Driving in the Car
Going to the Beach
Cooking
Cleaning
Running Errands
I swear it's all really worth it... no, really...
Your Life On Kids...
I swear it's all really worth it... no, really...
I swear it's all really worth it... no, really...
10 Fun Facts About Daylight Savings Time
In honor of Daylight Saving Time (DST) ending this Sunday, November 6, 2015 at 2am, here are 10 fun facts... to read when your child wakes up at the ass crack of dawn, because Daylight Savings means absolutely nothing to them.
1. Daylight Saving Time (DST) actually ENDS this Sunday, November 6, at 2:00am. Most say it Daylight Savings Time begins both in spring and fall, but really, it begins in spring and ends in fall. Still, for parents, both cause the same Havoc to the ever important routine.
2. FYI: It's Daylight "Saving" Time, not daylight Savings time. That's right, no 'S'. I still think saving is a horrible word, since in the fall no parent is saving anything, since no child cares! If your child wakes up at 6am on Saturday, chances are, your child will wake up at 5am on Sunday... never fails.
3. Daylight saving time, in the modern sense, was first proposed by an English entomologist, George Vernon Hudson, in 1895.
Fun Fact: Sleep contributes to well-being in many ways, from physical and cognitive development to sociability and day-to-day mood. A sleep deprived child is no different than a gremlin!
4. Daylight Saving Time was first observed on April 30, 1916, by Germany and Austria-Hungry to conserve coal during wartime. So basically, DST has been making parents cry for nearly 100 years!
FUN FACT: Researsh shows trying to adjust your child's sleep by 15 minute increments the week leading up to the time change, will help your family adjust to the new time.
5. The entire state of Indiana did not observe Daylight Saving Time until 2006. Arizona and Hawaii still will have nothing to do with DST. I wonder if this is because all of the lobbyist are parents?
FUN FACT: After the fall back, it’s not uncommon to feel out of sorts the first few days of November. Exercise can help to improve mood, energy, and yes, help sleep! Take this opportunity to start family walks before or after dinner!
6. Always wishing for an extra hour in your day? 25 hours are observed on the day when Daylight Saving Time ends. So take advantage of this, and nap when your kids do!
7. Going to sleep at your normal bedtime on Saturday, should help you to get the extra hour of sleep most need.
8. Observing DST year round would annually prevent 195 motor vehicle deaths of occupants, and 171 pedestrian deaths, according to a study reported by USNEWS. It turns out we are much safer drivers during daylight hours.
9. Children can be the most negatively effected by the time change. What about parents? Experts say to begin the nighttime routine up to an hour early on Sunday to help prepare your child's mind and body for the early bedtime.
10. In 2005, Kazakhstan did away with daylight saving time. The country's government reportedly calculated that 51.6 percent of Kazakhs responded badly to the time change. Really? 51.6 percent of Kazakhstan are toddlers?
May the force be with you this weekend my fellow parents. May the force be with you...
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Do This To Your Home And Save A Bundle This Winter
Keep the cold out and your gas and electric bills in check with these five tips to prepare your home for cooler weather.
Prevent Drafts and Seal Windows
Drafty windows are one of the biggest contributors to heat loss in houses. Drafts can come from space between the windows and the frame or from worn-out weather-stripping. No matter what the cause, there are simple things you can do to prevent drafts from chilling your home:
- Add weather-stripping- this is the fastest and cheapest way to block this nasty arctic drafts.
- Use Draft Snakes, or roll up towels and place them at the bottom of the window.
- Place plastic over windows that will not be open for several months.
- Put foam board in the attic and other unused windows.
Inspect Roofs
Depending on where you live, you might find that during the summer months you see very little moisture, but during the winter months, that can change. Now is the time to inspect your roof and make sure that you do not have any loose shingles. Repair any missing or loose shingles, because leaving them as is can lead to leaks and damage to your home.
Clean Gutters
Clean out your gutters and check them for proper installation. If your gutters are full of leaves and other debris, they will clog and not allow water to move safely away from your home. Not only can this potentially damage your home, but in freezing temperatures, these puddles can also become frozen hazards. Plus, the leaves and other natural debris that you remove from the gutters is ideal for adding to your compost.
Inspect Your HVAC System
It is always a good idea to have your HVAC system serviced in both spring and fall. These are the months when the weather is changing, and you will be switching between cooling and heating your home. By having your HVAC system serviced, you can make sure that any needed repairs are completed before you have to heat your home. Don’t wait until you need heat, because you could find yourself without it.
Change Your Bedding
Most of the time during the cooler months, people tend to turn up their heat during the hours when they are home and awake doing things, and they turn down the temperature when they are away or sleeping. Not only will doing this save on the cost of heating, but it also will allow you to get a better night’s rest. However, that doesn’t mean that you want to crawl into a cold bed with cotton sheets. Instead, change out your sheets to flannel and put on a couple more blankets to keep you warm on those cold nights ahead.Don’t let the cooler weather catch you off guard — take time now to prepare and ensure that you and your loved ones stay warm this winter.
Parents, Especially With Teenagers, READ THIS!
This past weekend, I was in a car accident with my sister-in-law visiting from, Australia. We were sitting at a stoplight, when right as the light turned green, and I took my foot off the brake to move to the gas peddle, the next thing I knew I heard huge boom and both my passenger and I went flying forward. In fact, in every flashback I have, I see my sister-in-law's head graze the windshield and the dashboard. If she didn't have her seat belt on she would have definitely hit the windshield.
Since I didn't see the car coming, it took a minute to grasp what had just happened. I called 911. And then, my husband.
The back of my head was throbbing. My SIL was holding her neck. Clearly in pain. We sat there. Breathing. Thankful we were OK.
A few minutes past before the driver and passenger in the car that rear-ended us walked up to check on us. Shaking and surging adrenaline, I slid out of my car, slowly.
As I walked to the back of my car to check the damage, the 16-year old who was driving the 2002 Jeep Liberty that hit us, pointed and said, "Look there's barely any damage."
All I could think was you just hit us hard, how in the world is that all the damage? Just your bumper paint on my bumper?
The kid wanted to chalk it up to a bumper tap and move on. After the massive hit I just took, no way was I going to get back in my car like it was nothing.
After further inspection of my car there was more damage to the side panels, the wheel-well and my trunk now looked slightly ajar.
I told him that the damage was too much and that we would need to call the police to make a police report. The kid-driver put his hands on his head and kept saying, "I'm going to jail." His legs were shaking so wildly, I thought they might buckle underneath him.
His friend kept saying, "don't worry you're not gonna go to jail."
I backed up the friend, "You don't go to jail for car accidents. Well, unless you've done something wrong."
I was staring at this kid, he certainly didn't look drunk or on drugs, he just looked very shaken up.
After about 30 minutes of sitting on the side of the road, an unmarked officer pulled up. He first made sure that we were all OK, offered my sister-in-law and ambulance to which she declined. He said an officer would be here in 15 to 20 minutes to take the report, and to have get our driver's license, registration and proof of insurance ready, then looked at both of our passengers and said, "you'll need your IDs as well."
As he walked off, the passenger in the car that rear-ended us said, "I'm not gonna give them my ID. I wasn't the one driving."
I honestly shrugged it off to him being a kid and didn't even think about it at the time.
After another 15 minutes and my sister-in-law sitting on the side of the road in pain, we opted to just exchange information. I wanted to get my SIL home and see what needed to be done for her. My head was still throbbing so I was happy to go, too.
Being that KY is a no fault state, I knew my insurance would cover her injuries. I called in the claim the second we got home.
To make a very long story short, I recently found out the kid possibly would've gone to jail. He was not supposed to be behind the wheel of the car.
He was driving on an instructional permit, which restricted him to driving only with a 21-year-old adult supervisor. And NO children under 18 years old unless it was family. I'm fairly certain, his passenger didn't even have a drivers license, let alone be much older than 16 either.
Even though I'm still in the throes of having my car fixed and my injuries and SIL's injury sorted out, this whole thing with this kid driving when he shouldn't have has really gotten to me.
I'm infuriated! He told us that he was on his way to drop his friend off after they got haircuts for their school dance happening later that night.
This is so not OK with on so many levels.
That child should not have been behind the wheel of the car. I should not have been rear-ended. My sister-in-law's trip to America, her first trip to America, was destroyed by a child that shouldn't of been driving. It was a Saturday afternoon!
Where were his parents?!??!
After much deliberation, I've decided to call the off-duty police officer who originally stopped to help us. Tell him what I realized after the fact, and what I should do.
Now, to the parents out there with teenage kids, especially those beginning to drive, share the story with them, and make sure they understand that laws are in place to keep everyone safe, and when they're broken things like this happen.
Parents, make sure the person your child gets in the car with has a VALID driver's licenses. Use my story as the reason why you have to check. Clearly, there are parents and kids out there who have no regard for laws, or other's safety.
And last, HIDE THE CAR KEYS IF YOU HAVE TO! Seriously. Kids are stupid and think they are invincible. Don't give them a chance to prove it to you. Make sure, unless they have permission, they have ZERO access to your vehicle.
YAY! The Holidays Are Here, Bring On The Family Dysfunction...
The holidays can completely consume me if I let them, and not in a good way. I get so rapt in buying the perfect gifts, making the perfect dishes, finding the perfect holiday party outfits... Then there is the juggling family celebrations and the dysfunction junction it creates.
Well, this year, I'm not having it.
Just kidding, my family is nuts, I have no control. In fact, I jump right on in with them!
I know my family and the strange dysfunction the holidays instills in them. Here's how it's gonna go down.Just kidding, my family is nuts, I have no control. In fact, I jump right on in with them!
Regardless of it being Thanksgiving Dinner or Christmas Brunch, half my family will arrive late,with at least one person/family being REALLY late. Which, will piss someone off enough to accelerate their drinking, so once the late comer walks through the door shit will hit the fan. Those two will spend the next hour or so not speaking until the late comer drinks enough to get on the level of the pissed off one, and try to hash it out.
This will result in either a bigger fight or a few, "I love you, I'm sorrys."
This will result in either a bigger fight or a few, "I love you, I'm sorrys."
Then, for fun, I pull out the paper plates and hand them to my mother and watch her lose her shit, tell me how she knew I would do that, and then run to her car to get the China she brought, "Just in case."
While she is out getting the China, I will be rallying my siblings to help me talk mom into the easy clean-up plan. Knowing full the fight is going to be fruitless because she will wave us away and insist that she LOVES doing the dishes, and will take care of it.
While she is out getting the China, I will be rallying my siblings to help me talk mom into the easy clean-up plan. Knowing full the fight is going to be fruitless because she will wave us away and insist that she LOVES doing the dishes, and will take care of it.
After the the China is laid out and the food hits the table, corralling three toddlers and two pre-teens will commence. No doubt, this will go incredibly well.
Two and half hours later...
We will all be seated and starving. My mom will kick-off a beautiful blessing that seems to do a few victory laps around the table while she says why she is thankful for each one of us.
45 minutes later...
We can FINALLY inhale our Thanksgiving feast.
We will all be seated and starving. My mom will kick-off a beautiful blessing that seems to do a few victory laps around the table while she says why she is thankful for each one of us.
45 minutes later...
We can FINALLY inhale our Thanksgiving feast.
Once the meal is over, immediately talk of "parades to the toilet" will be held by the men, while the women fight child fingers out of the pies.
My friends, I CANNOT FREAKING WAIT!!!!!!!
I love my super jacked up dysfunctional family. They make me feel normal. Every year, I tell myself I will not let the holidays win. They will not eat me alive. I will not let the stress overtake the fun. My mantra this year is: Be laid back.
What about you? Is your T-day full of dysfunction and touchdowns?
Coupons for Good: Get Party Perfect At One Of These Four Retailers And Benefit Those In Need
Treating yourself to a fabulous outfit for holiday parties can make you feel more festive and confident. This year, make the world a better place by purchasing items from companies that donate to charities. So look for your party perfect outfit at one of these four charitable companies shows that you really understand the holiday spirit.
JCPenney
JCPenney contributes to nonprofit organizations all over the country through its JCPenney Cares program. When you shop at JCPenney, you help support the YMCA, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and many other charities.The company also encourages its employees to volunteer at local nonprofits. It says that more than 100,000 JCPenney associates give back to their communities.
Before you shop at JCPenney, visit the Coupons for Good Facebook page to find discount opportunities. You can also access JCPenney coupons on the GoodShop website. Just because you want to support a charitable store doesn't mean you have to pay full price.
Kohl's
Kohl's largely supports fundraising activities that improve the lives of young people. When you buy select items from a Kohl's store, 100 percent of the net profit goes to programs that benefit health and education initiatives for children. Since 2000, the company has raised nearly $300 million.You can also support Kohl's charitable giving by purchasing fundraising gift cards. Since 2000, Kohl's has used the gift cards to raise more than $42 million for over 12,500 organizations.
Sephora
No holiday outfit is complete without the right makeup. Sephora's line of organic cosmetics will help you look your best while keeping your skin healthy.Shopping at Sephora also helps the company contribute to charitable projects. The company partners with charities to improve the living conditions in communities throughout the country. Sephora also operates the Sephora Stands organization that supports a boot camp for female entrepreneurs interested in the beauty industry. Its Sephora Stands Together program supports employees who have been affected by natural disasters and other unexpected life-changing events.
Find Sephora discounts at the Coupons for Good Facebook page. You'll also save money by looking for Sephora coupons on the GoodShop website.
Fetch Eyewear
By shopping at Fetch Eyewear, you help the company support animal welfare. Fetch Eyewear donates 100 percent of its profits to the Pixie Project, a nonprofit animal rescue group based in Portland, Oregon. The Pixie Project provides free spaying and neutering services to the pets of homeless people. The nonprofit also partners with shelters across the United States to make life better for all animals.
You won't find many companies that dedicate 100 percent of their profits to helping a nonprofit organization.
Morning Madness: How to Prepare your Child for a Great Day
The most challenging time for any parent of a young child is the mornings, and this is the time when your patience gets stretched to the limits, as getting the youngster ready to leave the house is no small task. The objective is for all the family to be ready to go, on time, and all in a happy frame of mind, and if that sounds like mission impossible, here are a few tips to help you negotiate weekday mornings.
Early to Bed – Early to Rise
An age old saying, yet still very true, and insufficient sleep is the major cause of morning problems, even with adults. Set a time for bed and stick to it, and that may include 30 minutes listening to a story in bed, or perhaps some soothing music. Dim the lights, as this encourages sleep, and try to eliminate noise that might affect your child’s sleeping pattern. If you are in Western Australia, and are looking for a south Perth child care centre, you couldn’t do better than http://www.littlepeoplesplace.com.au/, where your child can learn and develop with other children their age, and in the expert hands of professional day care workers, your child will really want to leave the house on time in the mornings.
Attitude Adjustment
We are not talking about changing your child’s attitude, this is strictly for the parents. It might be that you are not a morning person, and this could cause tension which then sparks off disharmony in the child. If you are happy. Relaxed and quiet, your child will respond in a positive way, but if you are running around like a headless chicken, looking at your watch and hurrying everyone along, then this will have a negative impact on the event. Try to wake early, have that morning coffee in peace, and prepare yourself for the start of the day. Stress is a major cause of family tension and even small children are affected.
Motivation
This is the key to a smooth morning, and it can be achieved in a number of ways. It might be watching cartoons in the afternoon, or perhaps a treat at the weekend, and whatever works best depends on what motivates your child the most, so don’t be afraid to experiment. If there are older children, they can really help by ensuring their younger sibling remains focused while the bathing and dressing take place. The breakfast routine should be free from distractions. Absolutely no TV, as this will distract your child and that 5 minute breakfast will take 15.
Communicate Clearly and Effectively
When talking to your child, especially about the tasks at hand and how time is slipping by, try to remain calm and free of emotion when you talk to them, and a friendly smile won’t go amiss. This is an important part of stress free family living, as the general mood will determine a child’s response to something, so try to make things jovial, even if you really don’t feel like it.
The routine should work, once it is established, and keep the rewards back for the times when things just seem to break down.
