Fun Ways to Survive the Heat Wave

Sizzling temperatures, streaming sweat and screaming kids. Fun times. A mid-summer heat wave is blanketing the nation this week.  According to meteorologists, more than 50 million people will be affected by dangerously high temperatures which could last all the way through Saturday. Hitting the beach or heading to a local pool is a great way to beat the heat, but for some kids the splishing and splashing may get old after a few days.  With excessive heat warnings posted in dozens of cities, some parents may opt to remain indoors with their children.  If you choose to stay cool in the … Continue reading

Special Needs Blog Week in Review – June 17 – 23, 2012

It is time, once again, for the Special Needs Blog Week in Review. It brings you a quick summary of each of the blogs that were posted here in the past seven days. This is an easy way to find the blogs that you might have missed. The Special Needs Podcast Roundup went up on June 18, 2012. This week, I’d like to point out an episode of The Coffee Klatch. The episode is called “The Best of Coffee Klatch – Dr. Ross Greene – Explosive Child”. Dr. Ross Green is the author of a book called “The Explosive Child”. … Continue reading

Insurance Blog Week in Review – April 29 – May 5, 2012

Every week, the Insurance Blog Week in Review quickly goes over all of the blogs that were posted in the past seven days. There can be anywhere between twelve and fourteen different blogs that appear here weekly. What did you miss? This is an easy way to “ketchup” on everything. Ohio Requires Insurance Coverage for Exotic Animals Ohio now requires owners of exotic animals to purchase a certain amount of liability insurance coverage for each animal they own. They also have to prove that they are providing proper care for the animals, and that they have good fences. The Insurance … Continue reading

Fun Things About Being Pregnant

Being pregnant can actually be a lot of fun, if you think about it. Here are some of the things that make pregnancy a fun and enjoyable time. Feel free to read over this list on those days when you are sick of feeling sick, tired of feeling tired, and just plain aggravated at the world and at the amount of swelling in your ankles. One very fun and exciting thing is that you get to choose a name for your baby. There are endless possibilities, and it can be a lot of fun to look for ideas and play … Continue reading

Spring Outdoor Fun

Even if you don’t live near a National Park and can’t take advantage of the free admission this week, don’t let that stop you from soaking up the gorgeous spring weather. Now that warmer days are here there’s no excuse for you to stay cooped up inside. Grab the kids, ditch the winter gear and get moving in the great outdoors. Children especially love exploring nature; however, too much too soon can be a recipe for disaster. While you may be itching to trek the entire afternoon away, if your children are young and not used to hiking, don’t force … Continue reading

Summer Reading Fun

When I was little I spent a lot of time at the library. It was right downtown in our foothill village. I could ride my bicycle there myself. I especially loved the summer reading program. When Chris and I first got married we lived in a cozy townhouse in Huntington Beach. The Huntington Beach library was impressive. There were waterfalls inside. It was such a peaceful place to be and I wanted to share it with children. Little did I know that we’d own four houses in three cities in two states before children happened for us. Now that we … Continue reading

Summer Genealogy Fun

It is officially summer, and as dedicated to your genealogy research as you are the thought of spending sunny days inside the library doing research may seem rather unappealing. That’s okay; there are plenty of genealogy-related things that you can do to keep your inner genealogist happy this summer without staying indoors. Grab some sunscreen and some bug spray and get started with your summer genealogy adventures today. Summer is a great time to visit the graves of your ancestors to record names and dates and to photograph the graves. There may also be history hikes or history walks scheduled … Continue reading

Springtime Fun at the Zoo

Yesterday we went to the zoo with my moms’ group. Earlier this week we were enjoying temperatures in the upper 80s and low 90s. The last two days have been cold, rainy, and miserable. Today was beautiful and hot. I am so glad I slathered suncscreen on the girls before getting them dressed. I brought the spray with me so we could reapply. I brought Jessie’s new sun hat too. I couldn’t put a hat on Baby E because of the Doc Band. We started off our zoo adventure in the children’s zoo. There’s a great water play area in … Continue reading

Camera Phone Photos

My brother doesn’t own a traditional camera; rather he uses his cellphone to make the most of photo ops, and then he instantly shares the images with me and the rest of our family via email. He also tweets a bunch a photos, which I typically miss since I am anti-social media (little inside joke). With much of the world attached to their picture-taking PDAs it’s no wonder that photo apps are such a hot topic. Wander into photography forums these days and everyone and their brother (literally) is swapping stories about the latest and greatest apps that allow you … Continue reading

Activity Days Activity- Laundry 101

One of my dreaded chores growing up was folding the laundry. I don’t know why, but in a family of 6 people, this was not a fun task. To this day, I have to say I hate doing laundry. I’m lazy and wait and do it all in one day. My husband seems to think that it would be better if I would do a little every day, but that sounds even more dreadful to me. I didn’t really learn much about laundry until I lived on my own. I’m sure my Mom tried to teach me, but I didn’t … Continue reading