Personalized baby shower favors could be spa candles customized with an inspirational phrase instead of just the traditional mom’s name and date of the shower. It can be a girl’s day for pampering all together.

Although every group of family and friends will be different, as hostess you will likely be able to choose what type of event will be most appropriate for your guest of honor’s special day. Of course the baby shower is meant to honor baby too – gifts should still be baby focused, (especially if the mom-to-be has registered for things she would like or needs) but as you may have noticed in each idea above, it’s also lovely to give a special little something for the guest of honor personally to recognize that she is doing a lot of work herself over these nine months! Just think “Mommy and Me” as you work out your event plans and it becomes easy to have the little one be included in all ways on this special day for Mom. It is baby’s pending arrival that has you gathered after all!

Article Source: http://www.a-1articles.com

About The Author Cheryl Salto loves helping to make celebrations personal and meaningful as the owner of AllInOneFunFavors.com specializing in providing an extensive online selection of event favors for life’s special celebrations. www.allinonefunfavors.com

The Border Collie Excelling at Herding Search and Rescue Competitive Sports and Much More

Scout is a Border Collie we were given four years ago. He is a beautiful tri-colored dog that is full of energy. The first two years we had him he hardly stopped running.

His family hated to give him up but they had moved from their home with two acres to a house with a very small yard. Scout was going crazy, and driving the neighbors crazy as well.

He loves our large yard and can run the 100+ foot distance from one side to the other in two seconds flat. He is beautiful to watch as he seems to hardly touch the ground.

Scout, like most Border Collies, gets along great with everyone and is never a problem with other dogs. He is also gentle with all the animals we have: cats, chickens, rabbit, guinea pigs and pet birds.

For four years he has been a wonderful companion and excellent pet. Now at six years old he is calming down and enjoys laying around the house for most of the day. He is very content as long as he is with one of us.

Border Collies are amazing dogs. Besides being used to herd sheep they have been used as war dogs, sled dogs, therapy and assistance dogs, in competitive sports, as search and rescue dogs, as hunting dogs and, always, as companions.

They come in various colors: black and white, tri-color, blue merle, red and white, liver, red merle, yellow, or white with small amounts of black, brown or red. They can weight anywhere from 25 pounds to 65 pounds.

Since Border Collies are so highly motivated to work many are enjoying the growing sport of Agility. This sport enhances the relationship between dog and handler and creates a confident, bold and motivated dog.

Border Collies also excel in Fly Ball and Frisbee competitions. In northern climates they make up sled-dog teams that are competitive in middle-distance races.

Like all Border Collies, Scout sheds during the spring and summer months. Ones with thick fur, like Scout, develop thick undercoats in winter which must be combed out at the beginning of summer.

Be careful in the hot summer months. Heat exhaustion is a killer. A typical Border Collie doesn’t slow down in the summer so provide him with a little pool to cool off in when he is outside.

Even though Scout has the choice to be inside or out, if anyone is in the backyard he is out there with them, running and barking for the fun of it. He loves being able to jump into his little pool and splash around for a few seconds before he takes off on another run around the yard.

Scout is a great dog and we are very fortunate to have been given this beautiful and bright creature. But they are not for everyone.

Before you acquire a Border Collie puppy or adult make sure you have the space for them to run and that you want to spend two years training and thirteen more enjoying his high energy.

If you are interested in adopting a Border Collie consider fostering one from a rescue. You’ll learn if a Border Collie is for you, save a life, and maybe even end up adopting your foster dog.

Article Source: http://www.a-1articles.com

Carol Stack enjoys writing articles about dogs, especially her dogs. She and her daughter are putting together a web site especially for dog lovers that discusses dog breeds, dog care and dog training at www.christysdogportal.com

Protection From a Home Invasion

If you have a lot of jewelry, valuable documents, cash or other negotiable items, consider installing a safe or a burglar alarm. Don't leave notes for service people or family members on the door, these act as a welcome mat for a burglar.

Trees located near windows or shrubbery that might shield a burglar from view can be major flaws in your home-protection plan. Consider your landscaping plan in light of your protection needs. Keep shrubs trimmed below windows to reduce cover. A burglar would rather enter through a window that is hidden from view than one where he is exposed.

A door with too much space between the door and the frame is an invitation for the burglar to use a jimmy. Reinforce the door with a panel of 3/4-inch plywood or a piece of sheet metal. It is also easy for a burglar to pry through rot. Replace rotted door frames with new, solid wood. When installing a window lock, drip some solder on the screw heads. It will stop a burglar from unscrewing the lock after cutting a small hole in the windowpane.

When you are away or traveling have neighbors, friends or family pick up your mail or even better contact the post office to hold your mail. Employ someone to mow your lawn, use your garbage cans, and park in your driveway when you are away. Even if a burglar knows you are away, the activity around your home will act as a deterrent. Consider an investment in a monitored home security system as they are a very effective deterrent against crime. The home security system that you install need not be a state-of -the art. For the most effective alarm system, conceal all wiring. A professional burglar looks for places where he or she can disconnect the security system.

Some individuals even will place a home security system sticker in their window even though you don't have a security system. The sticker may be enough to cause a thief to pass your house. Put up a security system sign or beware of dog sign and make it visible from the road. Believe it or not it is a proven deterrent.

Use simple safety systems to protect your home. Use locks and other mechanisms to lock the doors that are difficult to break. The longer the burglar takes to break into the house, the greater the chances that he will be caught. Use multiple locks for the doors and windows. At minimum utilize a double locking system for all doors and windows.

If there are door hinges on the outside of your house, take down the door and reset the hinges inside. Otherwise all a thief has to do to gain entry to your home is knock out the hinge pin.

It's simple for a thief to break glass panels and then reach in and open a doorknob from the inside. A door with glass panels should be either fortified, replaced, or secured with dead bolts that can only be opened with a key. Secure sliding glass doors with bars or locks, or put a wooden dowel or broom handle in the door track.

Dogs are good deterrents to burglars. Even a small, noisy dog can be effective burglars do not like to have attention drawn to their presence. Be aware, however, that trained guard dogs do not make good pets. Obedience training and attack training are entirely different, and only the former is appropriate for a house pet.

Think like a burglar. Put yourself in his shoes and find out the weak spots in the house from where the burglar can enter the house. When you do this you will be able to find the weak spots and can protect your home better. For example stand outside the window of your living room. Look at all the valuables in the room that a burglar can take. See how you can hide them, from view or rearrange them, in other rooms where they are not visible. Use hasp with protective covers for locks. This mechanism will make it more difficult for the burglar to break into the house. Have a home burglar alarm security system fitted in your house to protect your home.

Plan to "burglarize" yourself. You'll discover any weaknesses in your security system that may have previously escaped your notice.

Article Source: http://www.a-1articles.com

Francesca Black develops educational material for www.security-port.com and www.security-protection.net a top resource for locating security related RSS feeds.

Empower your Kids Organize your Life

Are you robbing your children the opportunity to learn valuable life skills? Moms who do less, provide more learning opportunities and have children with higher self esteem. When the whole family is involved in creating and following a smooth routine, magic happens.

Imagine for a moment your child waking up, and making her bed. She quietly gets dressed, and packs her bag for school. She strolls to the kitchen and puts a lunch ticket in her bag. The cat greets her and she fills his bowl with food, then takes out the trash. You arrive in the kitchen, say good morning, as you both sit down together and eat breakfast. Sound too good to be true? This is the routine my 7 year old happily performs each school day morning. How? Last August wecreated a chart of responsibilities for all family members. Being recently separated from their father, we all needed to pitch in so I could run my coaching business, and the boys could be part of a nurturing family routine.

How to do it: List your child's responsibilities (i.e. make bed, sort laundry, pack lunch) List fun activities (i.e. computer time, bike riding) Divide the day into 3 parts, before school, after school, and nighttime. When the list of responsibilities is complete, its time for the fun activities.

Why does this work? First it empowers kids to make decisions that help them get what they want, a valuable life skill. Next, it is a clear plan, that is easy to understand and accomplish. It feels good for kids to contribute, to see the results. Their pride boosts their self esteem. It removes policing responsibility from you. The answer to the question "Can I ride my bike?" is on the chart. When the chart items are done, the fun activities begin. By mid school year we stopped posting the charts in their regular spot on the refrigerator. Why? The boys no longer needed them. The assigned duties had become well established routines, and the charts were no longer necessary. They knew what to do and when to do it.

Would you like to give it a try? I have posted Spencer and Avery's charts on my website for you. Modify them for your family, and watch the change it creates. Its a beautiful sight when my boys run in the door grab a snack and zoom off to get their homework done!

Article Source: http://www.a-1articles.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Patti Keating, is a Coach, Success Trainer, and Speaker. To learn more about her and sign up for more FREE tips like these, visit her site at www.IntentionsCoaching.com NOTE: You’re welcome to “reprint” this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the “about the author” info at the end), and you send a copy of your reprint to Patti@IntentionsCoaching.com

Stretch Your Carpet The Right Way An Important Step For Keeping Beautiful Carpets

Don’t you just hate it when you trip over the wrinkles in your carpet? Such wrinkles or loose carpeting comes about over time, when various activities contribute to loosen the carpet from the moorings at the edges. When a carpet is first installed, it will be properly installed and secured at the edges with tacks to keep it in place. But with constant wear and tear, such as dragging heavy furniture across the carpet, vacuuming that pulls at the carpet constantly, it can loosen the carpet somewhat.

In order to remove the wrinkles from your carpet, all you would need to do is to perform a simple carpet stretching procedure and your carpet will be back to looking as new in no time. Of course, it is always best to engage professional help as there are technical issues involved: such as moving the heavy furniture away before the tacks can even be taken out.

The entire procedure is relatively painless and fuss free, usually taking less than an hour to complete, although the size of your room would have to be a consideration as well. Do remember that for the carpet to be stretched, it tends to require more than one sole person attempting to do all the manual work, so starting the job all by yourself is usually not advisable.

The cost for stretching a carpet would cost approximately $0.50 cents a square foot or more depending in the size and quality of your carpet. The general rule of thumb is that thicker carpets require far more strength and labor to be stretched and thus the cost will be proportionately higher. Should your carpet require trimming, the professional team will also handle it as well.

How would you know when you need to stretch your carpet? A simple test can be conducted. The simplest way is to try and pull at the centre of the carpet and if it is possible, to hold if for a couple of minutes before releasing it. Should it bounce back neatly and tightly in place, chances are, you do not need to call in professional aid for carpet stretching.

However, when the carpet does not return to its original elasticity and forms wrinkles instead, it is time for your carpet to be stretched. Another method is to monitor the condition of your carpet whenever you vacuum it. Should there be wrinkles forming whenever your are vacuuming, it is a sure sign that your carpet needs stretching.

For those who still think that they are up to the job of stretching the carpets themselves, there are some guidelines to follow to ensure that the procedure is as painless as possible. Do ensure that there are more than two people to render help. It would be best if someone in the group has a talent for carpentry as the tacks would need to be first removed and then replaced.

At times, the carpet might need trimming and a steady hand would come in useful for the task. Of course, manual labor is needed as all the heavy furniture must first be shifted away before the carpet stretching can commence, and that is the laborious part!

Moses Wright is a webmaster of many sites. He offers more useful information on Carpet Choosing , Carpet Cleaning and
Carpet Cleaning Company that you can find online on his website. You can reprint this article if you keep the content and live link intact.

This article is free for republishing
Source: http://www.a1articles.com

What is a Home Inspection

The real estate industry is a multi-billion dollar sector in the United States. There are many players in each real estate transaction with home inspectors being as important as the real estate closing itself.

Families move, on the average, once every five to seven years. Also, just under 70% of all homes bought and sold in the United States are evaluated by a home inspector. Given these two statistics, the home inspection industry is a major player in most real estate transactions. Home Inspection Defined A home inspection is a non-invasive visual examination of specific components in a residential property. The general components observed or evaluated are the structure, mechanical systems, and the lot or grounds. A home inspection is not a code inspection; they can be very different.

Many states now require home inspectors to be licensed and insured. Licensed home inspectors are considered professionals. So, before selecting a home inspector, ask for their credentials and find out whether your state licenses home inspectors. The licensing state will generally require that the home inspector have a certain number of classroom hours (some actually take correspondence), attend a specified number of "dead inspection", attend a certain number of "live inspections", and pass a national test. In many states, after the test has been passed but before the home inspector performs a home inspection on residential property for resale, the home inspector must obtain Errors and Omissions and General Liability insurances.

States licensing home inspectors will typically have "Standards of Practice" or a "Code of Ethics" that the inspectors must follow. The Standards typically outline the minimum you can expect from a home inspector or what can and cannot be expected in a home inspection. For example, home inspections are generally not technically exhausted. That is, home inspectors do not necessarily inspect the cause of certain problems; they merely report that there appears to be an issue and recommend further evaluation.

Home inspections may contain items greater than the typical Standards but they should never contain less. For example an HVAC technician who is now performing home inspection may offer a very thorough evaluation of your heating and cooling system for an additional fee. This is perfectly fine as the home inspector can always do more than the Standards of Practice. How Much Will A Typical Home Inspection Cost? The cost of a home inspection varies widely by location of the property, size of the buildings inspected, and the depth of the inspection. As a general statement, home inspectors must inspect certain systems in the home. They must also describe certain features of the home as well. For instance, saying that the home has a roof is no more information than most of us can gather on our own. But saying that the dwelling has an asphalt shingled roof with OSB sheathing gives us a considerable amount of additional information.

With that said and at the time of this writing, Baton Rouge home inspections run between $250 and $400 per inspection for a house under 2,500 square feet. New Orleans home inspections and Lafayette home inspections run roughly in the same range.

This price range may appear wide but certain inspectors offer a "bare bones inspection" that is relatively cheap while others offer a few more bells and whistles for a slightly higher price. Lower priced home inspections may be as equally thorough as a higher priced inspection but this is not always the case. Do keep in mind that a higher price does not necessarily mean less value in the home inspection business. The cliché, "You get what you pay for" definitely holds true when dealing with home inspections. What Can I Expect From My Home Inspector? Home inspectors should provide a thorough evaluation of your home as defined above. After inspecting your home, home inspectors will give you a home inspection report. These reports will generally outline each area that the home inspector reviewed and, more importantly, those that he did not.

Limitations are outlined in the home inspection report. Limitations of your home inspection are those items that prevented a thorough inspection. Home inspectors do not move furniture or rugs and many do not remove items such as child proof receptacle covers. Given that a home inspection is a visual examination, furniture or grass around the foundation can really obscure the inspector's view.

A typical home inspection report will contain a detail section as well as a summary page or pages. Many useful tips may be buried within the text of the home inspection report. It is always good to take some time to sit down and review the whole report. Some reports may be in excess of 30 pages. Don't let this alarm you! Home inspection reports typically will explain the deficiencies found in your home as well as offer some very useful tips. Some inspection reports can be viewed as a mini homeowners … owner's manual.

Most home inspectors pay for a report template from third parties. This template may be either a paper template that is completed by hand or a computerized template that is completed on the computer. There are advantages to each type of report, most of which deal with the speed that the client receives the home inspection report. The typical turnaround time for a home inspection report may be as quick as the inspection is complete to as long as 24 hours or more out. This is a question that you should ask your inspector when you are requesting your home inspection.

Must I Be at the Home Inspection Home inspectors typically like their clients to be at the inspection. They do realize that many times this is not possible. During a typical inspection, the client, the seller's real estate agent, and the client's real estate agent will attend the home inspection. It is wise for the client to take the time during the home inspection to walk around the house and make a list of questions that they would like to ask the home inspector. Making a list and asking the questions at the end of the inspection is most always preferable to asking individual questions as they come to mind. The more the client interrupts the home inspector, the more likely the home inspector is to overlook something. That is not necessarily a deficiency in the home inspector but a quality of being human. The home inspector is concentrating on doing a good job for the client but the more interruptions, the more likely an error will occur.

Home inspectors generally welcome questions from the client but most like them asked all at once at the end of the inspection. Don't be afraid to ask but also remember that the inspector is not necessarily going to tell you what you want to hear. You are paying them for their unbiased point of view. They are trying their best to provide you with quality information about the current visible condition of your new home so that you will not be unpleasantly surprised in the future.

Once the home inspection is complete, the home inspector will generally review the findings with the client. Many call this their "post inspection interview" and there is no better place to do this than on site. The client can walk around with the home inspector and see the potential issues first hand. This is also the perfect opportunity for the client to ask the inspector about the issues on their list. When Do I Pay for the Home Inspection The home inspection fee is typically paid to the inspector before the inspection report is delivered. Many inspectors prefer to have the money in hand before they begin the inspection process while others may wait until the report is prepared and ready to be delivered. This is a point that will come up so the client can ask the home inspector before the inspection at what point they require payment.

If the client is unable to make the inspection, it is okay to send payment with the realtor or another representative. The client should keep in mind that the home inspector may or may not discuss their findings with the agent. There is confidentiality between the client and the home inspector. The client should designate who can receive the home inspection information other than themselves.

Good Luck!

This should give you an idea of what to expect from a home inspector and how the inspection process will be handled. Each home inspector is different and may use somewhat different techniques. Good luck and best wishes with your home inspection!

Article Source:GoodInfoHome.com

Home Decorating Pictures and Magazines

You know your house needs improvements. You know you need to redecorate. You can’t seem to come up with ideas for decorating your home. You need inspiration. Where do you go for help? One great source of home decorating ideas and inspiration is home decorating magazines. These publications provide a look into the world of home decorating and offer suggestions and tips to help you decorate your home. Home decorating magazines provide pictures of homes and rooms that were remodelled which may inspire you to recreate that space in your very own home.

The quote, “a picture is worth a thousand words” is true for many, many situations. This famous quote even applies to home decorating. Many people draw their inspiration for their decorating projects from home decorating pictures.

It’s difficult to visualize a room decorated using the various design themes. You many think the French Country style is perfect for your kitchen but when you actually see this style used in home decorating pictures, you may change your mind. Contemporary style is hot nowadays with its trendy accessories, fabric and furniture but is it for your home? Browsing home decorating pictures of contemporary design will help you decides whether it’s for your home or not. Tuscan design sounds beautiful when you read about it in magazines and books but until you see those home decorating pictures using tuscan design, you can’t be sure if it would work in your home.

Home decorating pictures are very beneficial when making plans to decorate both the interior and exterior of your home. Pictures either confirm your visions or provide a totally different reality. Home decorating pictures offer you an opportunity to browse and pick a design that best suits you and your home. There are so many designs to choose from, some you’ve probably never heard of. Current home decorating pictures offer you a chance to view all of the latest trends in home decorating for each and every room in your home.

Home decorating pictures portray homes and spaces that often seem out of the realm of possibility for you and your home. Because these spaces are so elegantly decorated and look so perfect and professional, you may assume it
cannot be achieved in your space. This is not true. Home decorating picturegive you the finished product, the end result of much planning and work. Home decorating is a process and you too can work through this process to create
rooms similar to those in the home decorating pictures. With the thousands of resources available to homeowners today, there is no reason you cannot have an elegant dining room just like the one you saw in home decorating pictures.

There are so many magazines, catalogues, books and websites related to interior home decorating. These resources provide many useful tools and offer great advice for decorating your home. There are many home decorating magazines available. Most of these magazines not only provide pictures and ideas but also offers the customer an opportunity to buy directly from them items you like in their magazine. Many magazines are advertised on the Internet. With websites displaying their ideas and pictures, you can browse these sites in your search for a decorating style. These online magazines will likely offer you a chance to buy directly from them via the Internet.

Home decorating magazines are constantly in circulation. Some of the popular home decorating magazines are listed here.

* Traditional Home – This magazine has its main focus on traditional decor and historical homes. Articles are written that allow you to visit historic places, gathering ideas and tips for decorating a traditional home. This home decorating magazine offers information on furniture, window treatments and color schemes.

* Country Living – This is a magazine which is published monthly and offers ideas about country decor, crafts, and antiques. It also provides tips for traditional cooking. This home decorating magazine provides details regarding furniture, window treatments, fireplaces and historic colors.

* Elle Decor – This home decorating magazine is published semi-monthly. It is a magazine dedicated to focusing on modern design with a French influence. Focusing on luxury living, furniture style and planning your room, this magazine intends to offer the average homeowner ideas and tips to achieve this terrific style for their homes.

* Better Homes & Gardens – This popular magazine provides the reader with information about various subjects relating to the homeowner and their family. This information includes ideas for home decor as well as garden decorating. Better Homes & Gardens also publishes a seasonal magazine which focuses on decor with a lot of information regarding specific projects.

* Metropolitan Home – Published six times a year, this home decorating magazine provides details about renovating and designing modern urban homes. This magazine focuses on contemporary design and current trends. It offers the reader information regarding transforming a traditional home or space into a modern, contemporary environment.

These home decorating magazines are great sources or inspiration if you are having difficulty coming up with ideas and techniques for your home. Providing detailed information and vivid photos, these home decorating magazines offer you instructions and often step-by-step directions to achieve the desired look. Each of these magazines also offers you, the customer an opportunity to buy directly from them. This can make your job so much easier if you see a room or space in the magazine that you like. Buying directly from them, you have a chance to recreate that beautiful space in your home.

When you begin your planning, you can’t imagine your space will resemble those in the home decorating pictures. The great news is – it certainly can. Using home decorating pictures as guides for your planning, you can choose colors, furnishings and accessories to improve your space and make it picture perfect. In home decorating, almost anything is achievable if you are willing to be open-minded and accept advice. Many home decorating pictures display rooms in bold colors that you just can’t imagine using in your home. This is when you have to relax and go out on a limb. In order to get that picture perfect room, you may need to compromise your normal methods of decorating. However if you definitely want the bathroom in the home decorating pictures, you’ll need to put away those normal habits and adopt brand new ones.

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Container Gardening On Balconies

It does not matter if you live in the country or city; you can find somewhere to grow a container garden, even if it is just a small one. If you do live in the city, instead of using your balcony to store bikes or your barbeque, create a gorgeous, relaxing outdoor retreat by using container gardening and following a few tips. Choose containers that are colorful but won't detract from the plants you plan to use. Use pots that are different in shapes and sizes. Select your plants carefully so that they compliment each other and fit well in the spot designated for your container garden.

For gardening on balconies that are very long or narrow, use shrubs, different height trees and plants at the ends and corners, to add interest and round out the hard lines. Create points of interest by grouping bright colors and interesting shapes together. More tips for container gardening are to keep repeating a plant grouping or plant throughout your balcony area and use colorful flowers for accents only. Show off your large plants, shrubs and trees, by using interesting shapes and bright, beautiful colors. For gardening on your balcony, consider how your garden looks from inside your house. Buy trees and shrubs that not only bloom in the spring but also display wonderful fall colors. In climates that are cold, move your container garden indoors or line containers with builders foam and set your plants in them.

Here are some more good tips for gardening on balconies. For height, hibiscus blooms the entire summer and grows up to three or four feet tall. Dwarf Alberta white spruce have beautiful gray-green dense needles that add interest and are very soft. At maturity, they reach heights of up to eight feet. Ornamental sweet potatoes are a light colored vine that grow over the pot edge and look wonderful with darker plants. Use ornamental grasses in the background for a graceful, interesting look.

Once you have all your new plants arranged on your balcony, follow the maintenance tips on the label of the plant, to keep them healthy and beautiful. Container gardening is the same as traditional plant and flower gardening, as they require water, soil and sun. Purchase a hose that attaches to your kitchen sink because this makes watering your balcony plants far easier than carting pails of water outside. Plants in containers dry out far quicker than plants do outdoors, in the ground. Check each plant daily to see if it requires watering. Use fertilizer monthly or check the label to see the recommendations and follow them. Weeding is usually not a problem with balcony gardens. The last two tips for gardening on your balcony are to remove any dead or yellowing growth and sit back, relax and enjoy your garden.

Container gardening on your balcony will bring you lots of satisfaction and enjoyment. Once you get the hang of it why not plant some herbs too. They will add yet another hobby, gourmet cooking! You can also use herbs for medicinal and beauty recipes. There is no end to what you can do with a container garden. Use your imagination and have fun.

Happy Gardening!

Copyright © Mary Hanna, All Rights Reserved.

This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged. Article Source:GoodInfoHome.com

Teaching Our Children the Value of Work

There has been a lot of discussion recently about whether children today are more self-centered than children of previous generations. Researchers such as Dr. Jean Twenge argue that not only are they more self-centered, they are also more miserable. Parents are perplexed by the research. "Have we not given our children everything they need to be happy?"

As parents we feel the constant pressure to indulge our children in sports and after school activities. We watch as other parents race their children back and forth across town to classes, clubs, sports, and academic advancement programs. When we opt out, other parents apply pressure, "Aren't you going to put Jessica in soccer this year?"

To be honest, I have never seen an extra curricular activity I didn't like. From horseback riding, to karate, baseball, swimming, math team, dance, and soccer, I happen to think they're all great. But involving our children in too many of these activities keeps them from learning the most important lesson they will need for future success: the value of work.

Teaching a child to work begins at an early age. I imagine that dual income families have an easier time recognizing this because they simply can't do everything with the limited time available at the end of the day. But those of us at home might make the mistake of thinking all the chores at home are our duty and feel guilty even considering asking our children for help. Think again.

Sociologists Scott Coltrane and Michele Adams found that school-aged children who do chores with their fathers get along better with peers and have more friends. They also found that they are less likely to disobey teachers, cause trouble at school, and are happier and more outgoing.

I've known parents who require their children to do chores only when they behave badly. While I have no problem with using chores as punishment, children should still be expected to participate in the operation of the household on a regular basis regardless of behavior. Chores, while not always pleasant, are an essential part of life.

Always keep in mind that you are raising a future mother, father, and spouse. What you teach them about the division of chores will be carried with them into their own families. So get started early. Your role in life is not to be a pathetic martyr. If you'd like to teach your son to never lift a hand once he is married, then do everything for him now. If you want to suggest to your daughter that being a mother is dreary and dirty work, do everything for her today. However, if you'd rather teach your kids that a family needs to work together to serve each other, then give them age-appropriate tasks as soon as they are able to handle them. In doing so, you will teach them the value of work.

Copyright (c) 2007 Christine Conners Article Source:GoodInfoHome.com

A Simple 2-Step Plan To Beat The Biggest Baby Growth And Development Problem

Probably the single biggest baby growth and development problem parents struggle with, is this...

They suffer from a lack of a clear plan to tell them what to look out for and what do.

Mostly they suffer from 2 common afflictions.

They suffer from a lack of a clear route, and secondly, they suffer from a lack of specific corrective actions to get development back on track.

Let's go ahead and first look how a lack of a clear route troubles parents.

Many parents instinctively know that babies eventually grow up and learn to crawl and walk. But obviously there's more to it than this.

Most parents are totally unaware of all the clear signs along the baby growth and development route.

What this means is that parents may be unaware of what exactly to look out for while their child is growing up. They frequently do not know how to measure their child's progress.

One of the easiest and best ways to follow your infant's development route, is by following the "baby milestones" -or simply milestones.

Merely knowing which milestones to look for goes a very long way towards helping parents to measure their baby's development.

And of course, to know if your baby masters all the skills and gets all learning skills while growing up.

And although following the milestones is already a great relief and comfort for worrying parents, it still lacks one important part, namely timing.

Baby growth and development is more than merely following a specific route. It also requires babies to stick to a very specific schedule.

What this means is that baby milestones must not only be mastered, but must also be mastered within a specific age period.

So, even though an infant may be mastering the milestones, she may be doing this too slowly.

Stated differently, regardless of how cruel it may sound, but even infants are in trouble if they miss their deadlines. Only their deadline is the ability to properly master a specific skill at the right age.

This is the one area where many parents totally lack guidance. Most parents are unaware that there's a schedule to mastering the milestones.

Reaching a few milestones too late is often a good sign that everything is not in order and that encouragement and other remedial action may be needed to get development back on track.

This is where the advantage of specific remedial action steps are very handy and sometimes even essential. These steps are required to encourage and improve an infant's development in specific areas.

Years' research and observations have proven remedial actions to get baby development back on track should it be too slow.

But correcting deviations does not happen immediately and may sometimes take some time to show results. Most parents allow too little time for any remedial actions to take effect and correct development problems.

This only leads to disappointment, more stress and worries... and a persisting baby development problem.

So, how do we overcome our baby growth and development worries?

Here's a 2-Step Plan to beat the most common baby growth and development problems:

Step 1: Learn the major baby milestones and the accompanying skills your infant must master

Step 2: Learn the schedule for reaching these milestones - when must it be mastered?

However simple these 2 baby growth and development tips may be, they work.

It even gives you the chance to take the right remedial actions at the right time... should it be needed.

Article Source:GoodInfoHome.com

A Ceiling Fan Will Create A Light Pleasant Breeze Making You Feel Like You Are On a Tropical Beach.

The temperature soaring, a hot gust of wind keeps puffing occasionally to make the
place so warm and humid. Typical conditions in this metropolitan city, you have just
returned home after a mind boggling time at office. Its time to relax, so you pull up a
couch get a chilled glass of water and turn that Ceiling fan on, to feel that refreshing
cool breeze cover the whole room. As with everything we can buy, there are always
those companies that excel in the manufacture of their chosen product and ceiling
fans are no different. Hunter ceiling fans and hampton bay ceiling fans are two of the
leading manufacturers amongst many other formidable companies. But lets first turn
back some pages of history to read more about these humble appliances, about how
they came into being, and its evolution to date.

Primitive man discovered that waving a palm leaf in the face produced the agreeable
sensation of a refreshing breeze. This was duplicated by the royalty and wealthy
persons of early Assyria and Egypt, for further comfort it is said they employed a small
army of slaves and servants who waved huge leaves to make them feel cool on hot
days.

As the slave dynasty perished, people began looking for a replacement to keep
themselves cool in hot conditions Hand fans were therefore used the Japanese folding
fan, and the popular Chinese dancing fan, are some typical examples of these. In India,
a large fan of peacock feathers symbolized eternal vigilance of the ruler.

At about this time, the world's greatest inventors started to grapple with the problem
of designing mechanically powered, personal wind-generating machines for
convenience and greater output. In 1882, a proud enthusiast Diehl introduced his
"invention of the first electric ceiling fan." His device was a bubble-blade adaptation of
the well known belt driven fan with self-contained electric motor; but from then on
the writing was on the wall, change was in the air.

Over the next decade, improvements both inside and out would give rise to fans that
were truly modern. 25 Years of Innovation: The Ceiling Fan finally came of age. Picking
the right ceiling fan for the space given is important. Naturally you will want a stylish
fan that gives you the best output at the least cost.

Here are a few tips to get you started.

- Take a look at the size and shape of your room. Floor space and ceiling height will
have to be taken into consideration when picking out a ceiling fan.

- Choose a dealer with exquisite number of models. Fans come in many varieties most
models come with light fixtures or have kits available for adding lights.

- Summon your budget. Fans range in price from less than fifty dollars to several
hundred dollars for specialized versions in various colors with remote controls. Make
sure the ceiling fan you choose blends with the design of the room.

- Go a bit low-profile, if you are looking only for air circulation look for a cheaper ceiling
fan .These models provide a little less air movement and generally do not
accommodate light fixtures.

- Use smaller fans with small blades in all your lesser big rooms to avoid an overcrowded
look. opt for a ceiling fan that looks as light and thin as the mood of the room, one
that will cut the heated air without adding more weight to your room.

- Analyze the number of blades. More blades mean more air movement at lower
speeds, which means lesser noise.

- Hire a professional electrician to install the ceiling fan if you have any doubts about
your ability to do it yourself.

There are many reputed companies selling their ware to thousands of satisfied
customers these days some of the brands available are Designer, Tropical, Emerson,
Casablanca, Hampton, Fanimation, and Hunter.

With careful consideration and some intelligent research, you could find a ceiling fan
that will match with your decor, while saving you enough money on electric bills so
that you can invest in a brand new white linen suit for summer.


Kalwant Rana is A Freelance Writer For http://www.anyceilingfan.com You Can Find Lots Of Useful Information About All Kinds Of Ceiling Fan.

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Curse Of The Termite Swarm

You may think you’re cursed when you see a termite swarm outside your house in early spring. Actually, you are very lucky. For many homeowners, it isn’t until they actually find the damage that they know they have termites.

For some homeowners, it may be when they are doing some inside maintenance or outside painting, before they find damaged wood caused by termites. Unfortunately, if termites have gone unnoticed for years, the damage could be extensive and can cost you thousands of dollars in home repairs and thousands more in extermination fees.

If you find the termite swarm inside or outside your home, don’t just kill the termites and then call it quits. On a warm spring day, you may see termites swarm around the outside of your home. This could mean your home is already infested or it could mean that swarmers are out house shopping and they are taking a look at yours. To know for sure, you will have to either inspect the house yourself or call a termite specialist to do the inspection for you. If termites are swarming inside your home, then most likely you have a termite problem.

How do I inspect my home for termites?
The first thing you must know is that there are probably areas inside or around your home that you cannot inspect. It may be impossible to get into areas such as tight crawl spaces, beneath decks that are close to the ground, and in tight attic spaces. Sometimes, it just isn’t physically possible for you or a termite swarm inspector to get into these areas.

Start on the outside at your foundation. Look for termite mud tubes. The mud tubes are the avenues the termites use to leave the soil and travel to the wood of your home. The mud tubes protect the termites from the elements and from predators. A dirt dobber or mud dobber (wasp) nest is similar to a termite tube, but mud dobbers leave an exit hole in the tube to fly out and the tube is usually shorter in length. A termite mud tube will appear sealed at both ends, will go from ground to wood, and are usually longer than a mud dobber’s nest.

If you find a termite swarm tube, do not destroy it. You want to know where the infestation enters your home and what wood may be damaged, so the wood can be replaced and the area can be properly treated. Whether you decide to treat the home or hire a professional, the tubes will point you in the right direction, because the termites actually enter the wood from the tubes. If you hire a professional, he or she can tell a lot about your infestation by the number of tubes and where they are located. So do not remove them until it is time to treat the home. In the meantime, note where you found the tubes, and keep looking for more evidence.


You may also find small stacks of dirt on walls or wood while searching for termites. This can be from the termites breaking through the wall and pushing out the debris. The small tube-like piles of dirt are often found inside, on walls and in corners.

Check the wood molding around doors and windows by tapping lightly with the handle of a screwdriver. You will notice while tapping that if the wood is damaged by either water or termites, it will have a hallow sound. You may even make a dent in the wood though you applied no more force than before. If this happens, peal away the paint just a bit and see if you find termites.

Seeing a termite swarm in early spring, isn’t a curse, it’s actually a blessing. The swarm should get you motivated to go searching for signs of termites. And once you know you have a termite problem, you can do something about it.

If you have a termite swarm nesting in or around your home, think www.pestproductsonline.com


Dennise Brogdon is the managing editor of the Hughston Health Alert, a quarterly, patient-information newsletter, and she is an editorial assistant for the National Athletic Trainers’ Association’s scientific journal, the Journal of Athletic Training. Dennise is a Web site copywriter and editor. She has experience writing and editing SEO copy and META tags, brochures, advertorials, video scripts, and other technical and promotional material, as well. Dennise earned a BA in English with professional writing as an emphasis at Columbus State University. She is a member of the American Medical Writers Association and the Georgia Writers Association.

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Obtaining Child Care Grants

Obtaining Child Care Grants Getting the proper child care when you are a parent is not, not always an easy thing to do. You must be able to afford the care that you are getting but also make sure that it is a care that you can depend on and trust. There are many child care grants that you can apply for. Asearch of the
search engines will turn up maany of them.

Taking advantage of the child care grants that are available to you is something that you have the responsibility to check out.You should not be ashamed to get help when it comes to raising your children the right way. This is something that
you need to take seriously so that you know your child is taken care of when you are not around.

There are many parents that go to school and need to have some type of financial aid getting child care for their children. When this is the case, they can get the child care grants that are out there. There are very helpful tools thatwill get you the care that you and your child deserves while you are getting a good education to make a better living.

There are many organizations that offer great child care grants for people that need some type of help. These grants are going to help parents pay for the care their children need. The grants are set in place to make sure that no child is left without care and that parents are able to afford the best care possible.

All you have to do is make sure that you are getting all the information that is needed to get the child care grants. You can check out your resources and get all the facts that you need. There are many places online that you can visit. You

will then be informed if you qualify or not and you can go from there.These child care grants are a great way to do the things that you want to as a parent. You can now afford to put your child in the better care centers while you are at work or
school. You will no longer have to feel guilty because you are going to work and leaving your child behind.

You will actually be able to relax and be comfortable with the choice of day care provider that you have. These child care grants are a great thing to take advantage of for any parent that qualifies.

One of twenty five articles by Floyd Dorrance on child care,day care and obtaining grants for such.

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Dyson Vacuum Cleaner - One of the Most Effective Vacuums

Are you tired of your old vacuum cleaner that constantly get clogged and doesn't
pick half of the dust from your carpet? If you need a vacuum that will do the
job properly a Dyson vacuum cleaner might be the right thing for you. Find out
what are the advantage of Dyson over other vacuum cleaners and if it will work
for your home.

When it comes to vacuum cleaners you are faced with many choices. You have
to choose between Kirby, Eureka, Hoover, Dyson and many other brands. But Dyson
vacuums leave most of the competition behind.

Advantages of Having a Dyson Vacuum Cleaner

• It is bagless and easy to use and clean


• HEPA filters guarantee that no dust gets back to your room


• provides extended warranty on your vacuum cleaner and all its parts


• has exceptionally strong suction, vacuum doesn't clog


• Good for cleaning carpet of cat's and dog's hair

How Does It Work?

Dyson has patented a new technology called Root Cyclone. It allows spinning

the air at very high speed. The result is a very strong suction, which makes
your vacuuming fast and effective.

Dyson vacuum cleaner uses three step processes. First all dust goes through

a filter that sends it to the bin. Larger pieces are caught there, the shroud
separates fluff and hair and the root spins fine dust at a high speed. This
prevents clogging and helps your vacuum maintain an incredible suction power.

Most Dyson vacuums are upright bagless models. Not having a bag is very useful
- no need for you to clean or replace it every time after vacuuming. When you
are done just empty the clear plastic bin where all dust is collected.

Selecting Your Dyson Vacuum Cleaner

There are several models of Dyson vacuum cleaners for you to choose from. While
all of them have excellent suction and do a good job cleaning your carpet, you
should take your time comparing different models to find the one that is perfect
for your place. If you are looking for a simple vacuum cleaner, basic models
like Dyson DC 07 or Dyson DC 14 are a good choice.

If you have pets that leave their fur on your carpet, you will need a more
elaborate model. Look for models with animal HEPA filter. Good examples are
Dyson DC 17 Absolute or Dyson DC15 Best Animal Ball. Both collect all pet hair
leaving your carpet absolutely clean.

Dyson vacuum cleaners are very popular and finding the one you like will not
be a problem. Local vacuum cleaner stores should have them. But you can find
a better price if you get your vacuum cleaner online. There are many retailers
that sell discounted home appliances. And the best part - you can compare prices
at several online shops without leaving your room.

How Much Would A Dyson Vacuum Cost Me?

Dyson vacuums are not the cheapest vacuum cleaners around. Depending on the
model, be prepared to pay from 300 to 600 dollars for your vacuum cleaner. It
sounds pretty steep, but bear in mind that you are not just buying a home appliance.
A good vacuum is a necessity for every home; it keeps your carpet clean and
your family healthy. Cheap vacuum cleaners usually distribute half of the collected
dust back to the air. Dyson will not do that.

Also Dyson usually offer 5 years warranty. So you can expect your vacuum cleaner
to serve you for at least 5 years. A word of caution - if your vacuum cleaner
is broken don't try to repair it yourself. They can refuse to fix it under warranty
it you interfered with the mechanism.

To conclude, if you are looking for a vacuum that is easy to use and will clean
your house effectively; Dyson vacuum cleaner is a good choice. It will definitely
justify its cost by making cleaning an easy job.

Tanya Turner is an owner of Vacuum Cleaners Central where you can find unbiazed informationn and reviews of best vacuums on the market including Dyson vacuum cleaners

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Interior Decorating – Buying a Water Fountain or Waterfall For Your Home

An indoor waterfall or fountain is one of the loveliest ways to decorate your space. The beauty and peace of trickling falls in your home, not to mention its beauty, is reason enough to consider buying one for your home. A waterfall can only add to the tranquility of your home and can help create your own little indoor paradise.

However, you don't want to buy just any fountain or waterfall; choosing the right one for your home is important and shouldn't be undertaken lightly. There are some important factors to consider, such as the space and size of your home, your existing décor, whether you want it on the floor or on the wall, and if you have a family or pets.

Space is one of the most important considerations; interior fountains and waterfalls come in all shapes and sizes, so make sure you measure the area you're going to put it. This includes length and width, and make sure you have a little leeway. Use common sense and don't put it in risky places. If it's on the floor, make sure its in an area that gets light foot traffic.

This is especially important to consider if you have small children or pets. You need to take into account wandering hands and paws, so it might be best in this case to mount it on the wall above the height of your children until they are old enough to know not to play with it; this is doubly important if you have pets. In this case, investing in the flattest waterfall possible might be your best bet. If you insist on having a floor fountain, consider putting something like a delicate, transparent glass barrier around it that's child and pet safe.

Choose your waterfall to blend in with your existing décor, or make it your centerpiece; there are a wide variety of colors, materials, designs and models; add something like a soft light to a waterfall and you have a amazing ambience.

In all, choosing a water fountain or waterfall for your home is an individual decision, so get the one that's right for you and fits with your lifestyle. A fountain is definitely a unique way to decorate that will win many compliments from visitors and look amazing in your home, no matter what type you live in.

For more information, visit http://www.earthinspiredproducts.com/
for the worlds finest indoor wall fountains and custom water features.

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What to Get a New Baby

Having a baby is an amazing experience for the new parents, but at the same time it can be hard to cope with. You can help make life a little bit easier for the happy parents by giving them a baby gift that assists the transition from couple to family. It's easy to buy something cute for a baby, but there are also many helpful and practical gifts that will really make a difference. You'll also know that your gift will get used plenty of times, rather than admired and then shoved in a cupboard.

One great gift you can give is a baby monitor. These clever devices monitor the sounds made by baby while sleeping, so that mom or dad can get on with other things that need to be done and can immediately hear when baby wakes up. They're also useful at night, because you'll know very quickly when baby is awake and wanting to be fed.

New parents tend to worry a lot about their baby's health, so why not give them something to assist them? Digital baby thermometers are simple to use and much less intrusive than the old fashioned thermometers. You can buy thermometers that take the temperature orally, from the skin, or in the ear. Great for reassuring a nervous parent that baby is fine, but also for indicating when a visit to the doctor might be required.

If you'd still like to buy something cute and fun, then check out the range of crib items. There are heaps of great ideas available, including toys that attach to the inside of the crib and use music and lights to help lull baby to sleep. Perhaps you could choose a mechanical mobile with cute decorations for amusing baby. Look at the Lamaze range of baby toys, designed to be fun and interesting for baby, while stimulating various senses at the same time. Great for development.

You can also choose baby blankets, sheets, towels, washcloths and a whole lot more, all available in a wide variety of styles and colors. Look for cute but practical clothing, including sleepwear, onesies, socks, jackets and t-shirts. Always test out the clothes to make sure they're easy to put on and take off again, and that it's easy to access the diaper for a quick change, without having to completely undress the baby.

If the new parents need some more expensive baby items, why not join together with some other friends to buy a bigger baby gift. This is a great way to give parents items like strollers, cribs, car seats, or playpens. You can either organize to purchase the item yourself, or give the new parents a gift certificate to cover the cost and let them choose their own. Another useful gift is diapers. Either buy plenty to keep the parents going for a while, or if they like cloth diapers, organize a diaper service. They'll take away the dirty diapers once a week, wash them, and then bring them back again. Any new parents will love you for that gift!

Baby gifts are a wonderful way to get the new family started in their life together, and you can do a lot to help that process. Don't waste your money and something cute that will never even get taken out of the box. Try to combine practical and fun, and the new parents will thank you for it - over and over again.

About the Author

Selecting the appropriate baby gift can be a challenge. Mary Amos is a mother and has a multitude of neices and nephews. Click Baby Gifts for some great ideas.

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Table Top Games A Brief Discussion

In this modern day and age it’s difficult to find activities that can tear kids (or indeed husbands and partners) away from the computer screen. While a moderate amount of video gaming is great for developing reflexes, cognitive problem solving and imagination it is always necessary to supply other activities for children to play. If you live in a particularly area prone to dangers you would rather not expose your children to. Weather conditions may also prevent your children from enjoying the great outdoors so why not look into a safe and fun alternative that will give you children a little indoor exercise as well as keep them out of trouble for a while.
Table top games are available from relatively reasonable prices from many retailers these days, they offer a range of activities from table tennis to air hockey and more relaxed activities such as poker for parents.
I am going to explore each type of table and discuss briefly the concepts behind the use and advantages/disadvantages of each. Hopefully after reading this article you will have a better idea of what table you should buy to keep your family occupied, safe and happy.


Table Tennis Tables

Table tennis has been a popular past time for generations. It involves two (or four) players rallying a small ball between them with wooden paddles. It can become a very energetic game and has become an extremely serious sport and has been included in both the Olympics and Commonwealth games. Games are generally played up to 11 points with the serve switching every 2 points. Matches tend to be the best of 5 or 7. Table tennis is probably the table top game which requires the most space, you will need some room to move around, beginners will require minimal space but as you become better you may wish to clear a larger area for more active play and long shots. The standard size of a table tennis (or ping pong) table is 152.5cm wide by 274cm long. Its standard height is 76cm. Obviously you will need around double this amount of space to play. Due to the extended amount of movement I recommend that table tennis tables be placed on the ground floor to avoid the excessive noise of thumping feet. Fortunately many table tennis tables fold up when not in use so they will not dominate a room unless in use. Prices range from £200-£2000 depending on quality. Unless the product has been discounted I do not recommend buying one for under £200 as it may be of an inferior quality. Recognised brand names in the field include Kettler, Plum and John Jaques.
Table tennis tables are an excellent choice for active young teenagers as they give them a chance at competition and gentle exercise, they can aid in parent child bonding as well as sibling bonding. You should supervise young children and even adolescents on a table tennis table at first until you are sure they can play safely. Ping Pong balls are a chocking hazard to toddlers and babies, do not leave them unattended with such items.


Air Hockey Tables

Air hockey is another well known table top sport. It involves 2 players, one table, a disc or puck and two mallets (or paddle). Each player takes a mallet and attempts to score 7 points by shooting the puck towards a goal. There are some crucial rules that must be followed to keep the game fair.

* The puck should not leave the table, if it does the player who caused this to happen has committed a foul.
* You should not strike the puck when it is completely on your opponents side of the table (past the centre line), doing so results in a foul.
* Touching the puck with any other object than the mallet results in a foul. If this is done as a last ditch attempt to stop a goal a penalty is awarded.
* Stopping the puck by clamping down the mallet is also considered a foul.
* If a foul occurs possession changes hands (away from the offending player) and play is restarted.


Air hockey tables vary in size but regulation tables are 8ft in length. They can vary in colours and styles and while neon lit tables are available they are not regulation. Air hockey does not require quite as much space as table tennis. While you will need a space around the table for movement there is no need to leave space for long shots or far reaches as the puck should never leave he table and you cant reach beyond your own half. Air hockey should be supervised by parents at first for all children, it can cause minor injuries if players are not participating properly. Other than a knocked figure however an injury is extremely unlikely. An air hockey table is likely to set you back around £400. Air hockey is recommended for people without as much room but who still want a sport alternative to indoor activities.


Pool and Snooker Tables

Pool and snooker are both extremely well known, especially in the UK. It has been a popular past time, especially for teenagers and young adults, for many years. Pool and snooker tables do require a large amount of room (generally snooker is more) and you should remember to leave room not only for the dimensions of the table, but space fully around it for someone to use a cue. Pool and snooker have more complex rules than some of the other table top games and you may wish to look these up before starting or deciding which on to purchase. In general pool is easier to play than snooker. Pool and snooker table costs can massively range in price due to the way they are constructed. A fully official, slate bed table could cost between £500 and £3000 but you can pick up a decent quality table, good enough for playing on at home for £200-£300. Pool and snooker can be dangerous if not played correctly, balls can travel at very high speeds and potentially trap fingers. Children ages 8+ should be supervised while playing at all times (and may not be suited for full size tables at all). Children 11+ should be checked for safety and I advise that they still be supervised as much as possible.


Football Tables

A favourite among many young teenagers (especially boys) table football or foosball as it has become known is a great choice for people without the room for a snooker or pool table. It involves to sets of football men mounted on polls with the aim being to flick the ball into the opponents net by tilting the polls with you hand. Foosball is often played as a two or four player game with either one person controlling all the men on a side or one person playing attack and the other defence. Other rules are fairly simple and basically state that you should not tilt or bump the table or touch the ball with anything other than the players while the ball is in play. Depending on how you table is designed you may whish to develop a fair way to launch the ball after a goal. On open top tables a common method is to place it in the midfield at the feet of the person who just conceded. Football tables range from £100-£400 and vary in size. Recognised brands in the sport include Harvard and BCE.


Hopefully this will give you a good insight as to what is available for your home. Bear in mind too however that “multi-games” tables also exist that can include from 4 to 20 games. Always check the size and quality of such products as well as what games are included. These products tend to be more suited to smaller children as the games inside are compact and designed for smaller hands.
If you are looking for place to buy try internet specialist. Many high street shops sell the smaller multi-game version but specialist toys/sport shops will often be able to get you a higher spec product. Some sites also offer free delivey, a massive bonus if you are ordering something as big as a pool table. I recommend outdoortoysdirect.co.uk and simplyfitnessequipment.co.uk, both have a large range and free delivery.

About the Author

Peter Farmer is a landscaper and fitness enthusiast from the Nottinghamshire area of the UK. He also helps develop websites such as this Outdoor Games site and this Fitness Equipment site.

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Caring for your Oil Painting

Paintings and their frames are made of several different materials.

These oil paintings include: varnish, glue, paint, canvas, wood, metal, gilding and plaster. Put all together they would form a complex structure, which could be easily damaged if dropped or knocked. The materials are also too sensitive and could be damaged by its surrounding atmosphere, extremes and changes in humidity and heat, amount of light and dirt.

Survival of an oil painting depends on:

• Keeping the painting in a good environment.
• Sensible usage, storage and display.

What can go wrong with your painting?

• Tears, punctures and holes, drooping canvas, bulges and dents, crack canvas edges.
• Splits distort and break in wood. Insect damage (wood worm):
• Cracked, loose or peeling paint, lost paint, desertion, yellow varnish, dirt and dust, whitening, mould or mildew on the facade, disintegrating flames.

What can be done?

• If you feel that these is a problem with your painting or you wish to find out more about its condition contact a paintings conservator.
• Save any pieces if they have fallen off, even if they are small. Keep them safely in a bag or an empty envelope as they could be fitted back on painting.
• Do not ever try to repair or cleaning yourself. This is a skilled procedure and need to be done only by fully skilled conservator.
• The use of backboards is suggested as a vital preventive conservation measure.

Moving your painting

Tears, holes, cuts and dents are most probably to happen when your oil painting is off the wall. If you plan further, these damages could be usually avoided.

• If you are decorating, take your painting out of the room before you start work on it.
• When off the wall rest face out beside a clear wall or padded facade, away from doorways, furniture and passing people;
• Always ensure your hands are very sparkling and dry, or wear clean gloves;
• Make sure the painting is steadily fitted into the frame;
• When moving your painting; it has to face towards your body and use both hands. one to hold the edge and the other to support it from beneath;
• Paintings with glass or those with envisage frames could be heavy, you might require two people.

About the Author

Vijay kanth is a seo copywriter having more than 3 years of experience in this
field who is currently working for the site 1artclub.com. For further information on oil paintings and Solvents pleasevisithttp://www.1artclub.com/ or contact me through mail: 1artclubpainting@gmail.com

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Divorce And Parental Love

Everyday life experiences countless stresses but late parental divorce or separation negatively affects to their offsprings.
The discourse, divorce not only alienates parental love and affection to young adults but also intensifies psychological disturbance including personality disorders, pathologically hostile, and socio-economically distress and weakens young adult’s faith in filial and parental obligations. Martial disruptions takes place because of variety of adjustments problems in the family. Late parental divorce are expected to have effects for the lives of his or her young adults and each generations experiences life patterns transitions and these in turn , influence the lives of the other generations. Late parental separation changes the life pattern of both the generations and effects to the value of the relationship—that young adults have with their parents.
In social level, the picture of late parental divorce not only hassles the young adult but also stresses to the parents. It disrupts the quality of relationship i.e., obligation, and emotional bonding, and takes time to readjust the family structure. late parental divorce is linked to lower relationship quality and contact in both the mother-child and father-child dyads. In fact, the effect is much stronger on relations with father than mother.
In financial support level, late parental divorce has an absolute negative effect only for sons’ but it is relative to daughters’. In fact, late parental divorce not only effects financially to the young adults but it also affects to the divorce parents.
Sometimes, distance also matters i.e., late parental divorce most affects to the father-child relations than mother-child. Basically, mother stays very close with the children than father and the intimacy between father and offsprings decreases. Most fathers’ affection comes from material support to the children but as mother stay very near in everyday life with the offsprings so time also matters in socio-psychological marital life of the family. In general, intensity of late parental divorce not only impacts to familial relationships but it also particularly affects to parents-offsprings concerned.
Kate Gardens is a custom essay writing expert writer and UK customers support consultant at Customessays.co.uk. Get more details for assignments, assignment writing and find more tips for students’ essays.

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Tweaking Your Home Entertainment System Luxury or Economical

If you are looking for extra touch while watching a sporting event, movie, or any other programming a home theater system will give you that feeling. There are many choices that one needs to make when buying a home theater system that is best suited for them. One system that has become very popular recently is the wireless home theater system with speakers. This system offers greater looking style and compactness to boot. If you are looking to go the cheaper route Home theater stores are willing to combine quality parts such as receivers, DVD player?s, speaker systems, etc. individually. Which will be a lot cheaper then you might expect.

By building your own custom made home theater it is much more cost effective than and not as hard to do as you may think. For help in putting these projects together you can go to home theater magazines or webzines and get some very useful information. These resources will not only help you to find information such as layout plans surround sound audio plans and those tough DIY wiring diagrams. They will additionally give you some tips on companies such as Sony, Pioneer, and Bose just to name a few. These websites also offers forums to speak with others who are building their own custom made theater which will allow you to share advice.

Buying or creating a home theater system isn't just making a purchase. Your home theater system becomes part of the house. You definitely will want to look into custom cabinets and speaker stands that will look well with the furniture you have already. The options are many to choose from. Whether it is for the ultimate luxury home system or the more cost effective system you have a variety of choices to make. So think about the choices to make all aspects of your home system. Look at the correct systems, cables, and components. Also, don?t neglect the options in seating, do you opt for the chair or the recliner. Whatever your choices it is a good idea would be to go to the websites and see what would fit your style and finances the best.

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Tymon Hytem has been in the electronic field for the past 15 years. He has helped many a client design, choose the correct Cables for the job and install their own home theater systems.

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Audio Cables What the Heck Do you Choose

There are so many different types of audio cables that are available on the market today. It is quite difficult to make an informed decision about what is right for your needs. Here are the quick, down and dirty, ins and outs of the different types of audio cables that are available. Hopefully this will make it easier for you to choose what is right for your project.

The Coax digital audio offers digital connection with copper cables. These cables are usually long. The Dolby digital cable is supported. However, the copper cables run into interference. The DVD-A or SACD are neither supported.

Fire wire is the best way to go if you are looking for multichannel audio with large bandwidth. It?s compatible for some HTPC newer receivers. As well STB's, DVD's with digital audio workstations. You may have support for DVD-A and SACD. The drawbacks the lack of locking connector. This would cause it to disconnect easily, so audio only interface would be your main reason for use with most systems with the exception possibly being with Set Top Boxes, audio and video use, HDTV's and digital VCR's.

If you are looking for a digital connection that won't have any electrical interference then Toslink is the way to go. This is great for audio signals that have the same equipment. The drawback with Toslink is the cable length is limited and also the cables aren't very sturdy either which could cause it to disconnect easily. Also, keep in mind that you will need fiber optic cables for those lengthy cable reaches.

If you are looking for 1080p video plus 8 channels of 192 kHz audio then the HDMI digital connection is the way to go. With one interface you get great digital and audio video. The problem you may have though is the lack of locking connectors which will make it to disconnect.

If your equipment is not compatible with digital audio, analog in the next best thing. This has dual RCA plug cables and two channels. The drawback is it lacks surround sound.

Denon Link is at the bottom of the barrel you will not want this one.

The bottom line is there are many types of audio cables to choose from for your home theater system so pick the best one for you.

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Tymon Hytem has been in the electronic field for the past 15 years. He has helped many a client design, choose the correct Cables for the job and install their own home theater systems.

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Ventless Fireplaces They Would Not Have Done for Richard Nixon

"When I retire I'm going to spend my evenings by the fireplace going through those boxes. There are things in there that ought to be burned." Richard Milhous Nixon

If this is what you want to do, sitting by your fireplace, then you must get a regular, wood burning fireplace with a built in chimney. If you want to just relax and enjoy the warmth, the look, the sound and even the smell of a real fire, then you have a choice in Fireplaces.

Besides the built in wood burning fireplace there are also built in gas or propane fireplaces that require a chimney for venting. They are hooked up to a gas line with a shut off valve. One simply turns it on, lights it and jazaam, an instant fire. Artificial logs on a crate and a material that glows but does not burn can be added. It looks similar to the real thing and creates plenty of heat. Many people, who do not want to deal with carrying wood and ash clean-up, settle for this version. Others are forced to it in towns like Phoenix, Az for example, where wood burning fireplaces may not be used on days when the ozone count is high.

Those who do not have a built in chimney can settle for a ventless fireplace. Several versions are on the market. Non-vented natural gas fireplaces which also have to be connected to an available natural or propane gas line. But they need no chimney. Most do come with oxygen sensors that shut down the unit if the home oxygen level gets too low. In several states their installation is prohibited because of the dangers of carbon dioxide build up, Another problem with these fireplaces is excessive moisture condensation, since a byproduct of gas combustion is water vapor. Fungus and mold infestation could result in additional serious health problems.

A better solution is an electric fireplaces. It needs no outside venting, just plug it into a 120 V outlet. Electric fireplaces have a realistic flame effect, created with randomized filtered lighting. It comes with a heater but the flame effect can also be used without the heater. A multifunctional remote control comes with each unit.

Then there are gel fuel fire places. They need neither installation nor hook ups. They can be placed anywhere in a home or cabin and can be taken along when one moves or spends time at a second home. Some people even take them outdoors on chilly evenings. All one needs to do is light the special gel and enjoy the crackling flames. The gel comes in pint size cans and will burn from 2 to 3 hours, depending on the humidity level of a home. The dryer the air, the longer the fire will burn. This gel fuel is a non-toxic gelled alcohol made from organic thickeners and Isopropyl Alcohol, that it is smokeless and odorless. It is safe, clean burning, no sparks, no fumes, no ashes. 100%environment friendly. Because it is an alcohol product it can be safely stored indoors at room temperature or cooler. Another feature neither the electric nor the gas fireplace offers, is the real crackling sound produced while the gel fuel burns.

Through the use of scented candles, incense or oils one can ad the smell of burning wood.

Besides the wood burning, vented fireplace neither of the others mentioned will allow you to burn papers or anything else in them. Then again, neither will you have to clean up ashes. That in itself is a factor that decides people in their choice of a fireplace, it even makes many buy a gel fueled fireplace insert which they use in their vented fireplace instead of burning wood.


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The author has a Home and Garden Decor business. She is excited that now anybody can own a fully functional fireplace, whether they live in a house, an apartment, a single room or even a cave. A chimney is no longer needed.
http://www.buyhomeandgardendecor.com/gel_fireplace.html

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Cables Verses System A Look into Sound Distortion

Have you ever gone to a home theater store and are just amazed of the variety of extreme sounding names for cables. You have Uber cables, Mega cables and monster cables. Not only do you have to decipher which ones you need to hook up your home theater system, but now you have to wonder how much of a difference are they going to make? Well just like you can't create extra electricity by just plugging any normal electrical wire in the wall, the same theory applies to a cable. A cable alone cannot improve the sound of a home stereo system. When you listen to an audio, what you are hearing is an electronic representation of acoustic sounds. How this works is the sound has been captured, copied, and imitated. After this it then becomes a series of numbers stored on a disc. When the numbers are read they then are translated into electronic signals. These electrical signals are then sent to the speakers and that is how you get the actual sound. So with that in mind remember poor wires alone do not change the sound that you are hearing. You have some translating problems from the whole system by time the sound gets to the speakers and into your ears. In other word, the signal gets distorted through the whole process and bad wires do not help one bit.

So in order to for the sound to get to the speaker, it has to take many steps along the way. Somewhere along the line, this process makes the recording sound distance or just plain wrong. A good cable will alter the signal as little as possible. However, you must keep in mind that all cables do cause some damage your signal a little bit. It is just a matter of deciding which one will distort your sound the least. When deciding what cable is best suited for you consult a cable specialist and always keep your budget in mind.

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Tymon Hytem has been in the electronic field for the past 15 years. He has helped many a client design, choose the correct Cables for the job and install their own home theater systems.

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