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When your kids are little you are normally their role model. They most likely want to be like mummy or daddy when they grow up, which is absolutely adorable and very flattering. It is part of their charm, then they normally move onto people like firefighters, police officers, and pop stars. It is good at this point to teach them about other types of role models, ones that are in areas that they already have some interest in like performing, art or nature. There are so many real-life people that they can look at and aspire to be like as well. By teaching them about real people and how they act, how they got to be where they are it gives them a much better sense of the world and how it works in regards to careers and a promising future. They won’t know what they want to be when they grow up but it is something they can explore and learn about looking at different careers and how people get to that stage. A very important and handy life lesson.

Travis Preston

If your child is passionate about performing, dancing, making up little plays to show you in the living room showing them someone like Travis Preston is a really good idea. His career has developed a lot as well as being recognized for his amazing talent. He was recognized for his contributions to the arts in France as well as throughout the whole world from the French minister of culture as well as being knighted in France. Another amazing avert he had was the Chevalier of the Order of Arts. 

Michelle Obama

Michelle has certainly taken the world by storm and is a great role model for your children to learn about for so many reasons. She is a powerful figure, generous, caring while not coming across as entitled. She has done incredible things for the black community, promoting healthy eating, and has been a strong supporter of women’s rights. Not only is she evidence of behind every strong man is a strong woman but she is in her own right an independent, strong, and driven woman.

Dwayne Johnson

He is a household favorite for his acting career especially for kids like Maui in Moana. However, there is so much more to him and lots of different characteristics you can teach your children so they can look to be like him in those ways too. He is an incredible humanitarian and always helping others, giving back to the community, and has an incredible devotion to helping children. Another good aspect he has is his outlook on life, he is always looking to strive and progress, moving on to the next best thing. Never happy with where he is and always looking to better himself and do better for the people around him. If you follow him on social media you will also see a softer and family-oriented side where he shows how important family is to him. A great role model for kids everywhere.

Study reveals that approximately 40 million Americans suffer from sleep disorders. Many of these people don’t realise they have one, until they become so deprived and unwell that they turn to professionals like Gwinnett Sleep to help them out. The figure of these sufferers could even be higher during the summer; high temperatures and increased daylight might interfere with your sleep pattern That can potentially lead to anxiety and can even disturb your mental health. We discussed tossing and turning all night previously which you should check out if you like to learn more.

Well, moving on below are some excellent tips to take care of yourself and sleep better during this summer time.

Drink Water throughout the Day

Delayed sunsets, high temperatures, and dehydration are not uncommon during the summer, all of which are notorious culprits for insomnia. With that said, you can put this problem to rest by drinking loads of water during the day to keep your body hydrated and cool for extended periods.

Ideally, consider consuming six to eight glasses of water every day. However, you should remember that drinking too much water just before retiring to bed could cost you countless visits to the toilet at night. Frequenting the washroom might interfere with your sleep, rendering your efforts to achieve an undisrupted slumber futile.

Keep Your Body Cool and Eliminate Excess Humidity

Another technique for cooling off your body involves showering several times a day, including in the evening just before retiring to bed. Taking a bath not only cools your body but also cleans away dust and sweat; these contribute to poor sleeping habits significantly.

Swimming is another simple way of cooling off your body when humidity and temperature levels hit the roof. Also, ensure to wear light clothes, a hat, and sunglasses during the day to keep cool. Further, apply sunscreen to prevent the scorching sun rays from burning and dehydrating your body. It is also imperative to invest in a fan or air conditioner to cool the air in your bedroom.

Also, high humidity can potentially upset basic functions like sleep; most people generally fall into a slumber easier with less moisture in the air. Dampness in your bedroom could prove detrimental to your ability to breathe, quality of comfort, or even trigger sleep-disrupting allergies. Fortunately, a dehumidifier can be helpful in removing excess moisture from your indoor air which can be very helpful for you to sleep better at night when you have insomnia. Maintaining optimum temperature and humidity in your bedroom is a great step when looking to promote good sleep.

Exercise Consistently

Physical exercise is a proven way of enhancing sleep. In general, exercise helps realign your internal body clock, improves your body temperature, and relieves symptoms of anxiety and depression. You will, however, want to ensure that your body naturally clocks to your sleep schedule, which means that timing is important.

For instance, you may exercise 20-30 minutes in the early-morning sun and nature will correct part of your sleep problem. Avoid exercising within one hour of bedtime because you might aggravate, rather than alleviate, your sleep disorder.

Minimize Light Exposure at Night

Extended daylight is a recipe for trouble for people looking to have good sleep during the summer. For this reason, you need to get rid of excess or artificial light at night. Dim the bulbs or switch them off altogether, and limit the time you spend in front of your television or smartphone. Did you know that excessive exposure to the blue light waves from these devices interferes with the natural production of melatonin, which is a hormone that helps to regulate sleep? Alternatively light therapy help promote sleep.

Sleep in Breathable Materials

If you were sleeping in heavy winter blankets during the cold seasons, it is now time to swap the covers for something lighter. Consider investing in breathable sleepwear, which can be found online or in your local store. Also, make sure you sleep in comfortable bedding that is big enough for you. Maybe choose products from brands like winstons beds exclusive super king mattress that can make you sleep like a baby all night.

Take Camping Trips in the Woods

Research indicates that heading for the woods might help with enhancing your ability to sleep. Spending a few days and nights without access to TVs and smartphones among other sources of artificial light may promote healthier sleep patterns. For example, you’re more likely to sleep and wake up earlier- just before sunrise- when you camp in the woods. Plus, woods are great places to try some cannabis products, and they can enhance your outdoor experience in a good way. You can get on online dispensaries like BC Bud Express to order the cannabis product of your choice. Now, if you are not a fan of camping and sleeping in tents, simply get outdoors early and minimize artificial light before getting to bed.

Get Tested for Sleep Disorders

If you’re still experiencing difficulties falling asleep even after practicing the above tips, then you should consider consulting your physician or even getting tested for possible sleep disorders. One of the main factors of sleep apnea is stress, and your doctor might recommend exercising more and taking anti-depressants. A sleep disorder diagnosis test is recommended for people who experience irritability and morning headache. This illness might lead to mental health problems if left untreated.

Obstructive sleep apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder that can cause breathing pauses during sleep, which can occur up to a hundred times a night. To alleviate this, doctors or sleep specialists often prescribe oxygen therapy using an oral appliance called continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine with an attached nasal or full-face CPAP mask that the user wears. The machine and mask provide a steady flow of pressurized air down the airway to keep the tissues open and reduce breathing problems during sleep. Untreated obstructive sleep apnea can lead to complications, so consult your health-care provider as soon as you or your family notices any symptoms.

Summary

The best approach to improving your sleep habits involves choosing one or two of the above-mentioned techniques and practicing them for about two months. After some time, they will naturally become part of your unconscious habits. Ultimately, you will realize that great sleep is a product of natural light and noises, appropriate beddings, exercising, and keeping your body cool. Some of the must-have appliances when looking to have a relaxing slumber include a dehumidifier, air conditioner, and fan for keeping your bedroom’s atmosphere cool and free of excess humidity.

If you are a mom, you know that caring for your family is your top priority. Keeping everyone healthy, nourished, loved and happy has always been a tall task. Now, with the pandemic, there’s even more pressure on you and more demands for your attention and time. Instead of working in an office or being able to easily run your errands, most moms are now cooped up at home and have to juggle constant demands and close quarters as they try to make it through the day.

Home is not just a place for raising your family anymore. It’s also your workplace, in many cases, and the place where your kids go to school. Keeping everything going and making sure your family is well cared for is harder than it’s ever been. In these troubling times, it’s also much more of a challenge financially. Sure, many people have made smart decisions in the past by investing their extra income in shares, mutual funds, or cryptocurrency (and with helpful websites like Crypto Wisdom, it’s not difficult), and it can prove to be helpful in these trying times. But, ultimately, investments can only take you so far. What about managing the day-to-day expenses for food, clothing, utilities, and other essentials? Many have lost their jobs and others have seen their hours cut. While families around the world find ways to cope with expenses and daily living, some may even be looking at filing for bankruptcy, which, in some cases, may come as a much-needed relief for everyone involved. Whether it’s getting more difficult to manage the family business, or income levels of the household have gone down, consulting with Bankruptcy Chapter 7 Lawyers Milwaukee (or elsewhere) could be one option to get through the difficult times. Whatever the case, it’s harder than ever to keep expenses down and make sure the family budget is balanced every month.

Reducing Your Monthly Expenses

One of the best ways you can save money on your monthly expenses is to take a hard look at the loan payments you have to make each month. While housing costs may be the biggest line item on your budget, recurring loan payments can easily be your second biggest outlay. This is especially true if you are a recent college graduate who had to take out student loans to finance your education. Student loan debt can easily sink your budget each month. Fortunately, with the pandemic, interest rates are at near historic lows. It’s a great time to refinance your existing student loan balances and get out from under your current, onerous obligations. A private lender can consolidate your existing high-interest loans into a single loan with one easy payment. You can even work with your lender to set up your preferred payment amount based on your budget to ensure maximum financial success.

Another way you can reduce your monthly expenses is to cut back on extra spending for days out. Although you deserve to go out and about, family days can quickly add costs to your budget that you don’t need when you are struggling to make ends meet. One way you can get around this is to plan fun days at home. Bake some cookies, have a cinema day, do some jigsaw puzzles, and more.

Create Great Family Meals from Scratch

It’s hard to nurture your family when there’s so much going on in the world. Each day seems to blend into the next, and everything looks the same. Sometimes it feels like we are in an endless loop of repetitive existence. If you want to put a smile on everyone’s face and bring keep them happy and healthy too, it’s great to surprise your clan with wonderful, comforting home-cooked meals. When you cook from scratch, you can use fresh, natural ingredients that help keep everyone’s immune system in tip-top shape. You can take online cooking classes and follow amazing recipes that can bring ethnic flavors, new dishes and timeless favorites to the dinner table. Meals made from scratch will also save you lots of money on grocery expenses each month.

Take a Break and Go Camping

If your family is at home day after day, it’s important to take a break and spend some weekends out in nature. Camping is affordable, fun and gives you and yours a chance to share special times in a beautiful setting. When you go camping, you’ll hardly spend any money and you’ll avoid paying ridiculously high prices for a cramped hotel room. Best of all, you and your family will feel rejuvenated after you’ve spent time in the great outdoors. Time in nature is very healing, and the beauty and rhythms of nature help restore us and enliven us too. Since camping is so affordable, you’ll easily be able to enjoy multiple weekend trips away from the confines of your home.

Giving your garden a spruce up for summer

Do you have a green space that doesn’t really look very green at the moment? Don’t worry, now is the perfect time to give it a spruce up ready for summer. From laying new lawn to increasing your plant life, there are lots of ways to get things looking green again.

Lay a new lawned area

Laying a new lawned area is going to provide you with an instantly greener looking space. But, if you want to make sure it stays green, do your preparation first. The cost of turf isn’t your only concern. Making sure you know what type of soil is in your garden and picking the right variety of grass for your plot is crucial.

You don’t need to stick to squares or straight lines with your lawn design, or even stick to one lawned area. You could have three different sized circles of lawn spread across your garden instead.

Get tidy and organized

It’s all very well adding more greenery to your garden, but before you start adding in lots of new plants, it’s a good time to assess what you’ve got. Splitting large plants and replanting specimens into more suitable locations could help increase your yield without needing to buy more. You might have cut down some of your old trees and now wondering how to kill a tree stump. Several DIYs work, some involve controlled burning or using Epsom salt. Whichever method you adopt, see to that the stumps are cleared safely and properly.

Having a general tidy by clearing away weeds and cleaning up old pots will also help your garden’s overall appearance.

Put plants in every possible space

Plants are the life of the garden, giving us something truly beautiful to look at. Borders and raised beds are the traditional places you’ll find flowers and other plants. But, you can use containers, hanging baskets, and window boxes too. And if you want to increase your plant life even further you could add vertical gardens along your boundaries. You can also decide if you want flowering or non-flowering plants. To make it greener, you can opt for succulent plants, climbing plants, and so on. If you prefer to have a vibrant and colorful garden, you can check out Woolmans Flower Plants and see if you can grow such flowering plants in your garden.

Also, another way of increasing your greenery is to make sure there’s color in the garden all year round, not just in the summer. Adding evergreens, and late and early flowering plants will help.

Add some summer fun

Once you’ve got your garden’s green areas sorted, perhaps it’s time to think about adding some fun elements for the summer.

Think about adding some play equipment or garden games for family time. This will give youngsters the chance to burn off a bit of energy during the summer months. And perhaps a pizza oven and bench seating for al fresco meals.

Who loves slime?

We do! And your kids do too – so lets get sliming with OOSH

OOSH by Zuru (one of our favorite brands) just released a super exciting new product, Potion Slime Surprise.

https://youtu.be/Z23t0F1nKvY

These kits come in a genie potion like plastic container, that contains all the ingredients needed to make some fun slime. Each kit has 2 slimes creations inside.

The potion options are:

Sea Treasure Tonic

Wild Dreams Potion

BFF’s Elixir

Light As A Could Serum

Endless Energy Tonic

Sweetness Serum

Deep Sea Elixir

Enchanting Potion

https://youtu.be/dXhd3pxD2Vo

All 8 potions are fun and easy to make. While other slime projects include a sticky situation these potions are easy and have was less mess factor, which any adult can appreciate.

When you open the potion bottle you will find all the ingredients for 2 separate potions. Look at the instruction and separate the ingredient so you use the correct ones for each potion.

Typically they all go like this: Mix a potion with another ingredient in the container OR mix a solution with water. Be sure to pay attention to the instructions as some do NOT require water, and by adding water you will ruin the potion. You can use the large potion bottle packaging to mix the ingredients. Each potion bottle comes with a magic wand! The wands are GLOW IN THE DARK! How fun is this?! Use the wand to mix your potion – making this craft easy on the adults’ and fun for the kids. Once the potion is in the works you had bonus ingredients. These can be things like beads, glitter or sequins.

You will need to mix them for 3 to 6 minutes for it to get to the right consistency. If it feels too runny or sticky then keep mixing it. Once you are done with the wand, set it aside and have your child mix it even more with their hands. This helps speed up the process.

Then play! Squish, roll, squeeze and pull. This slime is so fun and looks magical. Each potion comes with a small potion jar. This is how you can safely store the slime so it doesn’t get lost or hard. As a tip – these option bottles actually open at the bottom, not the top. The top part, which looks like a cork, is permanent. Flip the bottle upside down and the bottom pops right off.

My daughter and son both love these kits. While the names may be more feminine, don’t let that stop you. Your boys will love this project too.

Order all 4 sets of

Oosh Slime Potions Lab Surprise DIY Slime Kit

today on Amazon

Natural stone is a sustainable material that has been used in homes for centuries. It is a classic material that will make any space feel luxurious. Integrating your natural stones into your interior design will give your home a cozy feel. If you are considering remodeling your home, here are several ways you can add natural stone into your home.

Granite Shelves

Shelves are great for organizing and adding some elements of design to any room. If you have limited space, floating shelves are a great way of adding some visual features to your bare walls. Go for shelves made from granite remnants; they will allow you to bring out your personality. Since stone can be heavy, ensure you properly support each shelf to prevent accidents. While you can mill down the thickness, you need to consider what you will put on the brackets before going that route.

Natural Stone Fireplace

If you want to make your fireplace the focal point in your living room, then using natural stone is the way to go. Stone will easily integrate with your home décor. Stones comes with unique patterns that will make your fireplace stand out. Besides, the natural stone hues will contrast with the colours of your home, allowing your fireplace to make a powerful statement. Along with some antique items from a site like firesideantiques.com, your fireplace is sure to be the focal point of your living room, helping to create a cosy atmosphere that everyone will enjoy snuggling around.

Tabletops and Kitchen Counters

The best natural stones for kitchen countertops and tabletops are granite and quartzite. They are sturdy, non-porous, durable and clean up easily. There are so many colours to choose from as well as the type of finishes to install. Natural stones can also be used for the backsplash.

Flooring

If you decide to reach out to a local contractor that engages in Bathroom Remodeling, they might suggest that some of the most commonly used natural stones for flooring include; limestone, tiles, marble, travertine and granite. They are highly durable and require little maintenance. Natural stones provide a luxurious feel in a home while exuding earthy vibes. If you are not afraid to experiment, you can mix and match different colours and textures to create unique designs.

Marble Bathroom

Renovating your bathroom? Why not try using marble. This stone has distinctive veining with eye-catching colours making it the focus in your bathroom. When you choose marble for your bathroom, you improve its overall look. The stunning texture of marble can transform your bathroom effortlessly. The easiest way to achieve a perfect look with marble is by adding a marble basin or a wall clad in marble. This will instantly change the look of your bathroom. Consult with professionals who provide bathroom remodeling jacksonville fl (or closer to you) and plan out how you can renovate the bathroom with these ideas.

Furniture Tops

If you need to cut back on the wood furniture in your home, you can experiment with other textures and visuals. You can put a stone top on your coffee table, a dresser or your desk. Then finish it off with some decorative pieces to take it a notch higher.

Limestone for your Bedroom

Limestone is formed from shallow marine waters. It contains fossil fragments. It’s often used in interior décor, and you can add it to your bedroom. Suppose you want an accent wall: Limestone is stylish and classy and will give your bedroom space some elegance. Still, it can be used for flooring as it is soft when stepped on.

Conclusion

Natural stones add value and elegance to your home, especially with their wide variety of colours and textures. If you are considering doing a home renovation, be sure to add some natural stones, even if it’s just some decorative items.

pixabay

Getting on the property ladder is challenging. You have to find the right location, get a Lynchburg home inspection, budget for the mortgage, etc. It can seem like a very daunting step to take but fortunately, there are a few different options for homebuyers, and plenty of people out there, like Red Deer mortgage brokers, available to help guide you through the process and choose the best finance option for you. If you’re looking to invest in real estate for the first time you could consider a shared equity mortgage.

If you’re looking to follow the dream of owning your own home, you’ll almost definitely want to know about two government organizations established to give the housing market a boost – Who are Fannie mae and freddie mac? In order to save money, you could also buy a new build “off-plan”. Perhaps you would prefer to invest in a rental to make earnings from your new property. Nowadays there are also plenty of great real estate apps that can help you decide. Here are five alternative ways to buy a house.

Shared equity mortgage

This is an option for first-time buyers who are interested in real estate slightly beyond their budget. You can opt for shared ownership with the landlord, meaning you only own a percentage of the property. The end goal tends to be to eventually buy the remainder of the property yourself. For more details on how to do this, here are shared equity mortgages explained.

Consider a new build

There are certainly pros and cons of new builds. They tend to be more energy-efficient so cheaper to run overtime. Not to mention they are clean and fresh and a blank canvas to paint your portrait on! Especially if you will use it for rentals, however many people like to keep new builds for themselves because of their novelty. You can also often get a reduced rate on a new build while construction is in progress. This is known as off-plan. Another positive thing about new builds is that there aren’t previous owners to deal with so you can plan a stress-free move with a shorter chain. There are often teething problems with new builds, however, so do your research.

Remortgage your current property

If you’re thinking about selling your current property to move to a smaller place you could consider other alternatives. You could stay in the same property and instead leverage its equity. You can find out how much equity you can leverage using a Reverse Mortgage Calculator. This is a way to boost your retirement funding without downsizing, for example.

Invest in a vacation home

You could invest in a rental and make money from your real estate. One option is to buy a vacation home. These tend to have a higher yield in terms of rent as you can charge more for a shorter time. The staycation trend is here to stay and maybe people are looking to rent properties in more local destinations. You can also use the property for your own staycations. Here are a few more of the benefits of owning a vacation home.

Let technology do the work for you

Viewing property doesn’t have to be restricted to booking a tour with a realtor. With advances in technology such as virtual reality and artificial intelligence, you can check out new homes online. Here are some of the best real estate apps in 2021 you can try. Let technology do the work for you. These apps give you estimated prices, notifications based on your personal preferences, and the means of contacting interested parties. It’s much easier to buy a house remotely nowadays. You can even take a virtual tour of the entire place and get all the information you need.