Dinner with the Family

When was the last time you sat down and  had dinner with your family? It is the meal we often miss  because we work so late, the kids have after school events or we are just tired from daily activities. But, missing dinner with the family can show your kids that "Family Time" is not all that important.

Family meals are more than just dinner. It is about the only time that families have to share their daily events that happened through the week. Whether you all sit down to the dinner table together or enjoy a meal on fold out tables in the living room, the important thing is that you are together.

There are some interesting facts surrounding family supperr time. For instance, teens that spend dinner time eating with their family are less likely to get involved in drugs, alcohol or other such activity. This is a point many parents will find interesting. Out of all of the things you do to try to keep your kids away from bad influences, the one thing that is the greatest influence is still the event that we skip routinely.

Why is dinner so important? For one thing, it is a time to share thoughts and feelings. All day, kids are influenced by teachers, friends and the outside world. At the dinner table, they get a chance to connect with their parents on tough issues like schoolwork, peer pressure, friendships and other things. They can each share and help one another with helpful suggestions. Parents can even talk about work or family finances over a meal.

The main point is that conversation is taking place. The average parent talks to their child less than 40 minutes a week. It takes a second to say “Hi” when you come in at night, but that isn’t effective communication. When dinner is shared by the family, you spend at least 45 minutes to an hour talking about everything and anything that may be on your mind. Even if you are watching a television program, engaging questions can arise from topics addressed in the program.

Young children learn how to communicate with their siblings and parents. They are the center of attention with questions about their day and it makes them feel happy. You know that kids always want to be in the limelight when they are a certain age and this helps them learn to share the spot with others.

Are You Dressing Down For Your Man?

When your spouse comes home from work what are you wearing? Sweatpants maybe! Is your hair in a ponytail? Do you have lipstick on? If you answered yes to these questions,then yes,You probably are dressing down for him and don’t even realize it.Think back to when you started dating your spouse!

Remember the excitement you felt as you rushed to get all dolled up for him. Did you Spritz on a little cologne? Did you polishyour nails? I bet you fixed up your hair, made sure your legs were shaved and maybe even rubbed on some skin lotion.

There was a comment I heard from a Latino Gal who said that “American women dress for comfort” while Latino women dress to impress their men. That got me thinking that maybe she’s right, because as I’m writing this article I’m barefoot, wearing stretch pants and a baggy tee shirt. My Hair is in a ponytail and I have no makeup on. And yes, I am comfortable.

So, are you in the comfort zone too? Most likely you are if you are a stay at home Mom, a homemaker or retired. Just out of curiosity I emailed a group of women friends and asked them a few questions covering this topic.

The questions I asked them were:

1) Do you change out of comfortable clothes into something maybe, not as comfortable before your spouse gets home?

2) Is your hair always in a ponytail?

3) Are your fingernails polished?

4) Are your legs shaved?

The results I got from these girls were kind of what I expected; it seems the younger and more recently married girls did get dressed up before their husbands showed up. And the women that have been married for a longer length of time stayed the way they dressed earlier in the day. No make up, no fingernail polish, no lipstick.


Again, just out of curiosity I did an experiment with my husband. After 21 years of marriage I kind of slacked off on the "Get Dressed Up" kind of thing. So when he came home from work the other day; I had on some makeup, had on some nice clothes and even went so far as to use the curling iron on my hair. All evening long he kept telling me how good I looked.

I think I might have messed up though, because, the very next day he came home with all kinds of new makeup: blush, foundation, lipstick, mascara, cotton balls, polish remover, a set of fake fingernails and 7 bottles of fingernail polish.

Oh dear, does this mean I have to "Get Dressed Up" every day. Yikes!!!!


Well Ladies, maybe we should take this as a hint and think about dressing up for our man instead of dressing down. Just try it once and see what his response will be; who knows, maybe he will think he forgot an important occasion and treat you to a dinner and movie.

Handmade Gifts

Gift giving can be an expensive part of our lives nowadays. In this article I will share some handmade gift ideas that will save you some money and will show that special someone how much you appreciate them.

Food Gifts:

Who doesn't like the smell of homemade cookies or bread? If you enjoy the idea of smelling food baking just think how much the recipient of homemade cookies will feel. You can put them in a regular old canning jar and tie a nice colorful ribbon around the top. If you're not such a great cook you can always just go to the store and buy some fruit and place them in a nice basket.

Craft Gifts:

Most people (Women) have some kind of creative talent lurking around. Some women have a talent for sewing, knitting, or crocheting. If you're not a real creative kind of gal you can always just go to the dollar store and get a basket and fill it up with products. Say your neighbor is having a baby; get a basket from the dollar store and fill it up with baby items such as baby powder, shampoo, and such. Wrap it all up in a pretty wrapping and wa lah you have a great handmade gift.

Writing:

Yep, writing is also a great way to make a handmade gift. Just think about the person you are giving the gift to. Write down exactly how you feel about that person. If you write poetry; that is a great way to show someone how much you care about them. Roll the paper up and put in a nice bottle and wrap a ribbon around the top.

These are just a few handmade gift ideas I've come up with. Whoever is receiving the gift will really appreciate the time and thoughtfulness that went into you making such an awesome gift.

Loose Weight Without Excercising

Does the thought of exercising makes you gringe? Does the thought of just laying on the floor make you queasy? Don't worry; you aren't alone. I don't think there are many people that actually look forward to exercising. In this article I'll show you a few other methods to loose that belly fat without working up a sweat. The main key I want you to remember is to suck in your belly as you do each of these movements.

1) Refrigerator:

Put the items you use more often on the lower shelves. This way you will
bend over more and trim your tummy. Suck in your belly before you bend.

2) Cupboards:

Same goes with the shelves; put the canned goods, etc. that you use most often
on the lower shelf's.

3) At the computer:

Set your snacks, drinks, phone, whatever a little farther back from where you
are sitting. This way you have to reach; and remember to suck in that belly.
While you’re waiting for a long page to load, lean back, suck In your belly
and bend forward a few times a day.

4) Watching TV:

Set the remote, cigs, drinks, etc. farther back on your coffee table so you
will have to stretch. Suck in your belly as you bend.

5) Walking:
Indoors - Bend over and pick up little things that you would normally pass by
(lego's, lint, socks).

Outdoors - While walking to the mailbox, etc. pick up that fallen tree branch
or piece of trash. Suck in the belly as you bend over. Once a week or so go outside
and pick up trash in the yard, And remember to suck in that belly.

6) Vacuuming

Before vacuuming walk through the house; bend over and Pick up all those little
things that you would normally just Vacuum up.

8) Eating

Don’t take that last bite of sandwich, etc. just put it back on Your plate or toss
it to the squirrels outside. Don't put a lot of everything on your plate, instead
try putting a couple bites of each item. You should also use a small plate.

Ladies, Starting a Home-Based Service Business? Heed These 5 Important Tips

What a rainy week it's been here in Florida. Talk about depressing, dang!

Now let's get down to business!

So you've been thinking of starting a business from home. You've got some skills, don't have a lot of space for inventory, so you figure it might be a good idea to start a service business. In fact, it's a GREAT idea - you just have to be prepared to get your business off the ground and balance all the work/life responsibilities that are on your plate.

This article is going to provide you with easy-to-follow tips to do just that, but first, if you still don't know what type of service business to start, here are a few popular suggestions:

Ghostwriting for the Internet: Write articles, reports and other information for online business owners.

Transcription Business: Create written records of audio recordings, meetings and more.

Virtual Assistant Business: Provide administrative support, secretarial services and more for other companies.

It doesn't matter what type of service business you start, there will be some challenges along the way. Here are some tips to help you as you go along:

1. First and foremost, set your working hours and ensure everyone in your household is aware of them and respects them. If you happen to be a mother or have other interruptions during the day, there's nothing wrong with setting aside smaller chunks of time where you'll be working. This isn't the "real world" work setting anymore - it's better. You work at home and you can decide when you work.

2. As a service business, you have two very important roles. One of those roles is to provide service for your clients. The other is to FIND those clients and the time involved in this is something many service-providers don't take into account. Ensure you have enough time for providing services and the marketing tasks for your business - or hire some help to make the most efficient use of your time.

3. Charge a fair and rewarding rate. Even if you charge your clients for each hour you work for them, there are many tasks (administrative, marketing, etc.) that you don't get paid for. To set a rate that is worthwhile to you, you need to decide what type of overall income you desire and figure out how many hours total (all business activities) you want to be working. If you find you can't charge a rate that is worthwhile, consider another business idea or target a specific type clientele that is willing to pay the rates you charge.

4. Be choosy about your clients. It can be tempting to simply take on any clients because you may need the cash. Unfortunately, bad clients can drain your time, suck up your energy and end up being more work than they're worth. Resist the temptation to just take any clients because your business will be more fruitful in the long run if you work with easy-to-manage, low-maintenance clients.

5. Don't bite off more than you can chew. If you find yourself taking on more clients than you can handle to earn more money, revisit tip #3 above. You may be concerned about giving your clients a good deal, but they actually suffer when you can't provide the quality service they deserve. Instead aim for fewer clients, charge more and give them stellar service.

If you keep these things in mind, your transition to a work-at-home service provider will go much more smoothly. It's not always easy and when you're first starting out, it can be tough to find that balance and a schedule that you can work with. But stick with it and keep refining your process and you'll find yourself owning a very rewarding business that you absolutely love.

Recommended:

To get more at home business ideas, be sure to visit Just Add Sweat - they're your source for step-by-step guides for starting your very own home-based business. You'll find the guidance you need to get your business off the ground, real-life success stories from women just like you, and more.

Click here to go to Just Add Sweat

Is your Marriage Going the Way You Want It To?

Is your marriage going the way you want it too? Does your love life
seems a little on the dull side! In every marriage there are going
to be those little ups and downs; but, it's how we deal with those
ups and downs that really matter. Below are a few tips I've learned
that might help in keeping your marriage "Alive."


1) Me

Try and use the word "Me" less! You probably don’t even realize how
often you use that word. Same with using the word "I." It’s so easy
to automatically want to talk about yourself. It’s a habit, not a
good one but still a habit. Once you catch yourself using that word;
stop and try to think of something else to say in it’s place. Like
maybe "You" or “Yours.” How is your ingrown toenail doing? How are
your chapped lips feeling?

2) Lighten Up

Laugh, act silly, tell jokes! If you are anything like me you are the
"Mature One;" sometimes I feel like I’ve lost my sense of humor because
I am always being the "Mom." Responsibility tends to suck the life
out of you. Try and find some humor in life, even if it means reading
a book of jokes.

Here’s a starter, “What did one Volcano say to the other?"
I Lava You!

3) Think Back

Find a nice, quiet, relaxing place and close your eyes. Think back to
when you and your spouse first met. What attracted him to you?
Remember how jealous you got when someone flirted with him? Remember
how you felt just being around him; you didn’t want to leave his side.
There once was passion there and yes, you can get that romance back.
Think back to that minute that you knew he was the one you wanted to
spend the rest of your life with.

4) Communicate

When he comes home from work don’t start griping about the kids, your
job, etc. {there’s time for that later.} Find interesting things to
talk about; if necessary dowhat I do! I keep a pen and Paper lying
around and when ever I find or hear something interesting I write it
down. It could be about something you heard on the news; something you
saw on “The View.” Even something you read in the newspaper. If you
found it interesting, your spouse may too!

5) Ask Questions

During those quiet times with your spouse, when you can't think of
anything to say; try asking some "off the wall" kind of questions.
Below are a few examples:

What would you do if you won the lottery?
If you could live anywhere, Where?
If you could have one physical thing changed, what?




Awesome PLR Articles Packs
Click here to view more details

Rainy Day Crafts for Kids & Adults

Rainy days can be a drag for children and adults alike. Despite the weather outside though, there is fun to be had inside as well. Rainy days are the perfect time to break out the arts and crafts that will drive away the rainy day dreariness. Crafts are perfect for all ages and ensures that nobody is left out.

Crafts for Small Children

Children age two and up can sit at the table with paper and crayons. While the younger children may not have a long attention span, coloring will help to keep a child entertained when it is not feasible to play outside. Cut out some shapes on paper and let the children decorate the shapes. For more fun, break out some glitter markers and some stickers. Foam is also a good option for younger children. Foam does not tear easily and is very versatile which makes it a good material for young children to craft with.


Crafts for school aged children

Children who are attending school are likely more adept at handling items such as scissors and glue. Popsicle sticks are a great item to have on hand for rainy days. Popsicle sticks can be used to build houses, picture frames and many other things. The possibilities are unlimited and your child’s creativity is the limit. Paints are also a good idea. Lay out some paint, brushes, paper and some water and paper towels for cleanup and let your kids paint the day away.

If the children are in middle or high school, they are adept at doing more than coloring or painting. Craft ideas for older children include painting on a canvas, scrapbooking and other paper crafts, as well as building crafts out of wood and other items. Cross stitching and fabric arts are good deterrents from the weather outside as they are time consuming.

Crafts for adults

There are many different crafts that adults can do. Jewelry making and scrapbooking are two of the most popular activities. Sewing, whether by hand or machine, is an activity that can take up a lot of time and therefore drive away the rainy day blues.

Crafting does not have to be and is not age oriented. There are many different craft types, with different levels of difficulty available for pre-school age children all the way through adulthood. Keeping craft supplies on hand will make a rainy day easier on everyone.