This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase via these links, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. 1st Grade Learning Games Last fall I had no idea that I might have my 1st grader home with me for the rest of the year. What I did know was that there were a lot of 1st graders around the country who needed help buying supplies for their classrooms....
Everyone knows that fourth of July is a great time to celebrate with family and friends. It’s also a great time to play some hilarious fourth of July games at your backyard barbecue with the whole family! I’ve put together a list of the best games for July 4th celebrations I could find, including some of my own that I came up with just to add to my 4th of July party ideas post a while back!...
When I go anywhere, I’m always on the lookout for the best food and fun things to do. It’s kind of my thing – food and fun. Our family trip to Daytona Beach was no different. The only difference was that I didn’t go into the trip expecting to find such amazing food. I know some places are known for the food – I just didn’t know that Daytona Beach restaurants were going to be so good....
One of my favorite parts of owning this website is my readers and when readers send me emails with their favorite games and traditions they do with their own families. This particular idea, actually the turkey hunt version of it, was sent in by one of my readers before Thanksgiving, and I love it so much I’ve turned it into a reindeer hunt too! There are three different variations of the game depending on what age is playing, but they can really all three be fun for all ages if you just hide the reindeer appropriately!...
When I told my son school was cancelled for the rest of the year, his first reaction was but mom, I won’t get to celebrate my birthday at school. I’ll have to celebrate in second grade. My heart broke. Not only does he not get to celebrate his birthday at school and get all the special fun that comes with it, but he also doesn’t get to have the big birthday party that we’d literally just planned out a week ago....
You know the best part of an Olive Garden meal (I mean other than than the never ending soup, salad, and breadsticks…oh and the fettuccine alfredo)? When you get the huge pile of Andes Mints at the end of the meal. There’s just something perfect about the combination of chocolate and mint flavor in the mints. It’s not too minty and it’s not too chocolatey. These cookies are like the mints at the end of an Olive Garden meal – the perfect combo of chocolate and mint wrapped in one delicious treat....
How to Soften Butter at Room Temperature Not sure how long to soften butter? Keep an eye on it, but the easiest way to soften butter is to remove a cold stick from the refrigerator and let it hang out at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes until it becomes room temperature or until just spreadable. The timing will vary depending on the room temperature and how cold the butter is to start with....
While chamomile tea is good for many things and is a great caffeine-free drink option, it’s not for everyone. (Like any plants, chamomile can cause rare allergic reactions in some people, and not enough studies have been done on its long-term safety for doctors to recommend drinking it during pregnancy.) Here are some of the most well-known chamomile tea benefits for health concerns adults face. Anxiety According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 40 million Americans suffer from anxiety disorders, making it the most common mental illness in the United States....
Consider a few of these last-minute back-up plans. It comes from the island of Mauritius, just off the coast of Africa, and is much darker than your usual brown sugar variety. As a result, it’s much richer in flavor. You’ll likely notice its delicious caramel flavor and slightly smoky aftertaste, which is why it can be found in everything from ginger cookies to barbecue sauce. One more perk? It’s known for being moister than other sugars, so it won’t clump together when used in baking recipes....
Does this really work? Many toilet bowl cleaners contain powerful chemicals, including bleach, which will quickly clean and brighten even the dingiest grout. However, because grout is porous, the chemicals may corrode the grout over time. Also, be careful if you have colorful tile, as the bleach may cause discoloration. RELATED: How to Clean Grout the Easy Way For a satisfying quick-clean version, order some Cyber Putty, which traps the dirt and dust lurking between keys....
For the Aspiring Chef Restaurant-quality risotto or coq au vin that would make Julia Child cry (happy tears) aren’t pipe dreams for CocuSocial’s Master Series graduates. With this in-person or virtual experience, you cook alongside Michelin-starred or James Beard-winning chefs. Send a gift card for the recipient to book the class(es) that most appeal. They’ll need to supply their own ingredients for a recipe shared beforehand, but the chefs will answer any questions live during the class....
Stock Up and Store Smart There is a misconception that fresh produce isn’t safe to eat during the coronavirus outbreak. The FDA and the CDC have both issued statements reiterating that it’s safe to eat fresh produce so long as you’re taking the necessary food safety precautions to clean and store it and following the rules for grocery shopping safely during the pandemic. That being said, there are a few simple tricks to storing fresh fruits and vegetables to maximize their shelf life, including keeping produce that releases ethylene gas separated (find them here)....
Top Professional Kitchen Organizing Tips If you’ve ever worked in a restaurant or peeked in the back, then you’ve probably noticed that no space goes to waste. Shelving spans above and below countertops, and walk-ins are lined with tiered units. If you have a pantry, then take note of this design: Place the items you use most at eye level, the heaviest items beneath, and the specialty items above. If you don’t have a pantry, add open shelving to a blank wall—for everyday items like plates and cups—or place a cart beside a small countertop....
Inside a seed’s hard coating is an entire embryonic plant, surrounded by all the food it needs to thrive once dispersed in soil. Consistently incorporate seeds into your diet, and you’ll reap benefits from those nutrients, making seeds well worth the addition. The seeds listed here are among the healthiest, and most stay fresh up to a year when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Consider them worthy alternatives to nuts (which are actually shelled fruits that contain seeds)....
Research published in 2019 confirmed a higher mortality risk among adults who engaged in minimal-to-no physical activity. Little changes, like taking the stairs between floors or walking home from the grocery store instead of driving, are easy ways to add some low-impact exercise into your daily routine. RELATED: This Quick Full-Body Stretching Routine Will Help Loosen Stiff Muscles Between-meal energy dips and cravings are a signal to reach for protein-packed, nutrient-rich munchies....
This past weekend my family took a quick road trip to San Antonio! It was the first road trip we’ve done in a while with my 4-year-old, and I wanted to share some of the road trip tips I learned from our experiences. It’s actually the first one since our road trip from Dallas to Austin, and I’m so glad we brought all of these road trip essentials! We’re typically pack up and go travel people – totally last minute travelers, so I wrote this post for myself to keep handy for those times!...
RELATED: 5 Ways to Train Your Brain for Lifelong Mental Fitness One great example is the Mediterranean diet, which has been named the Best Overall Diet in 2022 by U.S. News & World Report for the fifth year in a row. It’s a holistic, nutrient-rich diet rich in plant-based foods, whole grains, nuts, seafood, and healthy fats—and even lets you enjoy red wine (in moderation). The Mediterranean diet involves eating fish twice each week and cutting back on excess salt....
There are many different types of vacuum cleaners on the market, so trying to figure out which are the best for stairs can be a bit overwhelming. To help you find the best option for your stairs, we researched the top options on the market, considering their weight, style (handheld, upright, stick, etc.), ease of use, battery life (if cordless), and overall value. With these considerations in mind, we found the Dyson V11 Torque Drive Cordless Vacuum Cleaner to be the very best....
“I typically advise my clients to avoid heavy patterns. Also, too matchy-matchy is definitely a thing. I mean we have all seen those memes of an entire family dressed in tartan or denim. Don’t let that be you,” says Ilene Squires, a portrait photographer based in Los Angeles. “Instead, simply try to stay in the same color family. If you want to wear earth tones, then deep greens, creams, and browns are the way to go....
Simply put: Our bodies were not made to be stationary for long periods. “Historically, if a person was sitting or lying down for hours when not asleep, they would have starved or gotten eaten by something,” says Aimee Layton, PhD, an exercise physiologist from Columbia University and a Peloton Health & Wellness Advisory Council member. Nowadays, something is still going to get you—but “that something becomes disease and premature aging....
