Category: Article

17
Jun
2018

5 Amazing Canvas Ideas for an Amazing Dad

categories: Article

As we countdown to Father’s Day, you might be left scrambling for that perfect gift for the amazing Dad in your life. Finding the right way to show Dad just how important he is can be tricky. This year consider passing up a boring tie or another power tool and pull on Dad’s heartstrings. Give Dad a printed canvas that shows how much he is loved.

The good thing about a photo canvas is that they can be hung anywhere in your home. From your bedroom to the living room, you can reminisce about your beautiful family all of the time. You may already have family photographs hung around your home in the form of Photo Tiles, but you can never have enough photos, and turning to a canvas is a great idea and one that you should definitely consider. Not forgetting that the special Dad in your life will love it too. So, what are you waiting for?

Here are five amazing canvas ideas for an amazing Dad this Father’s Day.

#1: That Perfect Family Shot

Candid moments are hard to capture when you have to tell a photographer to snap a picture of you, but not so hard when you’re literally looking at one of the most wonderful things in your life. Also, kind of difficult when your kids are running around and your babies are crying for God knows why, but every family has that one perfect family moment where it all comes together. Photo mounted art allows you to keep certain moments close to your heart. You’ll find as your children grow up, you won’t have many opportunities to take candid family photos. Don’t waste your photos and let that moment pass in the digital world, give it a spotlight on your wall with the help of a canvas print from somewhere like posterjack.ca today, because those are the moments that are worth it.

#2: A Generational Display

What better way to honor Dad on Father’s Day than to opt for a canvas that displays multiple generations of your family from canvasndecor.ca. After all, who would you be without your family? You may have to scroll back through your camera log to the last holiday or family wedding, but a printed canvas with several generations is a very sweet way of honoring a very special Dad.

#3: Vacation Memories

Another great canvas idea for Dad is to find a vacation memory that brings a smile to his face. Whether a beachside landscape or a big trip to Cinderella’s castle, vacation memories are a great way to remind Dad that you do cherish all the adventures you’ve had together.

#4: Where it All Started

Notice your dad is the one always brings back the “when you were a baby?”. They probably really miss your diaper days. A wedding photo or picture of his firstborn, remind Dad how important your family is and where it all began. If you have your big day coming up, you will want to capture the moment forever which is why having a professional on hand is all-important; contact someone like Olga Topchii Photography to make the most memorable moments of your life become treasured forever. Canvas prints are a great way to show all the Dads and father figures in your life how important they are. What better way to show your love than reminding them of a milestone that began the rest of their lives.

#5: Dad’s Choice

Sometimes Dads have a different idea about what would make the perfect family photo. While Moms might opt for the one where her smiling beauties are adorned perfectly with their holiday best. Dad might get a kick out of the one with everyone making silly faces or running in from the rain. If you want to impress Dad, show him how much you appreciate his quirky side.

16
Jun
2018

Online Tools to Help Your Family Live Stress-Free

categories: Article

Stress is a condition that you would not like yourself of any of your family members to go through. However, with the daily struggles associated with work, study, business, health and so on, it is almost impossible to avoid it. Well, stress is actually essential for survival as it helps you to cope up with any kind of difficulty. The challenge is when it becomes too much such that it affects your physical, mental, spiritual and emotional well-being.

For many people, their job is one of the leading causes of stress. Often, most people will come home from work and feel deflated and stressed from their day. This can be reduced. One of the most important things to do if you’re experiencing stress at work is to tell someone who can help you. For many employers, they will want to keep their best staff. This means that they’ll probably be open to trying to reduce the stress you’re experiencing. Ensuring staff are coping with their work is a talent retention strategy that is used by many companies to keep their staff happy and productive. If you’re stressed about your job, be sure to talk to someone.

Once you’ve tried speaking to someone, you may also decide to look at technology. Tech can offer you some of the most powerful stress-relieving tools that you can find. Even switching sites that allow you to compare broadband cost online can really help reduce Bills-related stress.

The following are some of the online tools that will help you and your family live stress-free:

Organization tools and software

The biggest cause of stress to family members is the inability to balance between work and family. This can be attributed to poor organization which leads to poor workflow. Evernote is an online tool that allows you to keep all your text-based documents in one place for easy reference. Furthermore, it is useful for taking notes since you can easily add checklists.

Having an organized life is always the solution to stress and this task management tool will help your family in avoiding stress. In addition to creating to-do lists, a tool like MyLifeOrganized allows you to further outline the hierarchies between tasks by creating subtasks. It also reminds you about your location and synchronizes to the cloud.

Stress management apps

Applications like Pacifica which is available on iOS, Android and web will help your family when dealing with stress, anxiety and depression. It does through tools like health and mood tracking, meditation, relaxation techniques and guided self-help paths for cognitive behavioral therapy.

Mood and health tracking enable identification of trends and causes which promotes self awareness and efficacy.

Happify is also an app that will help your family overcome stress and negative thoughts through engaging activities and games. With it you can measure your emotional well-being, break old patterns and create new ones as well as receive simple but effective solutions for your emotional health and well-being.

Internet of things

It is likely for your family to get stress by worrying more about home security and upkeep. Internet of things is the online interconnection of your computing devices embedded in everyday objects like home appliances to enable connection and exchange of data.

Using this technology around your house will not only save time and money but also keep your family stress-free. This smart home technology will encapsulate everything including thermostats, lighting, video surveillance, and security systems and so on with convenience so that you worry less and avoid stress. Having additional security precautions can reduce your condo insurance premiums so it’s a win-win. You’re more relaxed and so is your wallet.

Online information

The best to avoid stress is to learn and know everything about it. There are many websites that give in-depth information on the different types of stress, causes, symptoms, prevention and treatment.

Such places include Mayo Clinic, Zocdoc, WebMD and many more. Many people see stress only in terms of mental and psychological but it can also be physical as in the case of stress fractures – most common being foot injuries. When this happens, you will need help from qualified podiatrists in Denver for instance, to assess, diagnose and manage your pain.

Your family will live a healthy and enjoyable life if they are stress-free. There are many causes of stress and knowing how to avoid or at least manage them is very important. The best way is to make use of available technologies now that they are readily available, easy to use and cheap.

16
Jun
2018

How to Prepare for a Household Move

categories: Article

Proper preparation can make moving your belongings into a new home is a lot less challenging. By breaking down the whole process into small and manageable tasks, moving will be exciting to you and your family members. Whether it’s buying boxes to separate items from each room, change delivery addresses or get in touch with companies like CarsRelo to help transport the car to the new house, there is a lot to be done before finally being able to settle comfortably in the new place. It will all be worth it in the end.

However, I do know that moving can be stressful for some people, particularly when it comes to actually selling your house (you could take a look at someone who can Sell My House to help you with your move). We’ve created this guide to provides various essential tips that will help you get prepared for your next household move.

Create a Plan

You need to start planning and preparing for your move at least one month before the moving date. It is advisable to create a list of things that you will require to move your belongings to your new home. Planning ahead will keep your move on track and save you from the last minute challenges encountered by other movers. Ensure that your home is clean by hiring professionals like Maid Sailors so that your home isn’t cluttered and moving is easier.

Set Up a Budget

Moving your properties to a new house is an expensive process. Therefore, before the moving date approaches, you need to gather adequate finances to facilitate everything. It is advisable to start saving for your next move at three months before the moving day to avoid financial challenges. Setting up a moving budget will help you stay organized and save money.

Buy Moving Supplies and Pack Your Belongings

One of the reasons why you need money when moving is to purchase adequate moving supplies. For instance, you should buy packing boxes to put both small and large items. Additionally, you need a bubble wrap to protect your fragile items. After purchasing the required things, you should start packing your items and labeling your boxes before the moving day.

Hire Professional Movers

If you want your moving process to be efficient, you need to hire professional movers, movers like Bellhop who are in your region who have been in the industry for a long time. The movers will come with the right moving equipment to enhance the safety of your items during the move. Researching a moving company is not only important but it will allow you to get the best rate. Make sure the moving company has valid license, insurance, and certifications. Finding moving company with good reviews like Suddath will be a sure way to make sure that your move goes as smoothly as possible. If you have any other vehicles such as a motorbike that you need transporting to your new home then using a comparison website like Shiply is fast, hassle free and will save you money.

Prepare a Moving Day Kit

When packing your belongings, you need to prepare a moving day kit to put your essentials that you will need during the moving day. For instance, you should put a toilet paper, cleaning supplies, two or three clothes, and bulbs in the kit because you require them during the day.

Hire a Pest Control Company

Hiring a pest control company in your area to spray pesticides is affordable and is necessary depending on the time of year. You could check out something like Des Moines pest control for an effective extermination of your home’s pests. You will learn pest control measures from the company as well as tips and tricks to keeping your home bug free. If you live in the Florida area, Turner Pest not only helped give us piece of mind, but also worked with our budget.

Once you move into your new home, you should create a good relationship with your neighbors. They will keep an eye on your belongings when you are away, which will help in protecting your home from burglars.

03
Jun
2018

The Facts: Should Baby Buggies Face the Front or the Rear?

categories: Article

With the numerous styles of double buggies available in the market (tandem and side-by-side being the broadest categories), there’s another factor to consider: should baby face you or face forward? What this really boils down to is how a forward or rear facing double buggy can impact the development of the kids.

Although there’s copious amounts of research on rear facing and forwards facing car seats, the research on the same principles for double buggies is pretty limited.

We can, however, take some cues from the safety and developments of car seats that face forward and rear. The choice in a double buggy to face you or not also relies on the age of the kids, as well as their social and emotional needs.

Talking to your babies: Many times, it’s assumed that if the kids are facing you, then you’ll talk to them more. However, this tends to be limited to single buggy styles. It can be challenging to engage both kids who are facing you, regardless of their ages, and watch where you’re steering your double buggy.

If you are able to multitask and want to talk to both babies, a tandem style could benefit you. It puts both kids in the same line of sight and allows you to not worry about the width that you’re taking up with the buggy through doorways or narrower sidewalks. Many tandem styles, if they aren’t used for newborn carriers, can be used for one child who is older, and a newer arrival. If both seats are rear facing, the toddler may become bored, which can make the buggy ride an exercise in patience, instead of enjoyable.

A rear facing side-by-side style could be beneficial for kids who are older. The seating arrangement allows them to more easily connect with each other, if you need to focus more on where you’re headed directionally, or what you’re picking up in a store.

Forward facing in either of these styles can help with engaging in surroundings, however. Many times, walks are beneficial for some communication time. They are used as a way to relax and spend time together in a way that doesn’t involve screen time. Parents of older kids can converse with each other just as well in a forward facing double buggy, perhaps even better than a rear facing double buggy, because the kids can point things of interest out, and see more.

Safety: Just as rear facing is typically best in the car, the same reasoning can be applied to a double buggy. As it is usually used in motion, harsh stops could potentially cause a whiplash type of reaction in a forward facing double buggy. The theory is that, if a child’s seat is rear facing, the motion of a harsh stop won’t cause rapid head movement because the spine and head are better situated and protected. They won’t have to deal with the opposite force in direction.

This can also be attributed to age. The younger children are, the less developed their supportive muscles are for their necks and heads. This means that a rear facing buggy could probably be better. Naturally, you won’t be running nearly as fast as a vehicle, but in the event you have to stop suddenly, even a three to four mile per hour speed can hurt.

How to choose:

If your children are older, a rear facing double buggy might not be necessary. In addition, many double buggies, whether forward or rear facing, have the option for the seats to fully recline. This is more common in a side-by-side style, which features more room to do this, but tandem styles are becoming better at incorporating full recline options.

Sites such as https://doublebuggyreviews.com help to compare how the different features available for a double buggy might change depending on the need for rear or forward facing, and how they might impact kids of similar ages or differing ones. Doing plenty of research on the right style of double buggy, and the best direction that will meet the needs of you and the kids, will help to decide if you should invest in a rear or forward-facing double buggy.

01
Jun
2018

What Every Parent Needs To Know Before Hiring A Tutor For Their Child

categories: Article

Tutoring can make a tremendous difference in the life of your child. If they are struggling with their schoolwork, having someone knowledgeable available to help them is the best way to ensure that they overcome the challenges they are facing. So if you are thinking of getting a tutor for your child then you might be interested in checking out something like this tutoring in bloomington indiana, but there are loads of other tutors that you could use. Of course, not all tutors are created equal. As a parent, your job is to find the most qualified professional tutor for your child. The tips in the following section will help:

Make sure the tutor is qualified.

Never hire a private tutor online without learning as much as you can about their education and their level of experience. Make sure that the person you do eventually wind up hiring has plenty of experience teaching the subject matter that your child needs help with. Find out what kind of educational background the tutor has, making sure that they are knowledgeable enough in that particular subject matter to assist your child and to teach them everything that they need to know. At a bare minimum, they should have a certificate showing that they completed training to work as a tutor. Ideally, however, they should have a college degree.

Ask for recommendations.

Instead of going into the process blindly, consider asking for recommendations. Talk to your child’s teacher directly, asking them if they can recommend a good tutor. If not, you may want to approach the school’s guidance counselor or talk to the principal for advice. They might be able to put you in contact with some of the best tutors in Brisbane and help your child get the attention they need. Oftentimes, school districts will have the names of tutors on file who have already been carefully vetted.

Be clear about your objectives.

When you hire a tutor, it is important to let them know exactly what goals or objectives your child is working toward. You may even want to have the tutor get in touch with your child’s teacher so that they can come up with a plan together that will ensure that your child is on the right track. As a parent, you should also be involved in the process of setting goals. After all, you know your child best and can ensure that they are getting the help that they need. If you child needs essay help, use a type my essay service instead of a tutor. Know what your child needs!

Consider how much the tutor charges.

When it comes to making sure your child gets the education that they need, the extra expense of tutoring is justified. That doesn’t mean, however, that you need to pay any more than necessary for the service. When choosing a tutor, look for someone who charges reasonable rates. One great way to find affordable tutoring services is by searching online. There are a variety of different companies out there that provide qualified tutors at affordable prices. Remember, however – it may be worth paying a little bit of extra money for a tutor who is uniquely qualified to help your child.

05
Nov
2017

Easy Breezy with Air Stroller

categories: Article

When I planned to write this post I was pretty giddy because I was getting the chance to write about a few of my favorite things!

Traveling and OXO!

If you haven’t heard of OXO, then you should definitely click over to our Mama on the Move blog post where I included a little history and company mission on my review of OXO tot products. To say the least, MamatheFox has been impressed with OXO’s innovative and universal design.

Connect with OXO

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If you didn’t know, my husband I were expats in China for 4 years. We had both our kids overseas and spent our first 2.5 years of parenting in a giant foreign city. It wasn’t until after we had our son that we actually felt comfortable enough with the language and culture to start traveling.

And travel we did!

By the time our son was 2.5 he had been on over 30 airplanes, uncountable number of fast trains, and weekly rides on public transportation. While we lived in China we bought an amazing compact stroller that quickly became our BFF. It was light weight, easy to use, and small enough to fit in the overhead compartment of a plane. However, it was very cheaply made and when we relocated to America we didn’t find it worth transporting.

My family and I moving to America

For a while I thought I didn’t need a compact stroller since I was in America with a car, had a running toddler, and loved my baby carrier. However, after a few difficult situations of the kids hating the carrier, the Baby Jogger being too big, or my toddler hitting his walking limit, I started looking for a compact stroller. I struggled to find a stroller that met my standards after having the best compact stroller in China. If you are finding it hard as we did. We found
https://www.mamma1.com/ to be pretty handy. You could check them out if you have time!
Then as if OXO tot heard my design cries, they released the Air Stroller this fall.

Why the Air Stroller is amazing

Compact

This stroller will not slow you down, but rather keep up with your fast pace life. Its compact built and slim design makes it easy to maneuver through crowded streets and in and out of stores. I’ve already loved using our Air Stroller to squeeze through the local library aisle and to trick or treat on crowded sidewalks down town.

My mother in law was even able to fit our opened Air Stroller it in her car trunk. When folded, the stroller is roughly the size of a back pack. Making it less bulky when carrying and easy to store. We leave ours in the trunk because it takes up minimum space and is always ready to use on the go.

Travel Friendly

Only weighing in at 11 pounds, it’s light enough for me to hold a kid and stroller at the same time. When I used public transportation in the city I had to do this all the time up stairs and on and off buses. It is certainly designed fuss-free as the stroller locks without any extra levers or snaps. It simply unlocks by pushing toward the ground before squeezing the release handles.

Included is a convenient carrying strap that allows carrying the Air Stroller hands free. The strap is easily assessable once the stroller is collapsed. I was reminded of how great a strap is when trying to carry my squirmy toddler and stroller down subway station stairs. The Air lets you focus on what’s most important while bringing along your gear. I especially appreciated when the stroller is folded the wheels lock away from the fabric, keeping all the nasty germs collected on the wheels off your little ones.

The expandable UPF 50 canopy makes this stroller perfect for outside activities without the fear of sun exposure. The adjustable feature lets it go low enough to protect my youngest from the sun but high enough to give my toddler optimal view.

On the back of the canopy a secret parent pocket has been placed. When traveling, this is ideal for an easy access spot to hold your passports, tickets, and phones. For every day use I like to put my phone, wallet, and sometimes a hidden mama treat inside.

And for any mama with visual concern, the canopy has a mesh peep flap. It is always great to be able to see what your child is doing or for my youngest, assure her mama is still there.

It also includes an easy access storage basket that is very roomy; great for holding a diaper bag, snacks, toys, and more. Finding an adequate basket on a compact stroller is such a rare find. I love how easy it is to get stuff in and out and weight doesn’t drag the basket down.

Durable and Safe

The Oxo Air Stroller is built to last and endure constant use. The front wheels navigate quickly and withstand curbs and uneven pavement.

I felt like I could maneuver with ease and my kids were buckled in securely with an adjustable 5-point safety harness. Again, OXO designed this buckle to be fuss-free, a truly rare find in strollers! Although it has 5 points of security, it only takes three simple pieces to lock.

The straps are also easily adjusted and made to grow with your little one. The soft shoulder pads prevent chafing on the neck while the buckle pad prevents squishy thighs from accidentally getting pinched…a mega issue for my 1 year old!

The seat is very roomy and easily fit my 1 and 2 year old children. I liked that there was some recline in the seat position that prevents my toddler from leaning forward. The biggest trouble I have found in light weight strollers is the easy ability to tip from rocking kids or sharp turns. My son literally flipped our old compact stroller while sitting in it. The Air Stroller weight distribution makes this stroller unbelievably sturdy. Even with squirmy kids and zig-zag paths I always felt in complete control. It is recommended for babies starting at 6 month and children up to 55 pounds.

I loved the machine-washable seating and easy to clean material because my kids are always eating on the go, not to mention this stroller is bound to be hand me downed through a number of children and go on multiple vacations. OXO tot sells the Air Stroller in a variety of bright vibrant colors that will match your style.

When I say I know traveling with kids I mean it, and when OXO promises high quality products they deliver. Don’t let your life be slowed down by how you haul your kids around. Go live it up with the easy breezy easy to use Air Stroller.

When your little girl gets older, she may become interested in dolls as she tries to emulate what she sees mommy do. Play Like Mum’s range of dolls’ prams are a great way to nurture this bond between you and your child who looks up to and wants to be like you. It fosters creative imagination and introduces a new way to play with their favorite toy.

23
May
2017

Empatia Coffee

categories: Article

Empatia – the coffee that pours back

Did you know that most coffee farmers do not turn a profit? In countries like Columbia, where over 10% of the countries population is employed by the 550,000 coffee bean farms are struggling to turn a profit due to ever increasing production costs and low market prices.Hence we suggest following people’s minds. I mean following the recent trends that people actually love. If you understand the cafe market report then you’ll understand what people want. Empatia, a new coffee bean company, is striving to help out the everyday bean farmers in these struggling areas.

According to the International Coffee Organization (ICO), if you factor in depreciation of farm assets “there were only four crop years in the ten-year period [2006-2015] in which total profits were greater than or equal to zero.”(Assessing the economic sustainability of coffee growing – ICO, Sep 2016)

There may not be a solution that is obtainable right now, but we can take great strides in moving forward to fixing this issue. Empatia Coffee is giving back 15% of their profits to the farmers they work with in addition to paying premiums for our beans in excess of Fair Trade prices.

Connect with Empatia

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As a daily coffee drinker, I have come to appreciate the fresh ground beans turned into caffeinated bliss. Of course, the coffee brewing process is enhanced by using the best grind and brew coffee maker. After all, it’s no secret that the equipment and ingredients you use have an impact on the final product, especially where coffee is concerned. Even if you’re someone who is looking to Make your morning coffee healthier, you can still make a great drink with just the type of coffee beans you use in it. I love taking that moment just to sip and breath in a new day. With 2 small children, I need to make the most of my time and that includes the choices I make. I would rather have an enjoyable, deep flavored cup of coffee over a low cost, grainy cup of coffee. Obviously, over the years I have experimented with different types of coffee to know my preference and what makes coffee good. Looking into wholesale cbd coffee taught me a lot about the different ingredients that can be filtered into coffee and the tastes it can give. Nowadays I’m set on what I like, but I like to think of myself as a bit of a coffee fan.

Monthly Empatia will offer a new bag of beans that features a different and exciting flavor profile. This subscription services (or one-time purchase) gives you the chance to try a different coffee from varying places around the globe. The beans are NOT flavor infused, but instead are treated and grown in such a way that the natural aromas and flavors will be bold enough for you to taste. The month that MamatheFox received was the Finca La Cabaña – from Sevilla, Valle Del Cauca in Columbia. These beans were amazing! Opening the bag you could smell how fresh and clean they were, as if they were roasted that morning. I ground some and made my first pot. My husband, who doesn’t typically drink coffee, even had to try a cup. He loved the flavor and found it very soothing. I cannot say enough nice things about Empatia Coffee. If you know a coffee lover, or are one yourself, so yourself a favor and try out at least 1 month worth of beans. This makes a perfect gift for family and friends.

Need that end of school year gift for teacher – give them a subscription to Empatia!

When you receive a monthly subscription box (shown above) from Empatia, you will also be sent a 2-sided colored card featuring the coffee bean farmer that will receive some of the 15% give back funds. It is so welcoming and reassuring to see the face of the person who will benefit from your purchase. With additional facts about the farm, the farmer and a peek into their lives. It also includes details about the beans you are brewing, such as the elevation which it was grown, how it was treated (dried/roasted) and how large their farm is. When you drink your lovely cup or coffee or espresso you can feel a connection and an appreciation I have not found in other coffee’s.

Click here to sign up for a 1-month subscription for only $12.99!