Stress Christmas Game - Can a Computer Game Help Keep Your Holiday Sanity?

Everybody needs a little stress relief around the holidays and a quick computer game might be just the thing to help you forget the more pressing issues in your life for a few minutes. There are several stress Christmas game choices available on the internet for download or immediate play. Some of them are fun, and some are a little annoying - but almost all of them will allow your brain to take a ten-minute break whether you're at the office or on the couch with the laptop.

Check These Out

So if your checkbook is empty, your boss just yelled at you, a customer just complained to you, or a report you just finished writing got erased from your hard drive; sit back, take a few minutes to relax, and Google these:

• Night of the Snowmen - try shooting and launching grenades at evil snowmen
• Arcade Lines (Christmas Edition) - addictive puzzle game
• Christmas Gifts - help Santa deliver gifts by throwing them into houses
• Chicken Invaders 2 Christmas Edition - save Christmas from invading chickens
• Loco Christmas Edition - load Santa's trains with Christmas gifts
• Evil Elves II - help Santa get his toys back from the Terrible Toy Shop
• Super Santa Ski Jump - control Santa's speed and style as he earns stars

Why the Stress at Christmas?

So why do we need a game to distract us? Why are we stressed at Christmas more than at other times of the year? The reasons are many, but a major cause of stress around the holidays is personal finances. With all of the gifts we need to buy, the parties we must attend, the decorations, and travel - the costs can soar high above our normal monthly budgets. And when money is already tight, the Christmas season can put a huge burden on our ability to meet our regular financial commitments. That leads to stress that can take the joy out of what should be a time of fun, family, and celebration.

What to Do?

If you have financial stress that a quick computer game will not solve, take action to relieve that stress through the holidays and beyond. There are truly only two ways to repair a negative financial situation: take in more money or spend less money. It sounds simple, but it is a profound concept - the money going into the budget has to be more than the money going out of the budget.

There are, of course, many ways to spend less around Christmas (like making gifts, cutting back on travel, etc.) and a few ways to increase your income (find a new or additional job, start a home-based business, or have a garage sale). But whatever you decide, take the action necessary to get out of the financial hole you're in and stick to that course of action. Gaining financial freedom is maybe the best Christmas gift you will ever give yourself; and one that keeps on giving. Then maybe you will find the time to play a few crazy computer games just for fun, and not because you're trying to control your blood pressure.

Setting Up a Summertime Routine For Toddlers and Preschoolers

Are you finding it difficult keeping your toddler or preschooler on a routine at home to avoid any possible behavior issues due to an outside career or other obligations? Well, it doesn't have to be as stressful as it may seem heading into the freedom of summer with your young ones. There are many easy ways to avoid behavior issues in your toddler or preschooler by setting up a summertime routine now that will work for everyone. Here are some ideas to help you get started with this.

Don't forget about your child's social routines. If your child has been attending a preschool or daycare all year, then they've probably developed special friends that they spend time socializing with all day. That means if they can't see these friends during the summer months, they will miss them and probably be very upset by this. Ask your child's preschool for a sign-up sheet for any summer play-dates or leave a notice up on the bulletin board at your child's school with your contact information so other parents can get in touch with you by the time the school year comes to a conclusion. Make the summertime transition easier for your child by honoring their little social life and coordinating play dates with their school friends. This will be a great way for your child to spend time playing with their friends as well as you networking and sharing ideas with other parents of similar interests.

Start a simple summertime project. Giving your child something to look forward to, such as taking swimming lessons or creating a summer scrap book, is a great way to bridge the transition between the school year and carefree days of summer. Not only will it give you both something fun to do together, but they will learn the meaning of accomplishing a goal and have something to develop a sense of independence and self-confidence.

Use existing routines to set up a workable summer routine. If your child is already attending preschool or daycare, he or she has been on a routine all year. That means it will be easier to set up a workable summer routine that will be easy to adapt to. Check with your child's school to determine what that schedule has been like and then design one around that. Chances are that you will still be working throughout the summer months, so that will not disrupt your child's time at daycare. Try to stick with consistent times for meals, naps and activities. For example, if your child normally eats breakfast at 8 am, then you will want to plan your early morning meal for a time close to that in order to avoid a hungry and fussy child at 9 am. Follow the meal with a short period of playtime and then a nap to help your child get restorative rest and you a break.

By establishing some realistic routines now, you will get a jump start on the summertime with your toddler or preschooler and reduce the chances that they will end up having behavior problems.

Dangers of Used Baby Car Seats

These days it seems everyone is looking for ways to save money, and buying used seems to be a no-brainer. But baby seats should never be purchased used. Here's why:

Baby Seats Can be Damaged Even Though they Appear to be Fine

Baby car seats are designed to protect infants from the incredible forces involved in a car crash. They are built to secure the infant safely, and also to absorb some of the energy released in the crash. They absorb the energy by flexing - if they were strong enough not to flex they wouldn't be capable of doing their jobs. But, the very fact that they do flex when stressed in an accident means that they can be damaged even when they show no signs of damage. If they are in another car crash they may fail, and break, instead of flexing causing severe injury or death to the baby they are supposed to be protecting.

Car Insurance Companies Don't Take Risks with Car Seats

If you attempt to purchase one used you have no way of knowing if it has ever been in an accident. It may look perfectly fine, but be still be damaged and incapable of functioning safely. This is why car insurance routinely pay for new baby car seats after accidents even when the seat has no sign of damage.

Don't Rely on the Seller's Representations

You cannot count on the representations of the person selling the used baby car seat. Even if they honestly believe that the baby car seat has never been in an accident, they could have simply forgotten about it because there were no injuries and no obvious damage to the seat. Also, it could have been damaged in another way, by being dropped or improperly installed.

Used Baby Seats May Not Meet Current Safety Standards

Finally, by avoiding used baby seats , and only buying new, you are ensuring that the seat conforms to the latest safety specifications. Many older baby seats - like other baby furniture - does not meet current safety requirements. Baby seats should be discarded, not resold. Never risk buying one used.

Giving to Get Vs Giving to Give

I'm a gardener and by definition that makes me an optimist. Even my farming fizzles don't deter me from continuing to bury peach pits or old potatoes. Those of you who've outgrown playing in the dirt may laugh, but every so often my efforts pay off big time. Like a couple of summers ago when the tomato gods smiled upon us. God did they ever! In fact, they were still laughing their heads off a full week before Halloween. Too bad you can't carve a tomato.

When it comes to gardening, I'm not ashamed to say that I give only to get. I shower my plants with regular infusions of compost tea and worm castings because I want something in return. I believe that I'm entitled to a major payback for all my efforts otherwise I wouldn't bother.

When it comes to raising kids, there isn't really a payback. Not coming directly from them to you. Of course, there are rewards along the way. Like the joy we experience when they succeed at something they've worked for. And the pride we feel when our children honor us and themselves by making healthy choices -especially when we're not around to prod them. But those perks aren't why we give to our kids. We'd still do it even if we got nothing to brag about. Why? Because, the simple fact is that we parents are in the business of giving to give. Parenting, unlike marriage, is a one-way street.

Does this mean that you'll inevitably raise a young adult focused only on her own needs? Hopefully not! Because a big part of what you should be giving your kids is an education about what it means to be thoughtful, loving and compassionate. Hopefully you demonstrate that in the way you treat them. Set clear expectations for the behavior you want them to exhibit and you'll see more of the good stuff. When you do shower those young 'uns with praise. And pat yourself on the back. You're helping to launch a loving spirit into the world.

Now there's a harvest worth a whole lot more than a basket of tomatoes.

Fun Hen Night Games

Kicking back on the last night of freedom is the ultimate goal for many brides and their friends. While typically they might be proper ladies, on hen night the wild child comes out from within and the party begins. Having a wild and crazy hen night is the last chance that you will have to go crazy and for those who are looking forward to a night on the wild side, it can be full of thrills and excitement.

Some wild hen night games focus around alcohol. If the bride and most of the guests are all in a position to be drinking, then pulling out a few drinking games can be a ton of fun. For a modified version of how well do you know the bride, you could delegate the loser of questions to take a shot of alcohol. With some opting to get questions wrong just so they can take a shot it is sure to get quite entertaining.

Additional options can include a naughty scavenger hunt. Trying to track down as many racy and adult items as you can before the night is over is a true thrill. Award a prize to the top seeker and watch the drama and fun begin to unfold. With plenty of ways that you can shake this up, you could even allow guests to work in teams to see which team can find all of the items first.

Taboo is also a lot of fun and with carefully selected dares can be a true thrill. By designing several words for the party as taboo, anyone who says the word is required to complete a dare. Keeping it exciting while still safe ensures that everyone gets home safely, but everyone at the party is still able to thoroughly enjoy the occasions where someone slips up and says a forbidden word.

Putting together a truly memorable hen night with great games can be a ton of fun, just remember always take into account the wishes of the bride before you make any final decisions. Since the party is ultimately for them, you want to make sure that they are happy and in no way uncomfortable. Of course, if the bride is the one starting most of the racy games, then feel free to let loose and enjoy the evening since it is after all a hen party!

3 Michael Jackson Halloween Costumes Guaranteed to Be a Thriller

Michael Jackson Halloween costumes are sure to be worn by his allegiance of fans this Halloween. The pop icon left us way to early and his kingdom of fans plan on celebrating his accomplishments and his coveted style.

The Thriller costume has long been a favorite at Halloween parties, but sadly now he has passed. His other achievements are being recognized. The three top Michael Jackson Halloween costumes you will seeing this year are listed?below.

1. The Thriller costume which has always been a favorite at parties will be in full effect this haunting season. The red jacket with black piping can be recognized all over the world. And it's synonymous with this time of the year.
2. Billie Jean the song which Michael Jackson wrote, which was about the mobs of female fans he had acquired while touring with the Jackson Five and made into a video. Has became a very hot costume this year.
3. The Beat It costume has always been a favorite of his hard core fans. And you can bet you will see lots of them this red. The signature red jacket and white glittery glove will be found everywhere.

Even though he left us, most believe his enduring spirit will live on. He graced our lives with the gift of music and sure he had his odd quirks which made some people disbelievers. His music and his legend will live forever.

And there is no better way to celebrate Michael this year than dressing like him for this Halloween. Copying his signature looks from his most popular videos are sure you make you the Thriller this ghoulish season.

The Secrets of Making Healthy Compost

Following on from the previous two articles on 'Unlocking the Secrets of Sand, Clay and Silt Soils' and 'The Secrets of Plant Nutrients', this article is going discuss how to make beautiful compost that smells sweet, is lovely to touch and full of nutrients for your plants. This end product of composting is called humus. Compost that ends up smelly and sludgy is not broken down properly. This article will help you correct that problem. It is all about oxygen and getting the Carbon:Nitrogen ratio correct.

Compost is important for several reasons:-

It improves soil structure can increase or decrease soil pH it encourages micro-organisms and worms it holds water, preventing the water leaching through the soil profile it improves the pore spaces between the particles of clay soil it cools soil temperatures during summer it contains nutrients if you make your own, you control what goes into it reduces the demand for landfill tips

However, you do need to be aware of the pitfalls:-the quality of the compost depends entirely on what you put into it it can be expensive if you have to buy in the ingredients weeds such as Couch grass if growing near-by can grow into it if it hasn't heated up to over 60C, the bad micro-organisms and weed seeds haven't been destroyed if there is too much nitrogen and not enough oxygen in it, it smells disgusting large pieces such as sticks don't break down; pieces need to be very small and insects and critters can live in it as it is such a good source of food

Another aspect you need to be aware of is, inadvertently building up the soil level. Over the years of adding compost and mulches, the original soil level increases to the point where it is several inches or centimetres higher. This can cause problems because the plant roots are no longer at the surface of the soil and aren't getting as much oxygen as they once did. All plant roots need oxygen and if it is not available all plants die. This happens more with mulches but you still need to be aware of it with compost.

Overall, the good points outweight the bad ones.

C:N Ratio C:N stands for Carbon:Nitrogen ratio. This ratio needs to be balanced otherwise the compost won't decompose. The reason why composts smell is because there is too much nitrogen (kitchen scraps, grass clippings) and not enough carbon and oxygen. This causes a build up of ammonia and this is what causes the smell. To rectify this problem more carbon needs to be added in the form of paper or leaves. The ratio is usually 30:1, this means 30 parts of carbon to 1 part nitrogen.

Methods of Composting There are two main ways of making compost: The Hot Method (fast) and the Cold Method (slow). The fast method brings the temperature of the heap to over 60C and this kills the harmful bacteria. For the fast method to work, the compost heap needs to be in a warm and sunny spot and turned regularly ie. 3-4 times per week. The cold method is usually compost made in the green compost bins. The bins need to be in a warm place that receives morning sun and afternoon shade. It can take up to 6 months for the compost to be ready.

Principles of Composting A compost heap can be compared to a party for micro-organisms where they consume a huge amount of food in the process of this get really hot doing it.Like all parties, there needs to be some preparation and the party goers (micro-organisms) need the right conditions. If the conditions are right the micro-organisms will multiply break down the organic matter.

Ingredients Needed The main ingredient is organic matter. Carbon can be identified as all the brown products such as saw dust and nitrogen can be identified as all the green products such as lawn clipping. Below is a list of all the things you can put into your compost heap. leaves, pea straw, sugar cane grass clippings kitchen waste (not meat or fats and oils) old potting mix the muck from the gutters saw dust dust from the vacuum cleaner shredded twigs and branches discarded annuals perennial flower stalks dog and cat hair human hair shredded paper products - not the glossy coloured pages

Construction of Composting Bays You need an area at least 1.5m X 3m for it to work This gives you plenty of room for turning your compost Walls are constructed from corrugated iron, or steel mesh, held in place using steel stakes,Star pickets or concrete -re-enforcing rods cut to length. Timber stakes rot too quickly. Form 3 bays that are open fronted 1 Bay is for putting material in to break down, 1 bay for spreading on the garden and the last bay is allowed to turn into compost. Turn using a fork on a weekly basis. Adds some nitrogen fertiliser - about 3 to 4 handfuls, blood and bone as it contains a high percentage of nitrogen. As micro-organisms break down the material in the heap they rely heavily on nitrogen present and quickly use it up. Adding blood and bone fertiliser replaces nitrogen used by micro-organisms.

Compost Bins This method of composting is best suited to those who have a plastic compost bin are in no hurry for having compost. This method can take up to 6 months. You can hurry up the process by regularly turning the compost at least 3 times a week. The extra oxygen allows the micro-organisms to break down the material more quickly. You don't need to buy worms for your compost bins, they will come naturally if the conditions are right for them. Don't build your compost heaps on bricks or concrete. The worms need to be able to escape into the soil if it is to hot or to wet. Then simply add all the kitchen and garden waste listed previously and over a period of time the worms will gradually eat their way through whatever you feed them. Micro- organisms will also be present in the bin and assist the breakdown process. These bins are especially good for smaller gardens. Watch the moisture content - they can be come too wet. Drill holes in the side to allow oxygen into the bin. Keep in a cool shady spot - Worms don't like the heat. Don't put citrus or onions in the compost.

Temperature The hotter the air temperature, the faster the compost breaks down. In winter compost takes several months longer to break down as the air temperature is colder.

Moisture The compost heap must contain some moisture for the micro-organisms to function effectively. The heap must be moisture but not too wet. The compost should have the same feeling as a squeezed kitchen sponge; it feels damp but not soggy. This is about 50% moisture content and is perfect for composting. The best time to add moisture to the heap is during the turning procedure where water can be applied to all areas of the heap and then mixed through.

Compost is ready to use when the inside temperature of the heap is the same as the outside air temperature. The length of time this takes depends on all of the factors that have been discussed ie. type of materials used, moisture content, frequency of turning etc.

Applying Compost to the Soil Compost can be applied to the soil in two ways:

1.By spreading it on top of the existing garden beds and letting the worms move it down into the soil or mixing it with the existing soil by digging it through. Care must be taken that roots of existing trees and shrub are not disturbed. Digging it in to a spades depth is ideal for a vegetable patch, annual or perennial beds.

2.Using the compost as a mulch and simply spreading it over the surface of the garden to a depth of about 4 centimetres. But be careful, it can become compacted because of the small particles if you put it too thickly on and then can become water resistant.

Compost Accelerators Products marketed to assist the breaking down process don't work so don't buy them. If you want to try and hurry up the breaking down process you can add herbs such as comfrey or borage.

Compost is a wonderful resource with many benefits. It is a fantastic way to use up garden and kitchen wastes and reduce landfill. It also has the added benefit of improving the water holding capacity of the soil and reducing run off. The quality of the final product - the humus - depends on how much effort you put into it and what you put into it. The secret of good healthy compost is oxygen.