Is your family beach bound soon? If so, you want to make sure you are well prepared! Packing for the beach can be tricky, because you might be in such a hurry to get out and go that you forget some essentials. To make sure you are well prepared for your next trip of sun and sand, look below at the ultimate beach trip packing list. This list will help you arrive to the beach well stocked and well prepared for anything you are likely to encounter! 1. Mini first aid kit. Cuts, scratches, and other minor injuries can occur when at the beach. Save yourself a trip to the life guard stand or searching for a band aid when you bring your own mini first aid kit. It is an easy way to deal with minor injuries fast. 2. Inflatables. Don’t forget water wings or vests for kids as well as any inflatables adults may wish to use. Carry an air pump in your trunk so you can easily inflate your items without having to blow them up by mouth. 3. Baby wipes or wet wipes. Hands can get dirty at the … [Read more...]
Tips For Spending More Time Together As A Family
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to spend more time together as a family? What’s stopping you? There are ways you can spend more time together as a family without breaking the budget or driving each other crazy. Don’t Forget the Ride Home Although you may all be in a car together, riding in a car home together is one way to spend more time as a family. It’s a great time to talk and discuss how the day went. You may not be sitting face to face, but this is a nice way to unwind and catch up as a family. Push Back Bedtime 30 Minutes Okay, so not every family can push back bedtime by 30 minutes, but if you can it’s a great way to go. Why? Well, many families don’t get home till 6 o’clock at night and it can be difficult to get anytime in together. Pushing back bedtime can help give a little more “time” together. If you can’t push back bedtime, then consider getting up 30 minutes earlier and eating an unrushed breakfast together. Spend Time Eating Dinner Together In today’s busy … [Read more...]
5 Ways To Be A Happier Person
Are you tired of feeling sad or unhappy all of the time? Maybe you look at other people and wonder how they can be so happy all day every day. Well, there are some ways you can be happy and here are the tips to prove it. Work Less Some of us spend literally every day working and it’s time to stop allowing work to suck life away. If you want to be happier, try and find a healthier work-life balance. If you are totally unhappy, maybe it’s time for a career change. Sleep More How many of us stay up way later than we’re supposed to? Going to bed earlier can help ensure you wake up happier the next day. Being tired can only make a person cranky, so it’s important to get as much sleep as you can to avoid being cranky. Make New Friends Maybe your friends are making you cranky? Perhaps they suck away the time you have during the day or they are just negative all of the time. Try finding new friends and ones that have a better outlook and perspective on life. Help Others … [Read more...]
Becoming Debt-Free After Having Children
Are you done having children? Maybe it’s time to focus on serious matters like getting out of debt. There’s good news, it is possible to get out of debt with a little bit of determination. Here are some tips to make this a reality. Only Use Cash It’s pretty simple to use a debit card and swipe swipe swipe. However, when you only use cash, it’s gone when you run out and there’s nothing you can do about it. Using only cash can help you get out of debt because you’re not going to continue to use a credit card. Prepare for Emergencies One of the biggest issues facing people who are debt is that they are not prepared for emergencies. When an emergency happens, it’s easy to put it on a credit card and then debt adds up really quickly. You can start preparing for financial emergencies by having an emergency fund set up. Even if it’s only $500, that’s something you won’t need to put on a credit card. Sell Your Stuff Although you may not want to, selling your items is one great … [Read more...]
St. Patrick’s Day Game: Gold Coin Minute to Win It
My mother's grandmother was Irish so she always told her stories about her life back in Ireland when she was growing up. One of the most fond memories that she has of her is how she always made a grand affair of celebrating St. Patrick's Day every year. She would pin my Mom and her siblings with green shamrocks and decorate the house festively. She said that everyone has the luck of the Irish on this special day! If you are looking for a fun and exciting St. Patrick’s Day party game, this Gold Coin Minute to Win It should fit the bill! You can create your own version for just pennies, and the end result is a game that kids will love to play. Here is how you can get started. Supplies needed: Timer or watch Bowl Chopsticks or Green paper straws (these paper straws are sturdy and make great chopsticks for this game!) Assorted plastic gold coins ($1 a bag at Dollar Tree) Directions: 1. Begin by placing all of the gold coins in the bowl. The average bag … [Read more...]
Fall Pumpkin Picking Tips
Last weekend, I had the pleasure of taking the family to visit Prospect Hill Orchards in the beautiful Hudson Valley in New York State. You can pick your own apples, pears and pumpkins there and it is very family-friendly. We've never been pumpkin picking before so we were very excited to see all of the different pumpkin varieties and to decide on just the right ones for our Fall and Halloween decor. The truth is that I knew very little about picking just the right pumpkins before we set out on our adventure. I did a little research to find out how to pick a pumpkin prior to heading out. Many of you will probably be picking or purchasing your own pumpkins now that we are heading into the month of October and the season for Halloween. I figured you could probably use some pumpkin picking tips too. Here is what I learned about picking the right pumpkin: It is much better to pick your own pumpkin at a pumpkin patch than purchasing one at the store. … [Read more...]
Working Mom Confessions
I've always been a worker bee. From the moment that I was able to go out to work, I did so with gusto. It's not that my parents forced me to go out and work or made me pay bills but they were just making it financially and I knew they could not stretch their budget anymore to accommodate my adolescent needs. As they say, "Necessity is the mother of invention," so out of the need to assert my independence and financial freedom, I went to work at 16. My first job was at Consumers which was a retail store chain that was very popular here in New York City during the early nineties. I felt like a million bucks working as a cashier there and I would cash my weekly check at the local check cashing place. There was such a sense of pride for me in being able to earn and spend my own money that it was intoxicating. Consumers eventually went out of business so I worked at McDonald's during my senior year in high school to be able to pay my graduation expenses. That was a very … [Read more...]
Get Your Kids Excited About Reading! #Literacy #Education
One of the most frequent questions that I get asked as an educator by parents is how they can get their kids to read more. It seems that in this fast-paced, technologically advanced world that we currently live in, taking the time out to read a book has become something of an anomaly. Unfortunately, it is something that I witness regularly with my own students as it is a daily struggle to get them to read. Many parents blame themselves for this but, the reality is that the Internet and the easy access that we now have to all kinds of information has decreased our attention span for reading to a certain extent. When I let my students go on the computers in my classroom they immediately become engaged but I rarely see the same enthusiasm when I put books in front of them. As a parent, I also worry about whether my children are spending enough time reading. There are many reasons why reading is such an important part of a child's academic and social development. Reading … [Read more...]
Unspoken Truths About Parenthood…
Last night, I took my family to the movies to see the new Captain America movie. My husband and I had planned it all week and I waited with my boys for Hubby to get home from work so we could head out to the multiplex. We were all looking forward to this outing and we chatted excitedly in the car on the way over there. To add to our excitement, I had picked up my nephew that afternoon and he was accompanying us to see the film. As usual, we were running a few minutes late and arrived at the theater just in time to quickly purchase our tickets and head to find some good seats while the coming attractions were playing on the screen. About ten minutes into the movie a couple walked in with a stroller containing an infant and two toddlers in tow. They proceeded to sit right near us and, I have to admit, I predicted that bringing such young children to the movies would not turn out well for them or for the rest of us who were trying to watch the movie. Sure enough, one of … [Read more...]
We Had A Wonderful Time At Medieval Times NJ! @MedievalTimes #Travel #Sponsored
*This post was written by me on behalf of Medieval Times. I received complimentary product samples to facilitate this review. All opinions are 100% mine. We were very excited to have the opportunity to review the family experience at Medieval Times in Lyndhurst, New Jersey. From the moment we arrived we were in awe of how magnificent and regal the venue was. I knew it would look like a castle but I never expected it to be so authentic. We received the star treatment from the moment we arrived until the end of the show. As soon as we checked in, we were escorted to our seats in the front row which afforded us an up-close view of all of the action. Our server immediately came over to introduce himself and to ask us for our drink order. I was impressed by how pleasant he was and the fact that he spoke directly to our boys and asked them what they wanted to drink. During dinner we were transported to a time of knights, bravery, and all of the chivalry that comes with … [Read more...]
