Christmas Financial Solution - Economy Saved For Good!

I used to be a staunch proponent of having Christmas once every four years like the Olympics. But there's been a profound sea change, my friends. I have trumped all the pundits and economic geniuses. I have solved our economic and financial woes for good: have Christmas every month! You heard that right: celebrate Christmas each and every month of the year. Do you know what this would mean for retailers? Do you know how many more jobs this would create? It would completely save the Postal Service. Think of all those Christmas gifts and cards you'd be sending out every month. Do you realize you'd NEVER have to take down your holiday decorations ever again?

Think about how much you spend on Christmas and multiply it times 12. Sure it's a lot of dough (money), but you'd be helping to create permanent joy for your kids and grandkids, and helping to save our dead economy at the same time. Does it get any better? Talk about the Christmas Spirit!

And, for you shopaholics out there: it's your dream of a lifetime come true. You would be perpetually shopping for gifts. It would be Christmas Season everyday. Sales, sales, and more sales. Malls would be teaming with ecstatic shoppers (mostly women of course). Can you imagine all the good will? Santa Clause and the Reindeer all day, everyday. Think of how many more parades there'd be, and those ultra-cute school Christmas plays. Television Christmas specials around the clock. Maybe even TCC, The Christmas Channel would emerge. You could go Christmas caroling with all your friends till you're blue in the face and drunk on your butt all year long. Christmas bazaars and craft shows would rule the day. It would be a perpetual permanent potluck at the office, too. Wow.

And for all you holiday bakers out there: you'd never be bored: cookies, chocolate everythings, candy, breads, fruitcakes, pies and every Christmasy treat under the sun every month. Did I mention parties? OMG, it would be a nonstop extravaganza of holiday cheer the world has never seen: "Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh, aye!" all night long, every month (at least). Can you imagine how awesome it would be to have Christmas in the summer? Christmas summer barbecues and block parties? Get out!

One exception: recorded Christmas music played in public or on the radio would only be allowed from after Thanksgiving until December 25th. Gotta have that rule.

Growing Daylilies - Pests and Plagues

No wonder gardeners everywhere love growing daylilies - they're pest and disease resistant!

Daylily Pests

Some insects are attracted to daylilies, but they rarely do much damage. Here are some to look out for:

Spider mites: these are the most common daylily pests, and while they're not exactly welcome guests, they seldom do any real damage to the plants. Spider mites are generally most active in warm climates and in hot, dry weather, and the easiest way to keep their numbers down is to hose down the foliage regularly.

Slugs and snails: These nocturnal pests feed on tender new growth at night and hide in cool dark places (like under mulch or foliage) during the day. Avoid infestations by keeping the area tidy (no piles of dead leaves or foliage) and by hosing the plant down occasionally. If you do get a slug/snail infestation, treat with a commercial product specifically formulated to get rid of snails and slugs. Do NOT use kelthane on daylilies - it can harm the plant.

Aphids: There is a type of aphid that feeds only on daylilies, and an infestation can be difficult to eliminate. Aphids are most active in cool weather, so look for them in spring and fall in temperate climates and all winter long in warmer areas. Commercially available pesticides formulated specifically to combat aphids are the best defense.

Diseases

Disease in daylilies is seldom a problem for home gardeners. The better the daylily cultivator is suited to the climate, the less environmental stress it will experience and the more disease resistant it will be.

Crown and Root Rot: this devastating disease isn't common, but it can be triggered by a number of factors ranging from weather conditions to bacterial pathogens, poor soil aeration, and soil that is too wet. Signs of crown and root rot include yellowing of the foliage, a mushy feel to the plant tissue, and occasionally a foul smell.

Rot is very difficult to treat, so the best practice is to do everything possible to avoid it. Make sure your plants are in loose, well-aerated soil; don't over-water or over-fertilize; don't plant your daylilies too deep; and select varieties that are well-suited to your geographic location.

Preparing For Labor When You Are 36 Weeks Pregnant

Congratulations for coming this far into your pregnancy. You are now 36 weeks pregnant and after this week your pregnancy will be considered full term and you will be ready to deliver your baby anytime after that.

There are a number of problems a lady faces at this time. If you find it difficult to eat your normal meal, try smaller but frequent meals so that you do not under nourish yourself and your baby. However, the good news is that your heartburn and acidity will reduce at this point and you may feel a bit lighter on that front. By the end of this week your baby will drop to your lower abdomen, putting more pressure on your lower abdomen and back. This may mean vaginal discomfort and a frequent need to pee.

You might feel continual contractions in the uterus which may or may not be labor pains. If you feel these contractions four or more times in an hour consistently, you need to consult your doctor.

Some Interesting Things About The Stages Of Labor

If you are a first-time mother-to-be, I must tell you that this phase of your life can give you feeling of proud that your have delivered such a beautiful creation. Pregnancy is all about three phases.

The first stage starts with early labor and ends with active labor. Here, you have contractions that increase progressively. Your cervix is effaced and is fully dilated eventually. However, early labor is difficult to detect because it is difficult to tell actual labor from Braxton Hicks. When the cervix has contracted to almost 4 centimeters, the early labor ends and you get into active labor. Your contractions at this stage become better, stronger, and longer.

Finally, when your cervix is about 10 centimeters dilated, it marks the beginning of your second stage of labor. This is the phase when you actually start pushing the baby to come down. This can last a few minutes to a few hours.

The last stage will begin when the crown of your baby's head is visible and in the last contraction you will push your baby out. The doctors will then rotate and turn the baby out to hold him from the shoulders once his head is out. Then the doctor or the midwife will clear his nose and mouth through suction and will undo the umbilical cord from his neck. They will then cut the cord and clean the baby.

After the baby is born, you will experience a range of emotions. You may be completely drained and exhausted and may feel tremendous burst of energy. This may be accompanied with a strong urge to sleep. Starting with relief to relaxation to happiness to awe and finally euphoria, you will feel them all!

This all is more likely to happen after the 37th week. However, you need to be prepared for child birth as soon as you are 36 weeks pregnant. Knowing these stages is very important as it will help you to be ready for the birthing process and make certain decisions related to pain relief and management during child birth.

Pregnancy Sickness - A Common Condition Explained

Pregnancy sickness is one of the most unwanted side effects of expecting a baby but it is also one of the most common. Over half of all women will experience it at some time during their pregnancy. It is most likely to occur during the first trimester and will normally start during the second month. It could continue until the fourth or fifth month and even longer for a small proportion of women. Pregnancy sickness throughout the entire time until birth is even possible but luckily these cases are rare. A relatively low percentage, estimated at around 15%, will never experience the problem at all. This normally seems to apply to women who are pregnant for the first time.

The effect and severity of the condition is very hard to predict or plan for. Some will just feel a little queasy while others may be vomiting consistently day after day. There are no clear guidelines as to who will get pregnancy sickness and how severely it will affect them. Everybody is different and will have a slightly different experience. No one can even provide a definite cause for exactly why it happens. There are numerous theories, several with medical studies to support them, but none have even been definitively proved.

Pregnancy sickness is often referred to as morning sickness but this is not really an accurate description. The problem can really occur at any time of day rather than just the morning. While it is certainly true that a lot of women will wake up in the morning feeling sick, you need to be aware that it doesn't stop there. The same nauseous feelings could strike again at any time and any place. This might be traveling to or from work or while you are out doing the shopping. This can be an even bigger problem if you aren't ready to tell everyone about your pregnancy. It can be difficult to keep it a secret when somebody at work notices you heading for the bathroom continually.

There are various theories as to why the condition happens and mostly they are based around hormones. It is logical to think that your pregnancy will totally throw out your hormones and lead to the various fluctuations which are thought to be a major factor that leads to the condition.

In the early stages of your pregnancy, your body will naturally increase production of progesterone which is a hormone that relaxes the muscles of the uterus. This works to stop the potential for early labor and also assists with increasing your immunity levels. It is thought, however, that it could also impact on the stomach and induce feelings of nausea.

It's no real surprise that your body will have a reaction of some kind to the massive changes that it is going through. There is now an extra life inside you that needs support which will mean that your body will be adapting to the new role. It is easy to see how all this change and upheaval could lead to stomach upset.

As you progress through your pregnancy, and your new baby starts to get bigger, you are likely to begin feeling sick after you have eaten a meal. This is to be expected as their is limited space available and the baby will press against the newly ingested food. This can easily make you feel ill and you may also get a touch of heartburn. To alleviate this problem, just try to move around or adjust to a different position - this will often reduce the queasy feelings. You should also try to eat smaller meals throughout the day rather than 3 main meals. This will give your stomach more room to digest the food without the baby pushing against it.

Pregnancy sickness can be a traumatic experience for expectant mothers. If you understand what it is, and how to adjust to it, then hopefully you will be better able to adapt when it comes.

Herb Garden Kits - The Surprising Tip to Start Herb Garden Plants on Overdrive

Herb garden kits. Successful herb gardeners secret weapon? Who knew? In case you are not familiar with growing kits, here's a basic description of what they are and how they work. A garden kit normally includes a plastic or peat tray, sometimes divided into sections, some potting soil, herbal seeds, and a clear plastic dome or cover.

Why herb growing kits work

Although garden kits are often marketed to the beginner, they are an example of how keeping a task simple and removing possible problems at the start of a project, is often the wisest way forward even for an expert herb gardener. Because the soil supplied in a herb garden kit is dry and packed in an airtight bag, the problem of introducing mold or fungus as you start herb garden planting, is decreased significantly.

Once your seeds are planted, a gentle misting is all that's required. The simple clear plastic dome, which snaps over the seed tray, prevents evaporation. Once placed on a sunny windowsill or counter top, you will soon notice that the kit creates its own little environment within the clear cover. Really, it's a tiny little climate within the world under the dome.

After your initial misting or moistening of the soil in the tray, water evaporates from the soil and rises to the top of the dome, where it condenses and forms water droplets. The droplets of water gently "rain" back down to the soil and seeds in the tray. This is exactly the way weather systems are created on Earth. (Water from lakes and oceans evaporates and rises to the top of our planet's atmosphere, where it gathers to form clouds, and falls back to Earth as rain.) Because your herbs are now set to autopilot and in effect, are caring for themselves, growth is stimulated quickly and very effectively.

How herb garden kits give you a jump on spring for your outdoor herb garden

If you start your herbs in a kit in late winter or very early spring, because they grow so effectively with a minimum of stress to the seedlings, by the time the season for outdoor gardening arrives, your herbs in the garden kit, are literally busting out all over. To an observer walking by your yard in early spring, it seems as if you have magically summoned a thriving and somehow mature "instant garden."

Although I won't cover it here today, there are some very special tips for really ramping up your home herb garden using herb garden kits. These tips turn a good method, into a great method for getting a jump on spring herb garden plants.

Sowing the Good Seeds Into the Mind of Your Child to Reap What You Sow

You reap what you sow. As parent, grandparent, do we know what types of seed that we have sowed into the mind of our children, grandchildren in the past decades and what do we expect to reap. Many parents do not have an answer. Their 10 year-olds have spun them round and round until they become dizzy and cannot even breathe.

As a parent, you cannot stand there just feeling disappointed and sorry for your children. You need to find out the causes that have led to the current state of affair. You reap what you sow; you have planted the wrong types of seed. You have to stop your tears as crying will not help to change the bad seeds to become the good seeds. You must identify and start to plant the good seeds, change the method of cultivation including the provision of good sunshine, clean air and clean water to ensure that you will be able to reap a good harvest later. Similarly, your children will not turn to become good by you just sitting there waiting for him to grow up. The often-heard saying that "the child is still small; he will change to become better when he grows up" cannot be true at all. The change has to start with us as the parent. The parent with the disposition and practice of good ethics and values in the home will create the change necessary to transform the atmosphere in the home.

Life is like playing a game of chess. If one is only able to visualize the move one step at a time, the game is not only uninteresting but the steps are difficult to move. However, if one is able to see the desired result at the end of fifty or hundred steps ahead, then one can move each incremental step with ease and even ignore others' comment due to their inability to see as far as you could. Similarly, do we know the reason for the other person's children or grandchildren to become good kids? We may have adopted the wrong method or value system and we may not have seen ten years or twenty years ahead. We were just looking at one day at a time.

I have a friend who has a son who is now twenty over years old. His no-nonsense method of teaching his son when his son was still a toddler was severely criticized by his other brothers and sisters. Even his own parent does not agree with his method, saying that his method is too stringent and no one else is using such method to raise their children nowadays. However, my friend strongly believes that behaviors repeated many times will eventually become habits; as such he believes that if he is able to instill the good behaviors for his son when he was still a toddler, then when he grows up, his good behaviors will become his habits. With the correct value systems and the good habits as the foundation, he will then have the ability and the inner force to discipline himself so that he will not fall into the wrong path. After a decade, when his son was ten over years old, whenever his parent visits him, his son will offer his parent tea and give them a massage; his son even telephones his parent frequently to show his concerns for them. His parent has to change and retract their earlier criticism as he has proven and has brought up a well-mannered son. His brothers and sisters' children, on the other hand, were having problems. Not only their children do not have the basic manners to respect the elders, they were also experts in expanding their parents' hard earned money to buy things and toys and gadgets that they desired but do not need.

Decide what you want your children to be and plant the good seeds today so that you can be assured of reaping a good harvest later. Good values and behaviors need to be instilled into your children whilst they are still a toddler. A child would grow up to be what they are based on how they were raised and this does not happen by chance. It requires a lot of patience and hard work and good role model from the parent and the grandparent who are living with the child. You reap what you sow.

Organic Gardening Fertilizer - Compost - Danger in the Vegetable Garden Volume 1

The Pit Controversy
Hello my wonderful gardening chums, it's Beatrix Potts your, "Organic Gardening Maven."?First a word or two about our title. When you are given inaccurate and even false information about organic gardening fertilizer your organic vegetable garden may be in terrible danger. Bad information is just as dangerous as cutworms. We are here to set the record straight and give you the most reliable information available.

So, on with the show. Beatrix is here to tell you that organic fertilizer, a.k.a. organic gardening compost is the life's blood of your organic vegetable garden. Organic gardening is incomplete without organic gardening compost.?This is not just an essential element of organic vegetable gardening it is probably the singular most important element. And it is the element that you can produce and control.

Understanding organic garden fertilizer will allow you to understand how important the plant's life is and it will help the soil, insects, and everything that our wonderful vegetables need to grow and thrive.
Many of my gardening燼ficionados have written to me and asked, "Beatrix, what can I put into my compost?" My dear, the answer is quite simple, twigs, leaves, eggshells, formerly fresh fruit, teabags, and you always want a good mix of "Greens and Browns." Mr. Melvin Potts, our wonderful spouse and "Mr. Organic Gardening Compost Man," has reminded yours truly to give a plug for the often neglected "Browns." They are defined as plant matter that was formerly green and has dried and become desiccated and is now as its name implies, Brown. Dried leaves, plants, and dried grass clippings are excellent sources of brown material for your organic vegetable garden.

Please remember our 1st Rule, anything that comes out of the ground can go back into your compost and eventually back into the ground. And you know of course to never add meat, bones or items with oils, and never ever do we include dog or cat feces.

All of these things will be consumed by microorganisms, insects, nematodes and what Beatrix likes to refer to as the 'most uncommon earthworm.' These are the beasties that inhabit your organic compost and they will voraciously consume the vegetable matter and turn it into the nutrients that our plants need to grow. We always refer to the worms in our garden as, 'most uncommon.' You see my dears the earthworms in our garden are the epitome, the most wonderful of organic gardening compost machines, and for that reason we refer to them as being 'most uncommon.'

Some would have you believe that compost requires a pit. Beatrix is here to tell you that a "pit" is not entirely necessary. All you need is a flat space of ground where you can put all of your compost materials, this space needs to be where you can provide water, turn the compost and provide a most essential ingredient, air.?You will then eventually put your compost through a screen to get rid of any sticks or extraneous matter.

It is an absolute fallacy that you need to dig a deep hole for your organic compost. You don't need some kind of a "pit" to begin the exciting adventure that is making organic gardening compost. What you need is simply a small flat piece of ground to put your compost material on top of.?This is probably the singular and most efficient way to begin making organic garden fertilizer, the organic compost that is going to make your vegetable garden thrive and be absolutely wonderful.

Well, your faithful servant and gardening buddy, Beatrix Potter the "Organic Gardening Maven" has, unfortunately run out of space, much to your chagrin. In the next volume of, "Danger in the Vegetable Garden" we will be taking a look at, "Garden Tools-Dangerous Instruments that Maim or a Gardener's Best Friend?"

Helpful Advice When Raising a Defiant 3-12 Year Old - Part 2

There are always alternatives to disciplining defiant children ages 3-12 without using Punishments, Time-Outs, Behavioral Plans, or Rewards. The aim of this article is to teach parents how to get their children to follow directions without of the "hype" and nonsense that is taught out there today.

First it is always important to give your 3-12 year old choices. How exactly do I do that? The best way to balance this concept of choice giving is to give two choices that you are perfectly okay with no matter what he or she picks. Do your best to pick two choices that will balance what he/she is allowed to do with what the child would enjoy doing.

Why is giving two choices so important? This is so important to do because giving too many choices and your child will become overwhelmed by having to pick. If you do not give enough choices your 3-12 year old will feel like he or she has "no say at all", and the child will rebel.

Secondly, make sure that you give your 3-12 year old ample warning about what is going to happen next, at least 10 minutes before hand. Actually the most the most effective way to handle these transition times is by using the 10 minute, 5 minute, 1 minute, then GO system.

This method simply is done by giving a child a warning 10 minutes, then another one at 5 minutes. Finally give one last warning to wrap up at the one minute make, and then GO. This method should eliminate about 75% of most resistance from moving from one activity to the next.

In conclusion, raising defiant children can be a very difficult task. Make sure that if you need further assistance that you seek help from a qualified mental health professional or pediatrician

Herbs Gardens - Why They Are So Popular Today

More and more we are hearing about how the American population is overweight and sedentary. This is particularly heartbreaking when talking about children. So in an effort to slim down waist lines in America, more and more people are getting back to basics with great tasting natural foods and that is making herb gardens more popular than ever.

Herbs gardens have a number of advantages. The first is that they are quite attractive. There are a number of different ways that you can grow herbs gardens, and all of them are amazingly easy. You can have a container garden or one that you plant in the ground. Most herbs gardens are quite pretty, with some plants being tall and wispy such as Dill, while some are low and bushy, such as Rosemary. It's all a matter of what you prefer.

Another advantage of herbs gardens is that they are a healthy hobby in more way than one. Growing a garden has been shown in research to be a healthy way to get some exercise. Imagine hauling around a couple of water cans or pushing around a wheelbarrow of potting mix over varying terrain. Then you can imagine the workout you'd get, just from tending your garden. Growing herbs gardens typically requires one to spend time outdoors. While most people know that too much sun is bad, not enough sun is bad too. With our indoor lifestyles, we've developed a culture with a vitamin D deficiency, which is absorbed from sunlight and is necessary for strong bones, particularly in post menopausal women. There is another way that spending time in the sunshine in your herb garden can benefit your health. Many people suffer from a condition called Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD. It is a seasonal form of depression and occurs when days get shorter and people don't get enough sunlight to keep the chemicals serotonin and melatonin regulated in the body.

Herbs gardens are really a great thing for those trying to lose weight. Most nutrition experts will recommend that those trying to shed a few pounds replace the excess sugar, salt, fats, and carbohydrates with lots of fresh flavor from herbs. In fact, the first couple of weeks of a low carb diet advocates making salads that include the rich flavors of herbs, as many herbs not only enhance the flavors of foods, but they are also cleansing to the body, such as parsley. Those with a sweet tooth can find relief from those sugar cravings by eating fresh fruits with any variety of mint. Just imagine fresh raspberries with some chocolate mint. It's a delicious way to have desert without the guilt.

No matter what your reasons for wanting one, herbs gardens are a great addition to any home and any diet. They can uplift your spirit and slim down your waste and give you a great hobby too. Growing a garden is easy to do and is an inexpensive way to add variety to your recipes. Try it and you'll see.

Baby Shower Recipes You Can Use All Year

No one quite knows when that bundle of joy is going to arrive. So, you may be having a baby shower any time of the year: Spring, Summer, Fall or Winter. Here are some basic baby shower recipes you can use at any party all year long.

Fruit Salad

Ingredients:

Peeled, sliced apples ?green, red and yellow

Peeled, sliced bananas

Sliced peaches or nectarines

Sliced pears

Cubed melon ?watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew

Seedless grapes ?red and white

Cut berries ?strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and raspberries

Sliced oranges

?Any fruit that is in season and easily purchased.

Combine all the ingredients you wish from the list above in a large bowl or the hollowed out watermelon rind. Fruit salad is a fresh and healthy treat for any occasion, including your baby shower.

Party Punch

Ingredients:

2 liter bottle of clear soda ?lemon-lime or ginger ale

1 ?gallon sherbet ?pink variety for a girl, blue variety for a boy

In a large punch bowl, pour the clear soda over the sherbet. Ladle into cups and enjoy. Make as needed.

*A variation on this is to make a float with vanilla ice cream and either a red or blue soda.

Baby Bagel Sandwiches

Ingredients:

Mini bagels ?plain and garlic varieties

Lunch meat ?ham, turkey, and salami

Spreads ?tuna salad and chicken salad

Cheese ?American, Swiss, provolone and mozzarella

Vegetables ?tomato, lettuce, and cucumber

Mayonnaise

Mustard

Place all of the bagels on one large serving tray. Place all the lunch meats and cheeses on a second serving tray. Place the spreads in bowls with spoons. Place all the vegetables on a third serving tray. Have mayonnaise and mustard available, if needed. Allow your guests to create their own 揵aby bagel sandwiches?to enjoy.

All of these baby shower recipes can be used all year round. Use one to add to your menu, or all three and your whole shower is covered.

Bridal Shower Party Favors - Special Gifts For Limited Budget

Bridal shower party favors are traditionally given to all guests at the bride's shower. Most bridal showers are given by a member of the wedding party - most often it's considered the responsibility of the maid of honor. These gifts are given to thank the guests for coming, and can be small trinkets or more elaborate, expensive gifts, depending on your budget. If you've been tasked with finding favors for a bridal shower, here are some ideas to help you along.

Bridal Shower Party Favors that Reflect the Bride's Personality

Since the party is to honor the bride's special day, the party should reflect something of her personality and tastes.?One popular trend for bridal showers is to plan the party around a central theme - usually something the bride likes. It's especially fun to decorate for this type of party. This is a great way to make the party memorable and reflect the personality of the bride herself.

For instance, if the bride loves to hang out at the beach, you could plan an ocean-themed party, or if she is a huge sports fan you can use her favorite team as a basis. Here are some ideas:

* Beach Theme:?colorful plastic flip flops, sunglasses, water spray bottles, sun visors, beach towels

* Sports Theme:?pennants from her favorite team, ball caps, imprinted team coffee mugs, small stuffed baseballs or footballs imprinted with the brides name and date of the event

* Gardening Theme:?packets of seeds (vegetables or flowers), colorful gardening gloves, small gardening tools (trowel, hand spade)

Bridal Shower Party Favors with a Homemade Touch

If you're on a budget and have a creative flair, you can make your own party favors for the guests. The sky is the limit on this type of gift! For very little money and a small investment of time, you can create gifts that both reflect the bride's tastes and give the guests a way to remember the party with fondness. Some ideas for homemade gifts include:

* Satchets made with squares of nylon net, tulle, or organza, filled with pot pourri or dried lavender, and tied with a pretty ribbon.

* Scented candles made using moulds or canning jars. You can find the materials at your local crafts store on or the internet.

* A CD with a mix of the bride's favorite songs, or a collection of classic love songs. You can design and print special, personalized CD covers with the bride's name and date of the party, and a list of the guests' names.

No matter what kind of bridal shower party favors you choose, you're sure to have a hit with gifts.

Know Thy Space When Decorating a Baby Nursery

What an exciting time for you! Decorating a baby nursery can be one of the most fun experiences you have while waiting for your little one whether that be biologically or by adoption. Whether you have a few rooms to choose from or simply a small space it is important to really know the room where baby will sleep. Will the room be near a high traffic area? What direction will the nursery be face? These questions should be answered before you even put the first coat of baby's breath blue on the wall.

Whether you have a big room or just a small alcove to dedicate to baby, the area can still reflect just how special your little one is. Although, a small room or a reclassified walk-in closet made nursery can be a challenge it can still be stunning with the right furniture placement or the furniture doing double duty. Consider that the dresser can also double as your changing table with a changing pad placed on top. And under the crib can double as extra storage space. A book shelve can hold books and nicely folded baby clothes. By thinking outside of the box, your limited room space can start taking form of a spectacular baby nursery.

Another thing that you will need to consider is if the room is going to be near a high traffic area. While you don't want to tip-toe around a sleeping baby you also don't want to disrupt the baby's sleep time. If the room that you choose or the only space that you have available will be close to the center of your daily activities, you will want to consider ways to buffer the noise. You can accomplish this a few ways. You can place lovely quilted wall hangings on the wall. You could run a white noise machine or you could lowly play nature sounds to provide a white noise for a sleeping baby. Taking these few extra steps could save you some peace of mind later while baby is sleeping in his new nursery.

Knowing what direction the room will face is also important. The beautiful streaming sunlight coming in from the east may look beautiful but do you really want that sun waking your baby at the crack of dawn? Perhaps you have a northern facing room? If so, keep in mind that the nursery will not receive much sun and the added warmth and light that it brings so you will want to consider colors to brighten the space as well as window treatments that help insulate the room to help provide a comfortable temperature.

I encourage you to spend time in the space. Get to know the room. Walk around the room, sit on the floor in different areas at different times of the day and you will soon know how the sun looks at different times of the day. This will help you in the long run at knowing where you'll place the crib, what your colors will look like and what type of window treatments you will need. Taking the time now will help you to create the perfect baby nursery later.

Beekeeping Equipment That All Apiary Managers Must Have

Beekeeping is a hobby for some people and it has become a career for others. If you are going to be working with these insects you will definitely need the proper beekeeping equipment before you begin. It is important that you have all of the necessary bee equipment in place prior to the delivery of your bee colonies.

A Place for Bees to Stay

You have to have the right type of beehive for honeybees. Be sure to place the beehives in areas where pets and humans will be less likely to come in contact with them. The hives need to be protected from strong winds as well. Each of the hives must contain 5 supers. These are the areas where the honey is going to be stored and it also serves as the nursery for the new generations of bees.

Beehive supers will contain 9 or 10 individual frames, and they can be either shallow or deep. The deeper supers are convenient bee equipment items because you are only required to buy foundations that are one size. However the disadvantage involves the weight of these deep supers once they are full of honey. Each super can weigh 100 pounds or more when it is full.

Bee Equipment Includes Your Personal Gear

Anyone who is involved in apiary work needs the right kind of protective garments. A veiled head-cover, gloves and a beekeeper jacket are all useful items to have. There is also a full body suit available that offers beekeepers complete protection from head to toe. Choosing the right beekeeping equipment for your personal needs to be one of your top considerations.

Spacers and Smokers

Spacers and smokers are necessary beekeeping equipment that you will need to have on hand. The smoker will be used less often than the spacers but both are critical to the success of your endeavor.

The articles of bee equipment known as spacers are relatively simple items. These are used to maintain equal spacing between the frames in the super.

A smoker is another essential piece of beekeeping equipment. Smokers are used mostly when it is time to harvest the honey from the hives. The parts of a smoker include bellows, a funnel and a chamber that is used for combustion. The bellows helps you keep the fire going in the combustion chamber. You can use the funnel to aim the smoke directly into the hive to make the bees leave while you complete the harvesting.

Metal Hive Tool

This tool is best described as your all in one bee equipment assistant. It has a special design that allows it to be used to open the hives, perform frame scraping tasks and even assists in separating the components within the hive.

Bee Brush

You should not consider that you have all of the beekeeping equipment necessary unless you have included a small bee brush in your tally. This brush helps you move the bees aside when you need to check the frames or perform other hive related duties.

Fumer Board

This is a piece of beekeeping equipment that helps you get the bees out of the hive. If you want to remove the honeycombs a fumer board is what you need to get the job done. This useful beekeeping equipment has been impregnated with chemicals that act as a safe bee repellent.

Want Amazing Kid Birthday Cakes Without Baking?

Do you just want to pick up a birthday cake for your child at your favorite bakery and be done with it?

How would you like to learn a quick and easy way to make any cake you get at your local bakery fit your child's birthday theme perfectly?

If you're like a lot of busy moms out there

It's getting harder and harder for you to find the time in your busy schedule to do a lot of things you'd like to do around your home, and that includes making kid birthday cakes from scratch.

Or, you might be one of many moms that just don't like to bake, and that's OK too. Hey, we all have different interests.

In a survey conducted as part of an article I wrote about decorating cakes for children's birthday parties, a whopping 41 percent of those who responded said they would rather just pick up a cake at the bakery and be done with it.

With that in mind, what you need is a fast and easy way to turn that standard, off the shelf cake into a fun, yummy looking attention grabber that fits your child's birthday party theme.

So if you could find a decoration you can easily add to your "store bought cake" that would really make your cake look great for your child, would you? Of course you would... It's YOUR CHILD's birthday!

Ever heard of Cake Toppers?

Cake toppers are available in two handy forms. Non-edible and edible.

Non-edible cake toppers are colorful, theme related decorations that are cute, sometimes animated and most can be used as fun toys or collectibles by you child after the cake is long gone.

Non-edible toppers are available for just about any theme and all you have to do is set your topper down anywhere you want to on your kid birthday cakes. It's just that easy and cake toppers will turn your standard cake into a fun 3D presentation your child will love.

Edible cake toppers are tasty treats made out of sugar and are used to enhance the look of your cake, even if you're using a non edible topper as well. Edible toppers are also available for just about any theme and your child and their party guests will all want an edible topper on their slice of cake.

Very interesting - So Where Can You Find Cake Toppers?

You're going to love this... You can order the cake toppers of your choice and have them delivered right to your home. And you don't even have to get out of your house, drive around in your car or go to a store. Talk about saving your precious time.

Cake toppers are available conveniently at online party stores that carry birthday cake supplies. Just follow the link at the end of this article and you'll learn more about where you can find wonderful cake toppers online.

Now you can pick up kid birthday cakes at your favorite bakery, put your cake toppers in place and there you have it... An instant original, attention getting cake your child will love.

So if you're like a lot of busy moms out there, you can "have your cake and eat it too" by turning ordinary off the shelf kid birthday cakes into great cakes quickly and easily.

Have FUN

Herbs in Pots - Getting the Most Out of Your Container Garden

When you just need a bit of color or a dab of the unusual, it is the herbs one will use to get the job done. Most popular herbs thrive in pots and containers which can be situated in a windowsill or on a balcony close by for quick use. Then in the winter months, some are brought in for a continued fresh supply for culinary use.

Mint has a widely invasive root system so is well suited for containers. This is among the easiest perennial herb to grow and one of the most aromatic. Mint should be planted in moisture retentive soil and favors a full sun position. The leaves of the 'Moroccan' variety are best for teas and garnishes and all round usefulness.

Dill a feathery, aniseed flavored leaf with seeds that follow a tiny cluster of flowers. They make a delicate addition to any summer container and it is useful as well. The dwarf varieties of Dill, "Bouquet" or "Fernleaf" should be planted in a container in full sun and should be watered regularly to prevent plants from setting seed or bolting. Dill is used in many recipes either dry or fresh with seeds for infusions in vinegar and olive oil.

Coriander when fresh, leaves are used to flavor soups, sauces and as a garnish. Coriander will do well in partial shade if its fresh leaves you require. If you require Coriander seeds for pickles and curries place your container in full sun. This aromatic annual has bright green leaves with pale purple flowers which are followed by the seeds.

The Truth About Baby Heart Rate Monitors

It the past people that were pregnant had to make an appointment at a hospital in order to get the heart beat of the baby checked; however, this is no longer the case. Nowadays it is possible for people to purchase a Doppler heart rate monitor. This allows the heart beat of the baby to be checked and monitored at home.?If you feel that the monitors are too expensive it is pretty easy to hire one as well. ?/p>

There are a lot of benefits of using a Doppler heart rate monitor. The main benefit is that it reduces the stress by a vast amount, especially in the early parts of the pregnancy for the father and the mother alike. Normally by the twelve-week stage of the pregnancy the unborn fetus has developed enough to make it possible for you to trace a heartbeat.

Pregnancy is a time of great excitement for the expectant parents. There is nothing more exciting than hearing the heart beat of your unborn child.?Nowadays this fun and exciting time is something that expectant parents are able to enjoy in the comfortable surroundings of their own home. ?/p>

There are several different styles of baby heart beat monitors that can be used. This does mean however, that when you are looking for one it can be a little bit daunting. It is important to remember that the monitor that is considered the best is the Doppler monitor that is capable of detecting the heart rate of a baby. ?/p>

This type of monitor comes complete with a probe that is attached onto the main unit. In order to find and trace the baby's heart beat you just need to rub some of the gel onto the end of the probe and also rub some onto the tummy and then move the probe all over the tummy and the abdominal area until you hear the beat of the heart. ?/p>

It is true to say that hearing the heart beat of the unborn baby is a truly magical time for the expectant parents. If you are unsure what you are listening for when checking the heart beat it is a sort of fast, swooshing noise. Do not be alarmed and worried if the heart beat sounds fast as this is normal. The heartbeat of the unborn children can be between one hundred and twenty and one hundred and eighty times per minute. If you are truly concerned about the heartbeat of your unborn children then it is very important to seek medical advice just to be on the safe side.??/p>

The best baby heart beat monitors come equipped with a LCD screen so that you are able to clearly see the beats per minute. It is a very good idea to choose a monitor model that is able to directly output the sound, as this will allow family and friends to also enjoy the experience.?It is also possible to get some headphones so that you can listen to it privately any time of night or day.

How to Choose a Special Biblical Baby Name

Selecting a Christian name or a Biblical baby name for your child is an important decision for all Christian parents to be. The chosen baby name or Bible name can affect the child's perception of itself and of others. It reflects both the beliefs and the culture of the parents.

For 2000 years, Christian parents have been selecting baby names after people in the Bible. Now at the turn of the twenty first century, this tradition reflecting our great Christian heritage is fading away as new fashionable baby names have appeared. We as Christian parents have a responsibility to God and to our children as to what kind of name we choose for them.

God does not joke with names.

I notice in the bible how God sent his angel to some people with special message of miracle conception. In some cases he also gave names to the Angel to bring to those parents what he wanted the child born to be called. God did not permit the choice of the names of those children to their parents. He chose those babies names himself.

Over the last few years it has been on my mind to write more articles on names as it has come to my spirit that there are names that could actually hinder people from maximising the best that God has for them in life.

What Is In A Name?
There is power of agreement in a name. God said in Matthew 18:19 "if two shall agree as touching anything on earth it shall be done unto them." Let's say your name means misfortune, deserted empty, fugitive, each time someone calls you such a name and you answer "yes!" unconsciously you are establishing a spiritual principle that, that is who and what you are. You are agreeing with your name for your name is you. You are likely to become what your name means.

At times a bad name can bring tough times into your life and you may even be Wondering why things are the way they are for you. Now I am not saying bad things does not happen to people with good names. I am saying that with a name like "Misfortune", you are more likely to see more misfortune in your life than one whose name is Blessing or Lucky.

The truth is that your name can establish your destiny. So parents pray and then choose wisely when it comes to choosing a name for your baby. Make sure you get enough information about baby names and meanings before you choose that all important baby name. God bless you.

Central American Midwives - A True Labour of Love

There is no doubt that midwives worldwide are very special people. They possess a unique ability to care for women and newborns and it takes a distinctive set of skills to qualify for the job. More than 60% of the world抯 babies are helped into the world with the hands of a midwife or traditional birth attendant. In Central America, midwives are generally referred to as 搕raditional midwives?

Central American traditional midwives are usually well known and respected in their community. Many traditional midwives say they felt a calling to be a midwife and learned their skills through apprenticeship and experience rather than formal training.

But Central American midwives have a tougher job on their hands than their counterparts in wealthier countries. In countries such as Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and El Salvador midwives can often be found working under appalling conditions, depending on how unstable their country抯 health system is, and the majority of these women do not get paid for their hard work.

PAHO (Pan American Health Organization) estimates that there are about 22,000 maternal deaths per year in Latin America and the Caribbean with an aggregate ratio of 190 deaths per 100,000 births. PAHO also estimates that under-reporting in many regions can be as high as 70%.

In Central America, traditional midwives attend most of the deliveries where the maternal mortality is the highest due to poverty. The contribution of traditional midwives to the health of nations has been undervalued by governments and insufficient resources have been allocated to providing midwives with the equipment, training and medicines that they need to carry out their job safely and effectively.

In April 2004, a group of midwives from these five countries took a ground-breaking step by coming together in Costa Rica to share their experiences as midwives in their respective countries. Their tales reflect their love and devotion to their work, and their ongoing commitment to the many women they have helped through childbirth.

They tell their stories of how unjust their health systems are and share harrowing accounts of health care systems which fail its people.

Central American Midwives, the charitable organization that funded this assembly, produced a DVD depicting these women抯 stories. In the documentary, one of the Nicaraguan midwives, Do馻 Alicia, compares the care the traditional midwives give to the impersonal care of the local hospital; 揟he midwife offers love and trust and confidence and she doesn抰 do it mechanically like the nurses and doctors. However, I don抰 mean to offend these health care workers, who do the best job they can. For example, a woman goes to have her baby in a hospital. In the room she will find a nurse, a person who cleans and another woman in the next bed to her. The doctor arrives and says "let抯 see lady, open your legs", and the woman feels ashamed. On the other hand if a midwife attends this woman in the privacy of her own home, the woman experiences trust.?/p>

Do馻 Alicia went on to say that she didn抰 want to offend the doctors because they do offer good care when they are needed. But that they do not possess the kindness of a midwife, and often lack the patience the midwife has.

Josefa Mira, a midwife from El Salvador, explained that the midwives are constantly monitoring the progress of the labour and when a complication presents itself they organize immediate transfer to a hospital. 揂nd we don抰 only care for women of the community during pregnancy and birth? she said. 揥e also look after the general health of women and their families, domestic violence and all the illnesses that are common in our communities.?/p>

However, lack of transport is a major problem in most areas and women in high-risk conditions often cannot be moved to a hospital for medical help due to this dilemma. The same problem exists if there are not enough basic medicines to treat disease in pregnancy.

The Central American Midwives plea is to be recognized and accepted for the value of their knowledge, to work as a team with health care services, to be adequately trained and equipped, and rightfully compensated. This issue needs to be recognised as an important, pressing matter.

Let us help those who bear the hands that hold our future generations. Let us help the Central American Midwife Crisis.

Guatemalan midwife Mar韆 Cecilia says; 揥hat I would like most for our country Guatemala is health for everyone, that having a baby would become safer, that we would have safe and healthy childbirth, and that society would give importance to mothers and the work of mothers. When we are expecting our babies we should feel cared for and receive love. And the other thing I wish for is that one day midwives would really be part of the health care system and have a salary that we can enjoy.?/p>

Toy Story Costumes - Unique Halloween Costumes From the Supporting Toys

When it comes to choosing Halloween costumes it seems as though Buzz Lightyear, Woody, and Jessie are perfect selections because it's like their characters were drawn for the occasion. You would be hard pressed to to find a film that inspired more Halloween outfits than the CGI animated Toy Story.

It's easy to rely on the most famous characters if you're looking for Toy Story Halloween costumes that are sure to be a success. Yet, you should think about some of the secondary players in the animated films when choosing a costume this Halloween.

After all, there?s no reason that Toy Story costumes should be limited to the three main characters. Here are a few examples of other toy characters that would make great costume ideas:

Bo Beep

This toy is modeled after Little Bo Beep from the popular children's story. In the first movie, Bo Beep plays the object of Sheriff Woody's affections, so this Toy Story costume would work great as a couples costume. You can probably find what you need to create a cute shepherdess ensemble at a local thrift shop.

Hamm

For many fans of the movie, Hamm really stole the show. Hamm is a piggy bank, with a coin slot in his back and a cork in his stomach. Toy Story costumes modeled after Hamm are not difficult to make, especially if you are able to purchase a pig costume. Of course, pre-made Hamm Toy Story costumes are also available.

The Well-Known Mr. Potato Head

Everybody knows about the Mr. Potato Head toy. It's a large plastic potato with interchangeable parts that are very colorful. As far as Toy Story costumes, he makes an excellent one! You can get quite creative with Mr. Potato head and all the possibilities his many parts present.

Girls also have a great opportunity to get creative with Mrs. Potato Head. She's almost the same as Mr. Potato Head but with more feminine plastic parts like eyelashes, skirts and high heel shoes. Think of how well a Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head costume would work for couples going to a costume party together!

Sarge Takes Charge

Sarge is the commander of a group of green plastic toy soldiers. He remains a very well-liked character, and the ease of duplicating his army uniform makes him a popular costume choice.

It doesn't matter whether you pick Hamm, Sarge, Mr. Potato Head or Bo Peep, you'll surely have a great time at your costumed event. Remember, why not be yourself instead of like everyone else by standing out in your one of a kind Toy Story costume? The character you choose doesn't matter nearly as much as the attitude you bring with it!

Create Your Very Own Windowsill Herb Garden

Buying culinary herbs can work out quite expensive if you use a lot of them to add flavour to your cooking. But you could create your very own windowsill herb garden and have fresh herbs always available for you to pick - what could be nicer than that?

A good way to begin is to get some window boxes or even some attractive individual pots to plant your herbs in. Herbs are not only very useful in the kitchen but are a very attractive addition to any room.

Before dashing off to buy seeds or seedlings, take a moment to think about what type of herbs will be useful to you. Do you use herbs to add to stews and to flavour meat? Do you use herbs to make a relaxing herb tea? Do you use herbs purely for their aroma or do you add a handful to a warm bath? It is no good buying seeds or plants that you will not use.

For the kitchen, some good herbs to plant are chives, parsley, oregano, sage, thyme and perhaps, some coriander. Rosemary or bay are also useful kitchen herbs but they do take a little longer to grow from seed, so consider buying these as young plants and growing them in separate containers.

A nice gift for any aspiring chef to receive is a kitchen herb garden. These are usually sold in kits that include everything that you will need to create your very own windowsill herb garden. But you could just buy some nice pots or window boxes, some good compost and some seeds or seedlings and you are ready to go.

Some herbs to grow if you make herbal teas are bergamot, chamomile, lemon balm and a selection of mints. But always grow plants from the mint family in separate containers because the roots of these plants can easily take over the whole window box making it impossible for the other herbs to grow to their full potential.

Why not grow a large pot or window box full of a few varieties of lavender? It can be used for lots of different things that require an aromatic plant. You could dry some of the flowers and tie them in a piece of muslin then place them in your drawers and wardrobes to leave a gentle fragrance on your clothes. You could add a handful of the flowers to a bath whilst the tap is running to give a nice, relaxing bath, or you could add some of the dried flowers to a potpourri to fragrance your room.

Place your pots or window boxes on a sunny windowsill because most herbs need a lot of sun to flourish. Make sure that your herbs are not allowed to dry out, especially if they are situated on a kitchen windowsill where it can get very hot.

As you can see, it is easy, useful and decorative to create your very own windowsill herb garden so you can pick fresh herbs whenever you need them.

Easy Patchwork Fabric-Covered Gift Box

Patchwork fabric-covered gift boxes are an easy, affordable way to dress up any gift package. They're also great for storage. Total preparation and assembly time for this project is approximately 2-3 hours, depending on the size of the shoe box.

Materials:

Shoe box, or any other small box with removable lid Fabric scraps Wonder Under or other fusible web* Pinking shears Iron, ironing board Optional - buttons, raffia, etc.

*Fusible web is a fusible interfacing that allows you to bind two fabrics together or fabric to another surface by applying heat. It can be purchased in packages or by the yard wherever interfacing is sold.

Directions:

To assemble the fabric-covered gift box, essentially you are going to be ironing fabric scraps onto a shoe box.

While assembling my box, I found it was easier to iron the fusible web onto the fabric first, and then cut the fabric into the desired shapes. The web reinforced the fabric and the pinking shears cut through the fabric more cleanly.

Choose a piece of fabric and cut a piece of the fusible web to fit. With a warm iron, iron the web to the wrong side of the fabric, following the directions that came with the fusible web. Don't remove paper backing yet. Next cut the fabric into desired shapes with the pinking shears. Regular sewing shears would work also, but the pinking shears give the fabric an edge that will not unravel as easily.

When cutting your shapes, cut some rectangular, some square, and some triangular. The number and size of each are up to you, but you will find some fit better than others along the edges and in the corners. Long rectangular pieces lay along the top edges better and reduce the number of pieces required to line the top.

Cut pieces out of several coordinating fabrics. After you cut your pieces out, start ironing them to the box. Peel the paper off of the fusible web, lay the fabric with fusible web side down on the box and press with the iron. You may have to go over it a couple of times to get it to stick really well.

I started with the top of the box and worked my way down. Fold a piece of fabric over the top edge of the box. Mine is folded over about an inch. Iron the edge on the inside of the box first. Fold the piece to the outside of the box and press again. Continue overlapping pieces until the box is covered. Cover the lid of the box in the same way, starting with the bottom edge.

When you're done look for small spots you missed, adding fabric pieces until the entire surface is covered. You can't make any mistakes...it's supposed to look like a patchwork quilt.

Look over the box for spots where the edges of the fabric are coming up and gently run the iron over them. Sometimes it will take a couple of times to get all the edges to lay down. If you later find a stubborn spot that just doesn't want to stick, just dab a little glue on it and press down until it takes hold.

You can embellish your box with buttons, raffia bows, etc. I used a hot glue gun to glue a corrugated cardboard heart to the top, and then I glued a raffia bow to the heart.

Add some tissue paper to the inside of the box, and it's ready to add a gift. I placed in mine a small stack of handmade cards tied together with a piece of raffia tied into a bow. The box was a gift to a friend who likes to write pen pal letters.

You can also use these boxes for storage...for photos, letters, or whatever else you'd like to store in a pretty box. These are great for using up fabric scraps you have laying around.

This fabric-covered box is very easy to make and makes a great complement to any gift.

Photos of project:
http://www.crafty-moms.com/articles/091603a.shtml

Selecting a Child Safety Gate

If you have been through the headache of trying to keep your young children away from the kitchen, attempting to stop them heading up the stairs unsupervised, or witnessed them continually tripping over that step by the back door, then a child safety gate is something that will keep your child safe and allow you to relax...just a bit.

There are a massive range of child safety gates on the market these days. It's a good thing. No parent should have difficulty finding one to suit their particular requirements. There are gates designed for a multitude of scenarios and many allow for extra extensions to be purchased to widen the gate.

With stairs being one of the greatest areas for concern, it's good to know that the gates for these areas are designed to keep your kids safe, whilst allowing you easy access when required. A small ' parent gate' is usually included in the design to allow you to get up or down stairs without needing to vault the gate itself. A stair gate will work very well to keep the stairs off limits to your inquisitive child.

The curiousness of children is remarkable, they'll stick their fingers in anything, climb everything and make your life harder. If you are leaving them alone for any length of time, child safety gates can evolve into playpens to restrict your child's roaming tendency. Of course you're still going to monitor them, but it does allow you to relax a little more.

One of the top manufacturers of child safety gates are Kidco. They make a massive range of quality products to suit most situations. Their gates all conform to or exceed the necessary safety standards, so you can be safe in the knowledge that they will do the job. If choosing a stair gate, always try to select one that has securing brackets that screw to the wall. These will ensure that the gate cannot be physically moved by a child leaning on it.

When purchasing your gate, make sure that it does have the necessary certification seal to ensure it conforms to safety standards. If you select one of the Kidco models, you can be sure that it is a safe, quality gate which will provide you with years of good service.

Bring Your Model Railroad to Life With Scenery

It's one thing to create an accurate layout of an old railroad line, with a couple of stations and perhaps a yard for fiddling. Adding realistic touches to your layout and weathering the buildings, can make it out of the ordinary! Every picture tells a story - how about every scene in your layout?

Prior to making your scenery permanent, you'll want to check your tracks and wiring to make sure everything is working correctly. Believe me, you don't want to be ripping up some scenery to make repairs to track or wiring.

One way to test your trackwork is to run several cars (I like to use at least 5) backwards around the layout. Running it faster than slower, this way, you will find out where there may be problem areas, and you can get those fixed before adding track ballast and landscaping.

Topography

You'll begin with the land, and the variations in elevation. If you are working on 2" extruded foam, it's pretty easy to build up layers for hills and mountains, and carve into it for depressions and water.

Of course there are other ways to create landscape, including plaster on chicken wire over a frame, or cardboard strips. You probably have some of this built if you are using higher elevations of track.

Filling In the Big Picture

After the layout's topography has been set, start to fill in more details - like roads, bridges, curb cuts, sidewalks. This really depends on your layout. Set your buildings and other scenes in place as you go, and of course see what it looks like with the train running through it. This way you can see in your mind's eye the final product, and make any necessary adjustments as you go. Even if you are starting with a drawn plan, you'll be making adjustments as you go!

Materials For Scenery

Three basic elements to pay attention to are color, shapes and textures. This is where "art" can come into play. Keep these in mind as you begin to visualize, and then realize, your layout's scenery.

Modern materials available for scenery, especially coloring, are all water soluble and easy to work with. You can find them at hobby shops, craft stores, art supply stores, and others.

You can find lots of good raw materials by taking a walk in a park or woods, where you will find stones, twigs and other "stuff" that can be used to add a unique look and feel to your layout.

For your colors, I recommend using acrylic paint, "school grade." Acrylics are water soluble, and easily available at art supply and craft stores. You can use white acrylic gesso for water details and to seal your foam constructions.

Texture

The textures of your layout can really bring it to life. An unkempt lawn, an abandoned city lot strewn with trash and more can be created or bought. Get several shades of scenery textures, including foams and ballast gravel, coal and dirt.

You can find on a walk wood, sticks, roots and more. You will slowly build up a collection of found materials, just keep them in a well marked place so your spouse doesn't "clean them up."

Realistic Water

Wait to build your water features until everything else is done. You can prepare it by painting and detailing the bottom, then wait. By waiting until the very end, including ballasting the track, you will keep the water from getting contaminated by all the other construction materials.

Ballasting Track

Your rails and ties sit on "ballast." Ballasting your track authentically can turn your layout into something truly amazing. Make sure you test your track and fix any rough spots. You can purchase gages to help you set the track (and the wheels on your locomotives and rolling stock).

Real tracks are steel, and steel rusts. You'll want to create the illusion of rust on your tracks too, and prior to adding the ballast. Using a wash of paint (that is paint thinned out to be translucent), begin the weathering process. Wipe the rail tops as you go. Repeat the wash until you get the effect you want. Burnt umber is a good color to use. And keep the paint out of your switches and any moving parts of trackwork.

After track weathering you can add your ballast. The ballast should blend in with the surrounding scenery from the right-of-way in a natural way. I recommend using real stone for ballast (you can purchase it at the hobby store). You can test any store bought ballast for this by dropping some in water. If the test ballast sinks to the bottom, it's real stone. If it floats, it's not stone, and it won't look right or stay put.

Select the stone size one size smaller than your scale - if you are modeling in HO, use N scale ballast.

Carefully lay the ballast in between the tracks, and allow it to "flow" along the right-of-way into the scenery. Make sure it gets down between the ties, not on them. Keep it out of the moving parts of turnouts.

Once your ballast is the way you want it use white glue thinned out with water and a little bit of dish washing solution (a few drops). The dish washing solution acts as a wetting agent, so the glue solution flows down into the ballast.

Give the ballast an authentic look with a wash of the paint you used to "weather" the tracks.

I've given just a hint of what you can do to detail your layout. I hope this gives you some ideas. Pick one small scene on your layout, and get started. You'll be glad you did. Have fun!

A Seed Bead Primer - Part 2

In A Seed Bead Primer - Part 1, we reviewed sizes and shapes of seed beads. Equally important is the color and finish on your beads, and the number of choices is amazing.

In each shape and size of seed bead, you will find every color in the spectrum, including many shades of every color. When viewing beads of the same color in a container, you will see an intensified version of the color. Remember, though, that when creating your project, the color of the bead may change slightly. For instance, if you are using a transparent color, the color of your thread will alter the color of your bead. Your bead color will also be affected by the colors of beads placed nearby. Do some experimenting with this -- you'll see some surprising changes in colors. These changes, though slight, are an important consideration as you plan your project.

Finishes - where do we begin? We start with opaque and transparent. Then we find frosted and matte, a finish created by etching the glass. There's a finish with a lovely satiny sheen. There are gorgeous colors finished in rainbow, iris, iridescent and Aurora Borealis (AB) ... all of them impart a wondrous look. There's also galvanized and metallic finishes. Some beads are lined with silver or gilt, giving them a glorious shine.

Different colors and finishes give your work depth and interest, but beware. The color in almost all beads can fade to some extent, particularly if they have extensive exposure to the sun, and finishes are affected by use. Metallic finishes can chip, and the lining in beads can rub off with wear. How distressing it is to create a lovely piece, only to have the colors fade or chip off! It's a good idea to do a little research on the beads you're about to select - talk with other beaders, with bead store owners, or get on the internet and search out the information you need. Then you can make your decision as to which color and finish will work best for your project.

In the end, whatever you choose, seed beads can be made into spectacular jewelry and decorative pieces. Now let's go bead something pretty!

Pregnancy - 40+ Year Olds CAN Do It - Learn How

Conceiving at this age does increase the risk of complications. Do not let this put you off; at the word pregnancy, 40 year olds often run a mile, BUT there are proven methods and natural treatments which can greatly reduce the risks of complications and hugely facilitate a healthy pregnancy.

Before we get onto these, it is important to understand the main increased risks.

Pregnancy - 40 Year Olds have Increased Risks

• Chromosome problems (e.g. Down Syndrome) - 1 in 42
• Miscarriage - 1 in 4
• High blood pressure (in mother)
• Cardiovascular disease (in mother)

It is important to realise that the risk of these potential complications can be significantly reduced even by 100% natural methods.

Pregnancy - 40 Year Olds' Diet Plan

It is important to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables as there have been strong evidence to suggest that vitamins C and D, calcium and zinc do increase fertility.

Alcohol and caffeine are a big no-no. These should be cut out of diet if possible; they can reduce fertility by up to 50%!

Pregnancy - 40 Year Olds' Exercise Regime

Exercise is key to a healthy body in particular for adults of this age. Too much excess fat will lead to hormonal imbalance in the body in turn reducing fertility. A jog a few times a week will be sufficient.

There are plenty of other herbal treatments you could use. Recent evidence suggests that such supplements are safe and hugely beneficial. I would advise investing in a good guide to learn more about such treatment; they are often inexpensive and can make the difference between a healthy pregnancy and infertility.

What Parents Should Know and Share With Their Kids About Sexting

Sex is everywhere. Tiger Woods ultimately gave up his role model status for it, as did such notables as South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford and former Senator John Edwards. And kids are certainly no strangers to it, either. Just look at this recent USA Today headline, "Many Sex Offenders are Kids Themselves."

And is it any wonder? One look at such shows as Two and a Half Men tell the tale, as do ads for such products as Viagra, KY Intense, Victoria Secret, and Degree Ultra Clear deodorant. Meanwhile, next time you're listening to popular music, key in on the lyrics instead of just rocking to the heart-thumping, good-to-work-out-to beat. The words will stop you in your tracks.

So maybe it's not that surprising that sexting-sending sexually explicit electronic messages or photos--is now a trend among our children.

A recent National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy and CosmoGirl.com survey of 653 teens, ages 13 to 19, and 627 young adults, ranging in age from 20 to 26, makes it all glaringly clear:

• 22% of teen girls and 18% of teen boys said they've sent/posted nude or semi-nude photos or video of themselves; 13% of young teen girls, 13 to 16, said they had.

• 36% of young adult women and 31% of young adult men are sending/posting nude or semi-nude images of themselves.

• 37% of teen girls and 40% of teen boys are sending/posting sexually suggestive messages.

• 56% of young adult women and 62% of young adult men are sending/posting sexually suggestive messages.

Need more convincing that our collective worry gene should be in overdrive nowadays? Pew Research Center's Amanda Lenhart says these images constitute "relationship currency" that's shared as either part of or in lieu of actual sex. They're also used to start up or maintain a relationship with "someone special."

Equally troubling is that they don't remain a one-time-only deal. Instead such images are often passed along to others, sometimes for revenge or hurtfulness, sometimes as "entertainment" or even as a joke.

Meanwhile, most kids-and their parents, too-have no idea that in Pennsylvania, as in most other states, sending and receiving these images is considered child pornography--a felony, defined by law as a crime punishable by imprisonment for one or more years. Said law also labels participants as registered sex offenders, a brand that can last a very long time.

Two Pennsylvania cases stand out:

• In the Tunkhannock School District matter, District Attorney George Skumanick sent letters to parents indicating that the boys and girls involved had to enroll in a re-education program or risk being charged with a felony and accept six months probation. All of the parents of the children involved agreed, except for three. Two of their daughters were pictured in white, opaque bras; the third girl was wrapped from the waist down in a towel.

The ACLU has filed a lawsuit seeking a "declaratory ruling that the photos are protected speech, not obscenity, and to enjoin Skumanick's threats as a violation of parental rights."

• In the case at Greensburg Salem High School, three 14- and 15-year-old girls allegedly sent nude or semi-nude photos of themselves to three 16- and 17-year-old boys via cell phone. Child pornography charges were filed against both the senders and the recipients.

Philadelphia attorney Patrick Artur called that "overkill." In the end, incarceration came off the table as did requiring the teens to register as sex offenders.

Not everyone is so fortunate. Take, for example, the 18-year-old Florida man who is now registered as a sex offender for the next 25 years, having sent nude pictures of his 16-year-old girlfriend to friends and family after an argument.

Pennsylvania State Senator Stewart Greenleaf believes a felongy charge is overkill, too, though, and is following the lead of such states as Vermont and Utah, which are already moving to change their laws when it comes to sexting.

In October, Greenleaf sent his Senate Bill 1121 to the Judiciary Committee-where it still remains. That bill would downgrade sexting to a summary offense, with offenders becoming "eligible for a diversionary program, which would include an educational component."

Remember, though: even if this bill becomes law in Pennsylvania, sexting is not child's play, nor are its legal, social, and emotional consequences.

So, whether you believe that sexting actually is a felony or just electronic streaking and flirting is pretty much beside the point. What really matters and should concern us all is that our children are sending revealing and provocative photos and messages online or via cell phone--and quite casually, with no view to the potential risks.

The time to talk with our kids is now.

Maclaren Baby Review - Maclaren Volo

The Maclaren Volo Baby Stroller is another much preferred stroller of parents. It is so simple and uncomplicated to use you can take it anywhere and anytime. It is ultra lightweight, easy to fold, easy to push and compact in design.

The Pros

The Volo is a nippy buggy stroller that handles well on pavements, kerbs, and surprisingly, even on bumpy ground. It's easy peasy to change direction with it, too.

You can fold it with one hand, no hassle at all. Its small size when folded, allows you to fit it almost anywhere.

This baby pushchair is so light, you can haul and carry it up and down the stairs. It's equipped with a carrying strap so you can bring it without any sweat. And because of it's compact size, you can go through doors and commute trouble-free.

There are two words to describe this stroller: "easy" and "simple".

Everything about it is easy it's easy to fold, unfold, manoeuvre, carry, push, clean, and store away.

Other Pros worthy to note:

• Perfect for city residents and to bring on holidays
• Very convenient to take when commuting
• Comes with ample sized storage basket.

Maclaren Volo Buggy Stroller: The Cons

The Volo's unique feature are the brakes. These are controlled by a lever clicked side to side and not up and down. This will help prevent it from getting caught in the stairs.

The Maclaran Volo's seat has only one position as the back is not adjustable. In terms of your child's comfort level, this is one consideration you have to think of. Some parents find this model "too basic". If you're the person who likes luxurious and fancy features, then the Volo Stroller may not be for you.

Conclusion

The Maclaren Volo Buggy Stroller is a fun little performer that's so easy to steer. It has remained a favourite pushchair because of it's a lightweight, compact, basic stroller that's perfect for a quick nip outside, great for city use, provides ample storage space, and convenient to take with you on a holiday.

What's New in LED Christmas Decorations?

The winter has arrived and so has the time for Christmas preparations. People are looking for various decorative items that they can use to decorate for Christmas. There is always a large variety of decorative items available in the stores and increasingly, many of these make use of the technology known as LED lights.

The Christmas tree in your living room is perhaps the most attractive entity in your house on the 25th of December. There's a big variety of LED lights that are available that can be neatly draped around the tree and these take the place of the older style of lights that are larger, generate more heat and use more energy. A large number of color combinations are available, from multi colored lights to white lights to one color strands. Some lights work on battery as well and look great draped around an outdoor tree or bush.

Rope lights that contain LED's can be easily found in stores and are becoming one of the most common decorative light options that people use for Christmas. Candles make a place look elegant and beautiful. LED Christmas candles can be found in to stores and are one of the latest decorative items. LED candle lights are great, since they are so much safer than if you use real candles!

Amongst the various kinds of LED lighting, the one that has the shape of a ball placed over a torch look pretty and beautiful. These kinds of LED lighting add to the spirit of the festival. Mostly, these kinds of LED lights are in the shape of a small crystal ball that is placed on a small base. The base lights up the bottom of the ball and the ball glows in different colors. These are some of the new ways that Christmas decoration manufacturers are using LED's in their products.

Garland lights have been in the stores for a long time now. However, some of these lights are expensive. LED lights last longer than conventional lights and generally have better quality than conventional lights. These lights are generally used to decorate the trees and bushes but they can also be used at various other places in the interior and exterior of your home.

Amongst the most common colors of lights, people prefer white, red, green, yellow and blue. A combination of these colors is the best option, since there are few things that say Christmas better than Christmas lights. LED light products are not very expensive and can be purchased at reasonable prices and in many styles. So, the next time you're in the market for Christmas d閏or, consider all the options available in LED form! You might be surprised at what's available.

Why It's Good to Wear a Pirate Costume

Anyone who decides to wear a pirate costume for a fancy dress party is going to be a very popular guest. I am not entirely sure why, but most people just seem to love anything to do with buccaneers. For men, it is probably something to do with the freedom, danger and adventure which they represent.

The buccaneer lifestyle is quite suited to any man who is a bit of a 'jack the lad' at heart. I mean, what other character gets to steal treasure, explore exotic islands, get drunk on rum and seduce beautiful women? Anyone wearing a pirate costume can get away with all of this and more without even the slightest bit of damage to his street cred.

For women, the attraction of a man in a pirate costume is more romantically orientated. Being whisked away by a handsome and rugged 'villain' with a large ship that is full of stolen treasure seems quite appealing to a lot of ladies. There would certainly be plenty of nice jewellery for her to choose from... Of course, there is also the sex appeal part. Throughout the years, Hollywood has supplied female filmgoers with an endless array of handsome bad boys on ships that have a Jolly Roger. Many rebellious characters in books or films are also enormous heart-throbs. Why women are drawn to men who are so obviously bad is a bit of an enigma, but it is also absolutely true. Even old films like, 'The Wild One' with Marlon Brando or 'Rebel without a Cause' with James Dean can still make a lot of girls go weak at the knees.

So, now that you can see what an excellent choice a pirate costume is, you need to decide where you are actually going to get one from. If you type your choice of outfit into a search engine then you will quickly find that you have a long list of websites which stock exactly what it is that you are looking for. If you are going to buy one online then just make sure that you know what style it is that you want. There are quite a few different varieties of buccaneer nowadays and it is not just a simple case of donning an eye patch along with a stripy shirt. Take your time when you are choosing though; you want to make sure that you really do look the part.

Your online search should also give you the name and address of any shop that will sell a pirate costume. Have a look to see if there is anything nearby. You may be surprised to find that there are more stockists in your area than you think. Fancy dress outlets tend to get overlooked a lot of the time unless you are planning to go to a party.

When you have finally got your pirate costume you can try it out. Don't leave it until the actual day of the party just in case it doesn't fit...

Family Holiday Tips

Humans thrive and excel best in a social fraternity. The fraternisation spree cannot be better fostered anywhere else than the family network. However, the bonds within the family can be strengthened and refreshed through some leisurely moments spent together in a holiday mood. Therefore, family vacations and holidays are the best opportunities for making life truly enjoyable and pleasurable.

Importance of Family Holidays:

To promote strong bonds, every member has to participate in activities and functions. Together, the family members can occasion fond memories to cherish when they are not together. One of the best ways to make the get-together a memorable experience is by spending holidays collectively. It is all the more important in today's competitive world when everyone is pitted in the mad race of getting ahead. The family members, though living in the same house, do not find time for each other.

Tips for Enjoyable Holidays:

A family holiday is a very important aspect of family activities, and so is the planning of a good holiday. Some useful tips and suggestions that can make ones holidays truly pleasant moments are listed here:

Planning in advance:

Although anytime of the year is good for the family gatherings, family holidays should be planned keeping in view everyone's availability, areas of interest and budget. The holiday should be planned in advance, with adequate prior notice, so that everyone can manage and take time to enjoy.

Since a holiday is a good way to enhance the relationship between parents and their children, the best time to go outing is children's school vacation. The parents must remain on a look for leisurely and 'lean-work' times of their ward, to plan a perfect holiday.

Choose a Neutral Place:

For family holidays, a neutral place should be chosen that offers something for every member of the family. The place should also offer fun and creative family activities, which will add to family bonding.

Travelling To Nearby Places Is Better:

If the children in a family are too young or the parents are too old, then travelling to far off places should be avoided. Instead, a nearer, comfortable and exciting family vacation be undertaken.

Family Friendly places:

Family holidays teach the members values, so it is very important that the holiday destination is "family friendly". Beaches and amusements parks are great places for the vacations. Everyone can enjoy different sports activities and many skill development activities. Camping and hiking are also great activities.

Good Research about the Holiday Destination:

A good research before the family holiday about the place and activities that it offers for the family helps a lot. For family holidays, stay at open resorts should be avoided. A proper accommodation should be there for where everyone can have fun and enjoy the time. Also visiting remote and isolated areas should be avoided.

Carrying Necessary Luggage:

Carrying first aid boxes is very important. For family vacations, minimum baggage should be carried along. Instead of taking everything with them, they can also hire the necessary items from the local area.

Travelling with Family:

When travelling with the family, the route should be decided keeping in focus the comfort of every family member. Travelling by air to far off places and by car to nearby venues is the best way. The family should carry some supplements, fresh fruits and drinks when travelling. One can also add fun to the travelling part of the family vacation by making a CD that has favorite music of every family member.

Themed Chess Sets - Army Vs Navy

The ongoing rivalry dates way back in time for the members of the Army and Navy. It was in 1890 that the teams from the Naval Academy and Army Academy met on the playing field of the football stadium at West Point. When these two teams meet on any playing field it is a true test of endurance, strength and strategy. Games played with cramping muscles and injuries that don't slow them down, it just makes them that much more thirsty for a victory. Both teams will give it their all. At the end of play they had nothing left, their tanks were now running on empty. They have won their battle that day and the team that was victorious was enjoying the sweet taste of success and the all honor and prestige that goes along with it.

One fact some are not aware of, the song played at these games "Anchors Away" is a song about an Army/Navy football game. It was written at the Naval Academy for the graduating class of 1907 by Bandmaster Zimmerman and was first played in 1906 at an Army Navy football game. During this game the Navy did 'hoist true Navy Blue' and 'sank the army grey' with a score of 10 to 0.

During the 20th and now 21st century they sought some 'neutral' ground for these games. As this rivalry has moved into the new century the games have moved to Philadelphia. The games continue to be packed with fans anticipating a win for the team they are cheering for. The players are pulling out all the stops wanting that win.

The themed chess set depicting the Army and Navy in actual uniforms with seals and weapons makes chess playing a new adventure. Carrying on the longstanding competition using your own strategy, mental strength and enduring the test of time you too can enjoy that sweet taste of success. Enjoy the prestige of the victory, until you play again, then you have to launch your best moves again to see that your team remains victorious.