Exercising while Pregnant

Pregnancy doesn’t have to be a time in which you become a couch potato, eat everything in sight and gain more weight than necessary. Maintaining a fitness regime or even starting one up after becoming pregnant is important. Some people think that exercising while pregnant is dangerous. It can be if done incorrectly. This is why it’s always a good idea to first talk with your doctor. You may have certain restrictions or exercises that should be avoided. But for the most part, anything goes. Some exercises are particularly beneficial when you are pregnant. This includes walking, weight training, swimming, … Continue reading

Finishing Up Summer Scrapbooking

When it comes to seasonal scrapbooking, I am always a day late and a dollar short. It took me years to figure out that I am not a daily scrapper. No matter how hard I try to channel Martha Stewart or Rosie O’Donnell, I am simply unable to spend 20 minutes a day keeping on top of layouts. Now, I own my procrastinating tendencies. However, taking responsibly for my shortcomings doesn’t change my situation. I’m still as late as ever when it comes to finishing memory albums. For instance, as we sit just a week shy from the official start … Continue reading

Summer Science

My 7-year-old daughter channels Bill Nye the Science Guy on a daily basis. I don’t blame her; growing up, I constantly tried to recreate Mr. Wizard’s experiments in our garage, much to my mother’s chagrin. Since school left out for the summer my mad scientist has stirred up a bunch of weird-looking concoctions from various benign ingredients she found around the kitchen. However, last week she actually got to experiment with real science projects thanks to our “friends” who help staff a Parks and Rec summer program. If you are looking to prevent brain drain this summer consider the following … Continue reading

Make Camping Cool

Camping is a great way to bond with family and friends, but not everyone loves roughing it in the great outdoors. Teenagers are especially reluctant to unplug from their daily digital lives in order to commune with nature on a family vacation. However, there are ways you can make camping fun for the entire clan. Being prepared for an extended stay outdoors is one way you can reduce apprehension and anxiety associated with camping. Before you even leave your driveway, check the weather forecast. If Mother Nature looks like she will be raining on your camping parade, you might consider … Continue reading

6 Ways to Begin a Healthier Lifestyle

The warm weather is finally upon us. You can’t help but notice how great some people look in their shorts. You are now feeling motivated to get healthy. How do you begin? By following these 6 suggestions, you will at least be on your way. Every successful story has a beginning and perhaps today is your day. The first tip is to get out and walk. You don’t have to go and spend a lot of money on a gym membership. You don’t have to invest in workout equipment. Just start by walking. Walking is a great way to break … Continue reading

Mother Love

Mother’s Day is almost here, which is why the Internet is being deluged by posts that wax poetic about women, who give and give and give, until like Charlotte the spider, they croak. I told you: spiders = inspirational mothers. Of course, there are a few human ones that make the grade too. My mom, your mom, his mom, her mom… Most people think their mom rocks, save for some of today’s self-absorbed teens. But even those petulant offspring come around at some point. Typically, it happens after they start having babies themselves. Sure, there are some women who don’t … Continue reading

Free Kibble

Please help fill my bowl If you’ve been surfing the Internet for any length of time then you probably know about thehungersite.com, the earliest in a chain of websites that ask users to click on banners every day to donate food or other resources to worthy causes. The series of sites now include support for the rainforest, child literacy, shelter animals, women’s health, and more. It’s obvious with the various rescue sites where the money is coming from; once you’ve made a click you’re redirected to a page that’s plastered with ads. Advertisers pay that charitable money for us to … Continue reading

Learning to Simplify

Life is more complicated than ever before. Most homes have two incomes and if not are caught in a constant struggle of making ends meet. Kids are involved in sports, music, social activities, art classes and anything else they can be signed up for to ensure they are fit for society. Our homes are filled with computers, laptops, furniture, books, curriculum, magazines, toys, gadgets, and everything new or sentimental we cannot throw away. Our lives are filled with obligations to family, church, friends and finding a way to keep our heads above water. We are all busy and we are … Continue reading

10 Ways to Save on Your Next Trip to Hawaii

Last year, my then six-old daughter celebrated her 12th visit to Hawaii. However, to her, the Aloha State is more than just a top tourist destination, it’s also home to grandma, grandpa, and a huge network of aunts, uncles and cousins. I kid that she would have been marking trip number 20 if it weren’t so dang expensive to fly from Wisconsin to Hilo. Fortunately, once we land in the “Land of Aloha” we score free room and board. Bottom line: traveling to Hawaii is not cheap. However, there are ways you can save on your next vacation there provided … Continue reading

Creating a Monthly Chore List

What I love about creating a monthly chore list is that it keeps me on top of housekeeping that can easily slip under the radar screen. When you create your monthly chore list, you should also have a space to write in the date you do it. That way you can know if it was done at the beginning, middle or end of the month. Here are some ideas on chores that can be done on a monthly basis (of course this depends on preference): Wiping down baseboards throughout the house Cleaning cobwebs out of basement, garage, on ceiling, anywhere … Continue reading