Author: MamatheFox

A Moms Who Rock Music Prize Package Giveaway

 

Sponsored By: Sugar Mountain PR

 

Hosted By: Love, Mrs. Mommy

2 WINNERS Will Receive:

A Moms Who Rock Music Prize Package!

A $112.00 TRV Giveaway! ($56 Prize Packs)

WIN 5 Albums (including 1 download link for The Great Indoors)! 

5 Albums
Genevieve Goings: The Great Indoors
The Bright Siders: A Mind of Your Own
Kelli Welli: Let’s Go, Pistachio!
Sara Watkins: Under the Pepper Tree
Tracy Bonham’s Melodeon Music House: Young Maestros, Vol. 1

 

Five newly released albums offer a mom’s perspective on songs for kids. All of these albums are available from various music sources this spring. 

 

Click HERE to Stream the Playlist on Spotify

 

Genevieve Goings: The Great Indoors

www.genevievegoings.com

The star of Disney’s Choo Choo Soul and a songwriter-producer for many children’s programs, releases this digital EP of five funky-fun original tunes for your next family dance party. The timely recording is from a new children’s record label called 8 Pound Gorilla Records out of Nashville.

Retail link

Video: “Shadow Puppets

 

The Bright Siders: A Mind of Your Own

www.thebrightsiders.com

The Bright Siders is a unique musical collaboration between Nashville-based Americana songwriter Kristin Andreassen and Brooklyn-based child psychiatrist (and mom) Kari Groff, MD. Together, they create music with the purpose of helping children connect to their emotions.

Retail link

Video: “The Moon & the Stars & Me

 

Kelli Welli: Let’s Go, Pistachio!
www.kelliwelli.com

Kelli is a Portland-based musician, visual artist, author and mom of twins who plays with everyday family as well as wordplay in her songwriting. Her new album is full of fun and whimsy for families with small children.

Retail link

Video: “Let’s Go, Pistachio!

 

Sara Watkins: Under the Pepper Tree

www.sarawatkins.com

Sara Watkins of the Grammy-winning groups Nickel Creek, I’m With Her, and The Watkins Family Hour, releases a family-friendly album of soothing songs, including several covers and two originals meant for sharing with the entire family.

Retail link

Video: “Blue Shadows on the Trail (feat. Nickel Creek)

 

Tracy Bonham’s Melodeon Music House: Young Maestros, Vol. 1

www.melodeonmusichouse.com

The iconic ’90s female rock star will release her first album for kids — a music education and video series that’s an outgrowth of her new Melodeon Music House program. These songs reflect Tracy’s approach to teaching music theory, with lyrics and sounds full of joy to invite physical engagement.

Retail link

Video: “Me Symphony

 

About Sugar Mountain

Sugar Mountain PR is a public relations agency specializing in 
award-winning music and other media for children.

 

Open To US and must be 18+ to enter

Giveaway Dates ~ 3/5 9:00AM EST through 4/2 11:59PM EST


Disclosure: Love, Mrs. Mommy and all participating bloggers are not held responsible for sponsors who do not fulfill their prize obligations. This giveaway is in no way endorsed or sponsored by Facebook or any other social media site. The winners will be randomly drawn by Giveaway Tools and will be notified by email. Winners have 48 hours to reply before a replacement winner will be drawn. If you would like to participate in an event like this please contact LoveMrsMommy (at) gmail (dot) com.

Dog Training Basics: The Beginner’s Guide To Training Your Dog

(via: https://pixabay.com/photos/shepherd-training-harmony-dog-man-3494519/)

Having a dog is a wonderful experience. As a result, it should come as no surprise that over 60 million US households have a dog. They are not only fun to have around, but are fiercely loyal and can provide companionship to anyone. It can also be a lot of fun to pick up toys, accessories and gear for your dog from sources like Furry Friends Gear to help give them the best life experience possible.

However, while dogs can be a joy to have around, not all dogs are inherently well-behaved. A misbehaving dog can be destructive, annoying, or even aggressive in some cases. As a result, training your dog is very important. Unfortunately, this is often easier said than done. However, there are many places to buy restraint, not only basics like Dog Collars and leads but also muzzles and harnesses too. This will help with the training, but it is unlikely you will be able to train on your own if your dog is acting up, so perhaps you can look for a training specialist as well.

In an effort to help you out, this guide is going to go over a few basics when it comes to training your dog successfully.

Stay Calm and Positive

(via: https://pixabay.com/photos/dog-small-dog-training-yorkie-5191526/)

An important aspect of training your dog is to stay calm and positive. While it would be lovely if your dog understood everything the first time and was flawless, this isn’t likely to be the case. Your dog will mess some things up and things will certainly not go according to plan. But instead of getting mad and freaking out, it is important to stay calm and remain positive.

The tone you use and how you approach training can have a big impact on how successful it is. While a harsh correction or yelling might work in the short term to get your dog to stop doing something or pay attention, it won’t be effective long term and simply isn’t a very nice way to go about things. If your dog is trained using aggressive tactics or tones, it is more likely they will become aggressive themselves.

If you can use positive reinforcement and show your dog that you are happy with them, they will often repeat the process in the future. While some might do the right thing inherently, others may need to be provided treats during the early days of training. You can buy some food dispensing dog toys for this occasion, and let your dog play with them for a treat as a form of positive reinforcement.

Keep Sessions Short

In most cases, it is a good idea to keep training sessions relatively short. Even if the dog were to be signed up for a Gateshead Dog Training class or a similar program, the trainers there may have the same opinion too. While this can vary on a case-to-case basis, keeping them around 10-15 minutes is ideal. Training your dog will not happen overnight. Trying to put in multi-hour days to teach your dog a new skill or behavior in only a day or two simply will not work. It takes time for lessons to stick, and it is not something you can rush.

So once or twice a day, take your dog aside and attempt to train them. This could be training them to sit, to do their business outside, to stay, to come or anything in between. Not only are these short sessions easier to fit in your day, but most dogs have relatively short attention spans. If the training goes too long, they could become bored or restless, and the lessons will become more difficult.

Minimize Distractions

Distractions are often the biggest enemy of a successful training session. As a result, be sure to choose a time and location where you can train free from distraction. Things like spouses, children, or even the sounds and sights of the outdoors can make it difficult for dogs to focus. Choose a time where you don’t feel rushed and when you won’t be interrupted at all.

A storage room, your basement or a spare bedroom are generally good places to train where you can be alone and free from any distractions. If your dog is distracted, it could multiply the time it takes for lessons to stick by a lot.

If you simply cannot train in a place with no distractions, take steps to help your dog ignore distractions. While this isn’t always easy, it can be worth it for a well-trained dog.

In conclusion, we hope that this article has been able to help you train your dog successfully.

Enjoying A Smoked Or Dry Vaped CBD Hemp Flower Like Sour Diesel

High CBD hemp buds are starting to make their presence known in the cannabidiol product world. The flowers are not on the same level yet as the oil and vape juice, which see immense popularity worldwide. Still, they do have an audience because of the whole chemical compound consistency offering the entourage effect. View details on how to find high-quality CBD flowers.

When smoked or dry vaped, high CBD flower strains like Sour Diesel immediately enter the bloodstream, touting instant relief of acute symptoms. The bud strains enjoyed in these ways allow a user to experience the full aroma and taste of the chemical compounds associated with the plant that is not possible in other formulations. But some consumers are still learning about CBD and these products. Despite the plant being favored here, CBD oil is the one most widely known as there are a variety of different types that can either be ingested or used topically, this is where the user needs to decide how best to have it so they get the intended positive effects. Every type of plant, oil, substance, etc. has an expiration date, which means that it is important to see how to make it last longer so that nothing is wasted and the user can reap the rewards for longer.

High CBD Hemp Buds

Anyone who has not used cannabidiol won’t know that the legal products sold on the market come from hemp. Hemp is a plant-derived from the cannabis genus in the same way as marijuana. These products are often highly regulated and tracked using seed to sale tracking systems to ensure that they match quality standards and are fit for human consumption.

These two derivatives of cannabis differ in that hemp has little tetrahydrocannabinol or THC while marijuana is abundant in the cannabinoid. That is why an individual develops a “high” when consuming marijuana. Hemp remains low to negligible in THC, thus its legalization. The products sold on the market need to stay at or below 0.3% for THC legality.

Buds form on hemp plants that developers dry after maturity. These reference as “hemp buds” or “high CBD flowers” typically. You can find the products online (get more info here) or in various health shops with numerous options for indulging in the wellness properties of the cannabinoid.

How To Enjoy High CBD Flowers

People are beginning to turn to High CBD flowers to consume cannabidiol instead of oils or vape juice. The option allows the user to take advantage of the full array of chemical compounds found in the hemp buds working cohesively to enhance each other’s properties.

That includes a tract THC level. In expert findings, even in a small amount, THC working alongside CBD complements the other cannabinoid’s attributes making each more effective. Cannabidiol can negate THC adverse effects bringing out the positive also.

The range of delivery methods is vast, with many people choosing to smoke the buds primarily or vape. These prove to be the most efficient, useful mode for absorbing the product into the bloodstream, but there are other options. Let us look.

** Smoking

Whether you’ve already got ash catchers from smoking similar products or you’ve never done it before, smoking is one of the most effective ways to consume CBD. It isn’t necessarily a health-conscious effort, but cannabidiol is a much better product to engage in than tobacco. The cannabinoid boasts properties research is fervently working to prove effects benefiting overall wellness. And science has come through in some instances like pain management, anxiety symptoms, and help with inflammation.

Some individuals stuck with nicotine or THC habits try smoking CBD to cut down or altogether break these habits, with some able to do so. Find out some of the best buds to smoke at https://www.calbizjournal.com/what-is-the-best-cbd-flower-to-smoke/. There are different methods for smoking hemp:

  • Rolling: Roll in cigar paper or like a joint or cigarette is relatively standard for smoking, making this consumption discreet for users. Most people will not take notice of what you are actually smoking. Some papers will have nicotine in the material for those weaning from the substance.
  • Old School: Some people still enjoy the class and sophistication of using a pipe, but these, in fact, offer a genuine convenience toward which people lean. The tool has space for the compound and lighting the herb while taking the smoke in through the mouthpiece.
  • A Hookah: “Shisha” is typically used with these tools. But smoking CBD is also possible in either an electronic or traditional device; each is popular.

Smoking is not for everyone. If you have preexisting lung or respiratory conditions, you should avoid this consumption method to prevent further complications.

** Vape

Vaping High CBD flower strain allows you to take in a more enhanced flavor and aroma the same as smoking but without the char. A strain with a robust and distinct odor like Sour Diesel gives greater pleasure when vaping a bud than if you were to create an oil or make an edible with the substance. Moreover, inhaling the vapors of Sour Diesel, Delta 8, and likes in many ways tend to be a healthier option as opposed to directly smoking it. Additionally, you might want to know that the vape clouds disperse in general lasts for mere minutes whereas Delta 8 smoke may last for hours at a time. If need be, you can order for Delta 8 in Richardson, or from your nearby dispensary.

Vape has grown significantly in popularity using dry vape pens that heat the herbs with the terpenes, ultimately turning to gas. The inhalation is comparable to that of vaping juice.

Again, you want to employ high CBD strains like Sour Diesel to get the optimum experience from a high-quality product directly absorbing into the bloodstream.

It allows a fast, efficient, effective, and potent experience.

Because the bud is intact with no processing, the potency will be unchanged. That means when you puff for either smoking or inhaling with the vape, you will need to do so with care, so you don’t take in too much of the compound.

There is no evidence indicating you can overdose on CBD, and side effects even in high doses are minimal, with the most significant notation being drowsiness. The recommendation is still that you start with small quantities and keep them minimal once you reach the desired effect.

Final Thought

High CBD flower strains like Sour Diesel boast offering the benefits of all the chemical compounds of the hemp plant. These work together cohesively to bring out the favorable properties of each element.

There is trace THC in each bud complementing CBD properties, while CBD negates THC adverse effects to bring out its positive attributes. Whether you choose to smoke, vape, bake with these or cook, possibly make capsules or supplements, or any number of different options, these boast as among the most effective cannabidiol products because they are full spectrum with CBD properties offering the highest potential in this form.

Finding Inspiration For Your Kitchen Remodel

Remodelling any room in the house is exciting but nothing beats the kitchen since it is used so regularly throughout the day. While the idea of a completely renovated kitchen makes all of the HGTV dreams come true, it is also a daunting task which is why you might want to search Kitchen design Geneva for further tips and guidance. As the kitchen is used so often, you want your renovation to go well right from the start and this means you need a really clear idea of what you want for an end result.

This is a lot easier said than done because there is an endless amount of information and images about kitchen remodels out there so it can be hard to narrow down a specific idea. It’s actually quite stressful! That’s why, today, we are going to be looking at a few key sources to help make your decision-making process easier, so you can then contact companies like Compass Construction & Remodeling that offer Milwaukee Kitchen Remodeling Services for your home, or you can contact a local service that will come to your home for a consultation.

It is recommended that whenever you plan to remodel your home, you take a look at your countertops as well. When people walk into your kitchen, the first thing they notice is the countertop. If the edges of your countertop are broken or cracked/eroded, you should probably replace it once and for all. Aside from giving your kitchen a brand new look, it may also give you some extra space in your kitchen to place the utensils and oven. In case you want to replace your kitchen countertop, you can hire a contractor from a company like Stone Boneyard to do the job right.

Decide On An Atmosphere:

A kitchen is a room that doesn’t need a theme, per se, as much as an atmosphere. Before beginning your search for the best counters, cabinets, and appliances think of what atmosphere you would like to achieve in your kitchen. Do you want a cozy country vibe? Perhaps you like how clean and sharp a monochrome kitchen is? Are you inspired by vintage kitchens? Or, maybe, you want the loving atmosphere that was in your family kitchen growing up? Whatever it is, pinpoint it now so you have specific things to look for as opposed to every kitchen remodel guide the internet has to offer.

Visit Showrooms:

If it is hard for you to make decisions based on what you are seeing online when it comes to something like your kitchen cabinets, then you might want to visit a kitchen design showroom. Kitchen showrooms will give you the opportunity to see what could be in your home with your own eyes. It is also so nice to be able to see the actual colors of cabinets in person as opposed to a small swatch online. Many showrooms are now offering virtual tours and appointment only walk throughs due to the pandemic to help keep everyone safe during these unprecedented times.

Virtual Tours:

Online tours are great for showrooms but if you would benefit from seeing different styles in the context of an actual home, then virtual tours of listed houses are very helpful. It can be hard to picture the end result of your kitchen remodel through online searches alone and touring through different kitchens will be able to give you a much better sense of what works and what doesn’t. Visit the website of your local real estate agency to see the virtual tours they offer and, in the meantime, you can check out other kitchens on Zillow or Trulia.

And once you have gone through the virtual tour, you must have an idea in your mind about the type of kitchen design you desire for your home. And to have that perfect design, you might then need to look at the varieties of granite, cabinetry, wood type, etc. that would help you achieve that “perfect” look. After every detail is sorted, you might need the assistance of firms like Kitchen and Bath in your area to make that dream kitchen a reality.

Final Touches:

Once you have a firm idea of a desired atmosphere, general layout, lighting, which cabinets and appliances are needed, countertops, and flooring, it is time to consider the final touches. This includes the color of the walls, drawer handles and pulls, and kitchen/storage accessories. Pinterest is always a great site to go to for inspiration on tying your kitchen remodel together and you are sure to be able to find similar items at your local HomeGoods. And yes, tuning into home renovation shows can also help give you ideas for final touches when the end result is revealed!

It is hard to make decisions for a kitchen remodel based on the internet alone and we hope that the ideas above will make it easier to narrow these choices down. Remember, a solid idea of your end result will help your kitchen renovation go successfully from the start!

Role Models To Teach Your Kids About

 

(image credit)

 

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.

 

Sleepy Panda Diaper Bag Giveaway

Welcome to the Lady Luck Giveaway Hop

 

Attention mama’s seeking diaper bags! This is a giveaway that you will definitely want to check out. Sleepy Panda offers a variety of diaper bags made by mama’s, for mama’s.  From pockets galore, to USB chargers, wet bags and water bottle holders, the designers at Sleepy Panda have thought up all the tricks to pack your bag full while keeping it organized and convenient for you.  They are generously offering a FREE Kennedy Canvas Diaper Bag to one lucky winner.  Enter for a chance to win!

 

Enter to win (1) Kennedy Canvas Diaper Bag by My Sleep Panda

a $118 Value

 

Find our article about Sleepy Panda here

 

MamatheFox and all participating blogs are not held responsible for sponsors who fail to fulfill their prize obligations.

7 Tips to Help You Sleeping Better When You Have Insomnia

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.

How to Maximize Your Family Budget During Difficult Times

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.

Sprucing Up Your Garden For The Summer

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.

SLIME TIME – OOSH Potion Slime Surprise

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