Shave, exfoliate, moisturize, repeat. Ugh, the routine us ladies have to have can be exhausting, so why wouldn’t we want the best results after putting in the effort to groom ourselves. Well, wait no more, whether you are in shorts or jeans this season I will tell you the secrets on how to get not just smooth legs, but toned legs too. The best part is it is simple, cheap, and doesn’t take a lot of time.
Continue reading “Get the Secrets to Smooth and Toned Legs”Month: June 2019
5 Inspirational Books to Encourage you
No matter where you are at in life there is a book for it. We’ve selected a few inspirational books to encourage our readers. From the highest of highs to the lowest of lows each of the following books holds encouraging words. They teach us to live intentionally through both the ups and the downs of life. For there is a purpose for each season in life, whether it requires work or whether we can sit back and enjoy the ride. Words have a way of lifting us up and enlightening us in ways that are beyond what we see now. Below are 5 inspirational books to encourage you to change your perspective, on whatever season you are in, for the better.
What to Bring to your Next BBQ | and What Not to.
If you’ve never stressed out about what to bring to a BBQ well then you must be Martha Stewart. I, however, immediately start concerning myself with what I can contribute that will be the kind of crowd pleasing dish that causes people to ask “yum, who brought this?” If you know what I’m talking about you’re in luck. Here we will let you in on some of the best eats you can take to your family or neighborhood BBQ, and also the items you should NOT bring.
Continue reading “What to Bring to your Next BBQ | and What Not to.”
28-Day Workout Plan | No Equipment, Do Anywhere.
***Updated*** Last summer I was asked by a friend’s teenage daughter to create a summer workout plan for her so she could stay in shape during her off season from high school sports. I of course jumped at the chance, knowing it was a great opportunity to take all of my favorite workouts from the web and put them together in an unbeatable 28 day get fit plan. Having already tested all of these workouts myself, I am confident that this is a great collection of exercise routines for teens and adults alike to get or stay in shape. Plus, you don’t have to go to the gym or have any equipment to do them.
Continue reading “28-Day Workout Plan | No Equipment, Do Anywhere.”Let Dad Play | Channeling his inner child this Father’s Day
I think most women can attest to the fact that their babies’ daddy will always have a small part of them that is still a little boy. Am I right mommas? We see glimpses of it now and again with child’s play and practical jokes, like how they think it’s really funny to sneak in and scare the bejeebers out of us when we are in the shower. Or how they think they still have the same physical agility that they had when they were 15 years old out on the courts attempting a Michael Jordan style slam-dunk. I remember one year when my husband played in an adult flag football league. His team was comprised of forty some year old men playing against teams with guys in their 20s. I don’t even think they made it through the whole season because the majority of players had to pull out due to injury. They were big little boys out there just playing a game. It didn’t matter how old they were or how many kids of their own they had, that part of them was there, and always will be.
When it comes to raising children both parents have immense responsibility. Moms are amazing creatures in terms of caregiving, but as Father’s Day approaches it’s all about the dads. This is a hard world to be a dad in. Men with families have a lot on their shoulders. If they are the breadwinners they have a particularly heavy burden of making ends meet. Their identity is found in how well they provide for their families, much of which is determined by society standards. The world tells them that success is valued by a dollar amount. That it is buried in expensive activities, adventurous vacations, name brands, new toys, the best gadgets, not to mention healthy food on the table and a recently remodeled roof over their heads. It’s tough to be a dad who has to miss so much because a client needs paperwork, scheduling couldn’t be changed, overtime couldn’t be passed up, or business couldn’t be avoided. They can miss first words, first steps, first days of school, recitals, games, awards, and so many other moments they would love to be a part of. It’s life. Jobs and a means to make a living are just part of it.
In many cases dad’s leave in the morning, missing the bowls of fruit loops and the half a dozen times of instructions to put shoes on. They are gone during the day, left out of school pick ups and homework madness. They often times are not the “taxi” that drives to and from practices and after school activities with a car full of small voices laughing, crying, talking, and arguing. Some nights their chair at the dinner table is left empty and they miss out on their turn to talk about the day they had. If they are there they are tired after dealing with the trials and tribulations of the day, a mountain of work to finish a project, power tripping bosses, disgruntled customers, new sales, trauma, recovery, time lost, and time well spent. Their minds are elsewhere and somehow they need to find the energy to love on their wife and kids. They need to compartmentalize, to separate their work life from their family life. They must put aside the deadlines and to-do lists and make a switch to math tutor and bedtime storyteller. The vitality he needs, that might otherwise be impossible to grasp, ironically is found in the very place he left it that morning. He finds it in the little voices that call out his name, “daddy”, as soon as he comes through the door. It is in the hugs and smiles he is greeted with and the realization that he has a special place at home.
Society has no influence on a child’s love for their dad. Whatever they do at work has nothing on how high they can toss their son in the air or how fun they can make teeth brushing. Daddies have a special way of turning even the most mundane chore into a silly game or small adventure. Daddies love to play. Maybe it’s like an electrical current that recharges their internal batteries whenever they hear their children laugh or witness a look of wonder on their small faces. It’s how they keep going and why they do what they do day in and day out. Whether they love their jobs or not there are bound to be days when they would rather be somewhere else. There are times when they would rather not miss out on the winning goal their kid scored or the first time their baby discovered its belly button. The time dad’s get to spend with their kids is priceless and essential not only for the kids but for dads too. So this Father’s Day don’t just let your partner have a day off of work to be a dad. Let him have a day to be a kid. Let him play streetball out front or on the courts (Michael Jordan slam-dunking optional). Let him race shopping carts across the target parking lot, no matter who’s watching (even security). Let him have a water fight, blow bubbles, build sandcastles, laugh until he cries, and school his kids in a game of Uno (because you know he gets some strange satisfaction from beating his 10-year-old in a card game). Allow the little boy inside him to smile as he watches Finding Nemo with his little girl curled up next to him. Let him completely make up the words to the book he is reading at bedtime even though that drives you crazy (that’s not what the book says!).
His face will tell it all. So will theirs. Daddies if you are reading this I hope this Father’s Day you remember the light your kids see you in. You compare to none other. You are the strongest, bravest, smartest, silliest person they know. Simply by your actions of being you, you are teaching them life lessons every day on what love is. They see how hard you work, they adore the way you take the time to tuck the blankets all the way around their little bodies at night, and they can’t get enough of the tickle game only you play with them over, and over, and over again. There are days you may feel like you are failing, months that your family budget is too tight, weekends when you are so far behind you have to be at the office instead of the neighborhood barbecue, and nights when your babies are already asleep when you go to tuck them in. Take heart and know this…they don’t see what you consider to be your faults. What they see is the one who gives the best bear hugs, the one taught them how to swing a bat, and the one who’s chest makes the best spot for a nap. All they see is a big man before them, who not only knows how to work, but who knows how to play.
8+ Extra Special Birthday Ideas they will Love
Make your loved one’s day all about them with our extra special birthday ideas. Not only are they thoughtful, but simple too!
Continue reading “8+ Extra Special Birthday Ideas they will Love”
The Only DIY Face Mask You Need
In my lifetime I’ve literally spent thousands of dollars on skin care. Honestly, my teenage years were nothing it when it came to dealing with my skin in my 20s and 30s. From breakouts to blackheads to dark spots to fine lines. Before, during, and after pregnancies and all the hormone fluctuations in between. I’ve used countless products from countless companies. Then, I discovered the one DIY face mask with multi-tasking capabilities that changed my stubborn skin for the better. And, what?? It is only 3 ingredients. Bonus!
Continue reading “The Only DIY Face Mask You Need”Summer Sips on Our Rating to-do List
Summer isn’t summer without thirst quenching beverage, a refreshing cocktail, or a heat beating smoothie.
We are predicting these 5 to be our favorites this sunny season and will be sure to sample each one.
Be a part of our rating squad and give these recipes a try. Then come back to let us know what you thought by giving it your own star rating.
Summer’s best water activities and more…
You can’t think of summer with out thinking of water. The beach, the pool, running through the sprinkler in the yard, are all a part of playtime in the summer months. This year let your kids splash through these creative activities to keep busy and cool at the same time.
New School Lunch Ideas to Try This Year
Are your kids bored with the school lunches you’ve been making all year? Or maybe its the beginning of a brand new school year and you want it to be the best school lunch year ever!! Here’s a few new school lunch ideas you maybe haven’t tried before that the diy detectives are thrilled about.