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15+ Ways to Make Happy Family Memories

In the age of technology and distractions, it can feel like a challenge to bring the whole family together. Yet, at the same time, one of the most important jobs parents have is to make happy family memories. This might sound super simple, but it’s actually one of the most powerful things there is.

Positive family memories are one of the greatest gifts we can give both children and ourselves. These are memories we can all return to when things aren’t going too well in life, and it’s important to preserve your family photos. They’re a reminder that happy days exist, and they’re always just around the corner. There’s even research showing that kids who have positive memories from childhood are generally more happy and healthy.

When you regularly make those happy, positive memories, you have a lasting impact. These are more than just a fun day, they’re the bonds that bring families together for years to come. Are you ready to make these happy memories for yourself? Here are 15 ideas to get you started.

1. Be Grateful Together

Life moves too quickly to notice all of the good things that happen, so sometimes we have to consciously slow things down. Being grateful together is a great way to boost positivity and show your children just how lucky they are. This is a skill they can take with them throughout life, even when things don’t seem to be going as planned.

How can you be grateful for together? One way is to simply think of 3 things you’re grateful for before bedtime. Bring your kids into this process. When tucking them in, ask them to tell you 3 things they’re grateful for every night. Soon, it will come easily.

2. Birthday Memories

Birthdays are about so much more than cake and singing. Making a fun occasion out of birthdays is one of the simplest ways to create happy family memories. Do you have birthday traditions? How does everyone come together to celebrate? You don’t need a huge budget or a big party to make the occasion special.

3. Game Night

With the rise of technology, families are gathering to play games less and less. If you want to bring everyone together without any screens, game night is the way to do it. Pull out Chutes and Ladders, Candyland, or even just a deck of cards and get to work.

4. Dinner Date

Who said dinner dates are only for couples? You can have a family dinner date by vowing to eat dinner together at least once a week. Everyone has busy schedules, but making dinner as a group and really taking the time to enjoy it is a special thing to do as a family.

5. Send Cards

If your kids are school age, why not send them to class with a special reminder? Sending notes in their backpacks or lunch boxes is a great way to remind them that you’re thinking about them when they’re away from home. This is also a way to send some encouragement their way before a big test or a hard day.

6. Volunteering

Did you know that children who volunteer as kids are more likely to continue this spirit of giving back as an adult? Instilling good values into children isn’t always easy, but volunteering makes it more fun.

How can your kids help? Can they donate toys to needy children? Join you for a community clean up? All of these things make a difference, and all of them are an effective way to teach kids about the importance of helping others.

7. Travel

Traveling is one of the best ways to bring your family together. You don’t have to travel far to make family memories. Just get out of your daily routine, go on an adventure, and try new things together. Whether you explore your own town or a new country, do it as a family.

Image via Pexels

8. Celebrate Success

Even small victories can warrant big celebrations. For kids, the small stuff is even more important. Find ways to highlight these accomplishments, whether it’s using a special plate at the dinner table or doing something fun.

9. Read Together

Reading is one of the best things you can do together as a family. Even if your kids aren’t old enough to read, taking the time to sit down together and read to them will make all the difference. Instilling positive reading skills is a path to success, so don’t overlook even this small habit.

10. Plant a Garden

A family garden gets everyone’s hands a little dirty in the best way possible. Digging a patch to plant either flowers or vegetables is not only a learning experience, but it’s a fun chance to bond together while watching something grow. Plus, you might even have some yummy veggies to add to your dinner nights.

Image via Pexels

11. Family Photoshoot

In the age of social media, it’s becoming more normal to capture those everyday moments with your kids. However, taking the time to hire a professional photographer to capture your family is still important. Capturing these candid moments and styled moments will create a wonderful memory you all can look back on for years to come.

12. Play Sports

Who said sports were just for kids? No matter what your kids like to do, get out there and join them. Kids who lead an active lifestyle early on are more likely to continue being active and healthy later in life.

What sports are good for kids? Think beyond the tried-and-true kid leagues. You can try indoor sports like bowling or climbing walls or even outdoor fun like hiking or mini golf.

13. Family Art

Does your family need some time for creativity? Why not bring all hands on deck with a family art project. Paint a mural on the wall, do a little DIY project, build a scrapbook together, or even just finger paint. No matter your kids’ ages, this is something everyone can have fun doing. You’ll also have a beautiful keepsake left over.

14. Create a Family Holiday

You don’t have to wait until the holiday season to celebrate. Create your own holiday as a family to celebrate every year. It can be as simple as “Trip Day” where you visit a new nearby town. Or mix things up with an appreciation day to show your love for a special family member. These small things show kids there’s so much to celebrate in life.

15. Go on a Walk

Last but not least, go on a walk as a family. Walks are not only the best way to stay active as a family, but they’re a chance to talk. Schedule your walks into your weekly routine, everyone taking the time to simply put the screens down and enjoy nature.

16. Book A Studio Family Portrait Session

When you book a photo session in a studio you have many options to create a memory that you will enjoy forever, because a family photograph captures the spirit of your family. It is a keepsake that will remind you of the thought that you put into creating that moment. Finding the right setting, the appropriate outfits and the best photographer, as advised by Val from valwestoverphotography.com. There are so many portrait ideas to choose from and to showcase that your family is one of a kind. It can be an outdoor session celebrating a season, a place or an occasion. Or it can be a choreographed indoor shoot designed for you. Either way, the ones who make it unique and memorable are the people in the photo, your family.

17. Do a Retro Photo Shooting

Black and white photography is one of the most popular genres for portraiture, so we recommend doing a fun retro photoshoot with your family. People tend to gravitate to these images because they are striking and honestly capture a subject’s personality. Afterward, you may even have multiple canvas prints done and hung up on one particular wall of your home to create an impressive gallery wall. Know more guides about cameras and photography.

18. Do Low Key Photo Shoots

You can also go for a low key photoshoot. Low key photography is nothing but capturing images with a dark or black background. It makes the subjects pop out from the image. It is perfect for family and individual portraits. You can print these beautiful low key images and get it framed. Hang it on your wall.

19. Become Family Historians

If you have an old family photo album, you can go through the photos together as a family – wouldn’t it be intriguing to meet our own ancestors! As Wendy explains in her post about old photo phrustration, you can play a the following game: “Which period of time would you like to travel back to?Personally, I’d be happy to go back to any period of time and observe everyday life as it really was. Each holds its own fascination.”

20. Do Holidays Right

Amanda from Learning Through Experiences shares: “I have always enjoyed my children during the holidays. Their excitement and joy just brought a whole new perspective to the meaning of each holiday. When my kiddos were small they loved doing some special family Christmas traditions that I would love to share with you today. I think our favorite Christmas family traditions were seeing Christmas lights together. We all pack into our van and off we go on an adventure. To make the evening even better, I would do a little planning ahead of time. I had some printable “train tickets” ready for them. At each stop, I would ask for their tickets so I could stamp them. They would giggle each time they handed them to me. It was so much fun.”

21. Holiday traditions vary from family to family

As the team at Adoption-Beyond.org explains, one of the best things about family traditions is that it is never too late to start a new one! If your family is just getting started out, then it’s time to figure out what tradition fits your personalities and interests perfectly.

Are you an outdoorsy bunch? Picking and chopping down your own Christmas tree at a farm might be the perfect choice. Are you crafty? Make a family ornament or decoration each year that celebrates the big moments you shared together. The tricky part is picking something that everyone can do together.

As mentioned on TheSimplicityHabit, even though as a kid we had a feeling like we should take pictures of every natural landscape we saw, as adults, those pictures don’t feel special to us. We want to keep the pictures of people on vacation, not just landscapes. Pictures taken with large groups can have a similar feel. It’s hard to tell who anyone is and they can lack interest.

22. Ways to edit your wedding photographies

Regardless of the genre of photography you work in, it’s important to develop an efficient and reliable workflow, from organizing your folders to culling, editing, and sharing your files. Post-production can quickly wreak havoc on your productivity if you do not have a system in place. Wedding photographers, for example, often capture 2,000+ photos over the course of a day. Drawn upon our experience, Camera Bits put together a list of five wedding photography editing tips to help you maximize your efficiency and cut down the time it takes to edit a wedding.

23. Make Your Home Look Amazing

Most of us spend a lot of time at home. Yet, we often underestimate just how much the environment we’re in has an effect on us. A home should be a haven where you can relax and enjoy your personalized space. After all, you’ve invested time and money into such a major purchase, so don’t let the design fall by the wayside when there are so many resources available to make it look amazing! Here are a few tips to take your home from simple to luxurious

24. Make Family Frames

As mentioned on Frame Destination, making decorative frames is a great project for kids as well. If you are going to hang some pictures in a child’s room, they will love to have a say in the process by decorating their own picture frames. Grandparents and other family members also love receiving framed photos with embellishments from the kids as gifts.

25. Preserving Family Photos

Preserving your family photos can be a wonderful bonding activity that’s both productive and fun for your kids. It’s the perfect activity for a rainy day and will let you share family stories with your kids, all while reminiscing yourself. It’s a win-win!

Conclusion

Are you in need of more family memories? These are the little things that make life special no matter how young or old you are. We could all use more time together creating positive experiences that last a lifetime.

These ideas above are perfect for all families. They’re inexpensive (or free) and put the focus back on each other. What are you waiting for?

Surprising Health Benefits of Getting More Sleep for The Elderly

Image source: https://pixabay.com/photos/grandfather-old-aged-sleep-resting-14446/

The elderly need about six to ten hours of sleep a night young adults. Sadly, many seniors get less of their sleep requirement because of difficulty to induce sleep. According to studies, 13% of men and 36% of women who are more than 65 years old takes over 30 minutes to go to sleep. Moreover, an elderly’s sleep quality is low, which leads to more sleep-wake episodes throughout the night. For this reason, our seniors nap longer in the daytime.

Poor sleep is usually dismissed as a common sign of aging. But, in actuality, it is an underlying problem of the elderly that needs to be addressed. Are you surprised? Sleep has many health benefits. These benefits are vital to the elderly as their health requirement increases along with their age.

Here are some of the surprising health benefits of getting more sleep for the seniors:

Sharper Memory and Increased Focus

Sleep is essential for both the memory and the learning process of the brain. If an elderly is sleep-deprived, memory recall and maintaining focus will be more challenging. On the contrary, a night of good quality sleep helps the elderly increase focus to be able to take in and process new information. Moreover, a senior’s brain needs enough rest to be able to pull up memories – both short and long-term.

Improved Mood

Image source: https://pixabay.com/photos/woman-age-in-the-free-air-health-3186741/

Sleep is an essential factor in regulating the emotional aspect of a person. As the brain deteriorates with age, the emotions and mood of a person also change. Sleep loss makes an elderly prone to negative emotions like being irritable and anxious.

Studies show that insomnia predisposes a person to depression, anxiety, and panic disorders. The odds become higher with the older population.

Everyone, especially the elderly, needs enough rest and sleep for a refreshed feeling, improved mood, and a better sense of well-being.

Tougher Muscles

An active lifestyle and proper exercise help the elderly maintain a healthy body. To be able to be active, there should have enough muscle strength to do activities like running, biking, and swimming.

The muscles need a proper amount of rest and nutrients to work and undergo repair if required. Even if an elderly eat the required nutrition for muscle repair, sleep deprivation will make muscle repair slower. Ample sleep will help increase muscle repair and can improve reaction time. In this way, an elderly can still perform at his best, regardless of age.

Stronger Immune System

Image source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-man-stretching-2567016/

A stronger immune system decreases the chances of getting sick. It prevents harmful microorganisms like bacteria and viruses from the body. Now, older people may have a weakened immune system relevant to organ degeneration. They get sick quicker than younger ones. Because of this, enough rest and sleep are essential to let the body recover and maintain a healthy immune system.

A good read: How Aging Affects Your Immune System

Sturdier Heart

One of the most common problems with aging is high blood pressure. It increases the chances of older people to heart attack and heart conditions. Enough and good quality sleep helps in maintaining an ideal blood pressure, which lets the heart and blood vessels work well. When a person has rested properly, it reduces the chances of getting high blood pressure because the mind and the physique is at its optimal state.

On the contrary, sleep loss results in higher blood pressure, which can be as long as more than 24 hours. This scenario is very harmful to the elderly as their blood vessels are prone to rupture, which could eventually result in a stroke.

Normal Blood Sugar

The risk of having diabetes increases as age progresses. It is because the ability of the body to process the sugar intake slows down over time. Sugar, especially simple sugars, are not easily metabolized when the body is at rest compared when the body is at work. Sleep plays a crucial role in how the body converts sugar to energy. Study shows that proper sleep helps older adults process sugar faster, which in turn maintains normal sugar blood levels.

Better Weight Control

Image source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/smiling-man-with-black-cap-1837922/

Being well-rested promotes a healthy diet. It is because the lack of sleep affects the appetite hormones in the brain, leptin, and ghrelin. The imbalance of the appetite hormones makes a person prone to an unhealthy appetite.

Older adults need proper nutrition and an excellent appetite to maintain a healthy, sickness-free body. The lack of sleep makes them more vulnerable to appetite problems, which can either result in weight gain or loss.

Sleep and Getting Older

While it is true that sleep pattern changes as we age, it is still important to make sure that we get good quality sleep every day. Here are some pointers to help our seniors get more sleep:

Create a sleep schedule. Go to be and wake up at the same time every day.
Take fewer naps during the day.
Practice an active lifestyle. Try to exercise if you can. An active lifestyle helps improve sleep quality and length at night.
Eat and drink healthy. Avoid caffeinated beverages like coffee, tea, and sodas in the evening, especially just before bedtime. Caffeine is a natural stimulant and prevents you from falling asleep fast.
Avoid alcoholic drinks and smoking cigarettes, especially at night. Small amounts of alcohol make you more awake instead of helping you sleep. Aside from increasing the risk of lung problems, a cigarette contains a stimulant, nicotine.
Create a comfortable sleeping space. Use comfortable linen. You may also introduce therapeutic products like a weighted blanket for the elderly to help reduce stress and anxiety or use a good memory foam mattress that will ensure you got good quality sleep.

A Good Reminder

Sleep is vital to help the body recover from the past activities of the day and to be ready for tomorrow. It is, however, more important for our elderly to have more sleep for them to be able to have a longer and healthier life.

About the Author

Sarah Smith is a health and wellness writer. Her interest includes formulating good-to-know guides on health and wellness and guidelines wellness products. Recently, she made articles about how to choose the best weighted blanket for the elderly and how to help the elderly sleep more. In her free time, she travels and takes photography lessons.

Designing an Entertainment Room for the Whole Entire Family to Enjoy

Nowadays, a screen is a focal point of almost every living room in Australia, however, why go for a simple TV setup when you have the option to turn the central point of your home into a proper entertainment dome; a media center for the 21^st century. Keep in mind, however, that this will require you to do a ton of work in order to prepare the room for such a feat. No matter the effort invested, however, the end result will definitely be more than worth it. With that in mind and without further ado, here are several designing and entertainment room ideas to help you get started.

1. Do some preparatory work

The first thing you need to do in order to cover everything is do some preparatory work in terms of painting and soundproofing the room. First of all, you need to clean the walls and apply a primer. Then, you need to opt for a colour that is non-reflective, so that it doesn’t take too much focus off the screen. When it comes to improving the acoustics of the room, there are a couple of things that you can do. First of all, try to remove hard surfaces, as well as things that vibrate from the room. In other words, the softer your seating is, the better. Also, you might want to prioritize working on corners.

2. Choose the place for the position of the screen

The next thing you need to take into consideration is the position of the screen and its alignment against all your seating. What you need to realize is the fact that some of your screenings are going to take place during the day, which is why the reflection might turn out to be a major issue. The position of the screen will also affect your perception of the rest of the room, as well as how you are going to distribute the seating. In other words, this is not a choice that you can make lightly.

3. Consider the lighting situation

One of the most important issues for you to consider is the issue of light in the room. Previously, we’ve talked about the problem caused by the natural light, yet, this is the issue that can be resolved with some heavy floor-to-ceiling curtains or some blinds. On the other hand, when it comes to artificial lighting, you first need to be aware of the fact that the screen itself has its own light source. Other than this, you probably want to go for remote-controlled smart lighting in order to gain a functionality boost. Furthermore, in terms of feature lighting, why not invest in a neon Japanese sign or a similar LED light in a bright and bold color? Neon signs are easy to install, energy-efficient, and will never go out of style.

4. A choice of the screen

Basically, there are two major options that you should go for when making an entertainment centre – a smart TV or a projector. A TV is always a better choice for those who are interested in quality and aren’t really that concerned with the price. What you also need is some help making the setup, due to the fact that it’s a delicate (and expensive) piece of equipment that we’re talking about. These Adelaide TV installation experts, for example, propose wall mounting that improves performance and comfort, gives you more space and provides a greater level of safety and security. As for the projector, the only thing you get from it is a better price of the screen per inch.

5. An adequate sound system

There are some genres where the sound can make all the difference in the world. This choice, however, needs to be based on the size and the general layout of the room. In general, what you usually get to choose between is 2.1 and 5.1 soundbar. In some scenarios, even 7.1 would be an option.

6. Accessorizing

Finally, in order to give this room the attention it deserves, you might want to consider accessorizing it a bit. Why not go with some movie posters or props in order to further support the theme of the room. This is a project that you can bring the entire family on.

Designing an entertainment room with the entire family in mind might be a difficult and expensive project, but the end-result will provide you with an amazing audio-visual experience. You can also give each member of the family a task – even if it’s just to pick a single accessory – thus making the project into a family activity as well.

Science Of Snacks Says When Is More Important Than What Your Eat

Science is something that you will find everywhere, even when you eat your food. Therefore, do not be surprised when it is said that science meets snacks as well. According to it, it not just what you eat that is important but it is equally important to take a note of when you eat your food, snacks or a meal.

Consider your breakfast first. Science says, according to the food you have in your breakfast, you should plan your foods and eat smaller meals in the day. Why? Science says that when you have a healthy breakfast it will kick off your metabolism. In order to balance it up, you need to eat small throughout the day but it should comprise of healthy food items as well as the meals should be spaced strategically. This will keep up your energy all day.

According to science, you should also avoid eating late dinners. According to the scientists, you should try and eat your dinner earlier. Ideally, they suggest that you should fast for at least 14 to 16 hours until you have your breakfast the next morning!

Several studies are conducted that suggests that eating when you are most active will only help your digestive system to get a long break every day. This will, in turn, help you to regulate your weight.

Importance of fruit and vegetables

When you order for home snacks make sure that you focus on ordering more of fruits and vegetables. Once again according to science fruits and vegetables are good things to include in your diet list because these are:

Low in calories
High in nutrient content
Packed with vitamins
Has lots of minerals
Contains a lot of antioxidants and
There are lots of fibers.

However, make sure that you stick to the recommended daily amounts of these fruits and vegetables. Ideally, you should include at least five servings of different fruit and vegetables. This will help you to fill you up and at the same time, it will help you to cut back on your unhealthy food habits.

In your intake of fruits and vegetables, you should include a serving of half a cup of raw fruit or vegetable that may include a small apple or a banana as for example. In fact, if you want to make the best of your fruit and vegetable intake you must take double the amount that you take currently. In order to increase your intake you should:

Add berries that are rich in antioxidants to your favorite cereal in your breakfast
Eat a mix of a sweet fruit such as oranges, apples, mangos, grapes, and pineapples for dessert and
Swap the usual amount of rice or pasta and include a side dish such as a colorful salad.

However, do not ever rely on eating processed snack foods. Instead of these, you should focus on snacking on different vegetables such as carrots, cherry tomatoes, and snow peas. You may combine these veggies with a spicy hummus dip or even plain peanut butter.

Making the vegetables tasty

There are several useful, effective and scientific ways in which you can make even the most boring and common vegetables and plain salads most tasty. Especially when you consume steamed veggies it can become very bland in taste very quickly but there are plenty of ways in which you can add to the blandest and ordinary vegetable dishes. A few of the scientific and healthy ways to make vegetables tastier include:

Adding color: You should focus more on the colors of the vegetables. Why? Do you think that it will make your dish look more attractive and palatable? No. science says that colored vegetables will not only make a dish brighter and deeper but it will contain high concentrations of minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants. It will also make a difference in the flavor of the dish apart from making it more visually appealing. Therefore, add color to your palate using fresh or even sundried tomatoes, beets, glazed carrots, roasted red cabbage wedges, and yellow squash. You can also use sweet and colorful peppers for that matter.
Dress the salad: Liven up the salad greens using more ingredients apart from the most common lettuce. You can consider other ingredients such as kale, arugula, spinach, and broccoli or mustard greens, and Chinese cabbage as well. All these are loaded with useful nutrients. If you add these to your salad greens it will not only enhance the flavor but will also increase the nutrient quotient of it. You can be creative in this matter and add a drizzle of olive oil to make it a spicier dressing. You may even consider sprinkling almond slices, a little bacon, chickpeas, parmesan or goat cheese to make it even tastier.

No matter whatever you do, you should focus on your taste and preference but most importantly you should satisfy your sweet tooth if needed. There are lots of naturally sweet vegetables that you can add to your dishes such as beets, carrots, sweet potatoes, onions, yams, squash and bell peppers.

All these will add sweetness to your dish and at the same time, it will also help you to reduce the cravings for added sugar. Make it a point that you add it up to the soups and stews and even to your pasta and sauces to have a satisfying and within the limit sweet kick!

Planning for quick and easy meals

Science also says that if you have easy and quick meals it will help you to reduce your cravings. Therefore you should focus more on items such as green beans, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and asparagus and cook them in new ways. How? Instead of boiling or steaming these healthy vegetables you should try roasting, grilling, and even pan-frying them. Add a few chili flakes to it if you want to spice it up along with garlic, mushrooms, shallots, or onion. Marinate these with lime or tangy lemon before cooking for that extra kick.

In short, snacking is all about science, a strategic plan, and your diligence, if you want to stay healthy in and till the end.

How to Assure Dental Health for the Whole Family

From a sparkling smile to avoiding toothache and diseases, there are many good reasons to keep your family’s teeth and gums healthy. But even though getting your whole family involved when it comes to taking proper care of their oral health is a great idea, putting it into practice can be quite difficult to execute. Thankfully, there are many simple ways to keep teeth strong and healthy from childhood to old age. One of which is finding the right dentist; if you need one, be sure to consider American Family Dentistry and Orthodontics for dental services. Here is how you can assure the dental health of your whole family:

Teach children from a young age

Dental care should begin as soon as a child’s first tooth appears, usually around six months of age, when the teeth can be wiped with a clean, damp cloth or a very soft brush. At about age 2, you can start teaching your children about the importance of oral hygiene and even let them try brushing for themselves, although it’s very important to supervise. Your children will likely need help brushing their teeth until they are 7 or 8 years old, when they can finally start using a larger-sized toothbrush.

Brush and floss twice a day

Gum disease and tooth decay are still some of the biggest dental problems people face, no matter their age. So, apart from the basic advice of brushing teeth properly and flossing twice a day, remember that toothbrushes need to be changed 3 to 4 times a year, to avoid the development of fungus and bacteria. Bear in mind that teenagers and adults with braces might need to use special tools to clean their teeth properly, while elderly people with arthritis or other health problems might have difficulty holding a toothbrush or using floss, and might find electric toothbrushes easier to handle.

Consider cosmetic procedures

If one of the adult or elderly members of your family is suffering from severe gum disease or tooth decay, severely worn-down teeth, or is even missing some of their teeth, it might be time to consider a cosmetic procedure that will not only bring them their smile back, but also help them regain full use of their teeth. If you opt for a minimally invasive procedure, such as all on 4 dental implants, you will lower the pain and the cost of the procedure, while improving your overall quality of life.

Block blows to the teeth

While sports and recreational activities may be great for the body, they can pose a serious threat to the teeth. Even though most school teams now require children to wear mouth guards, remember that unsupervised recreational activities, such as skateboarding or rollerblading, may also result in injuries. Whether your dentist makes a custom-fitted mouth guard or you buy one that can form fit to your mouth, make sure to protect your and your children’s teeth at all times.

Be mindful of your diet

No matter your age, a healthy diet is essential for maintaining the health of your gums and teeth, as well as your overall health and wellbeing. A well-balanced diet that consists of dairy products and whole foods, including fruits, vegetables, grains and nuts, will provide you with all the nutrients you need, while helping you maintain optimal dental health. Some researchers also believe that consuming enough omega-3 fatty acids, such as the ones most commonly found in fish, might also help reduce inflammation, thus lowering the risk of gum disease and tooth decay.

Rinse or chew gum after meals

In addition to brushing your teeth and flossing regularly, rinsing your mouth with an antibacterial rinse can help prevent most gum problems, and even tooth decay. Chewing sugar-free gum after meals can also protect the health of your gums and teeth by increasing the production of saliva, which naturally neutralizes acid and helps wash any bacteria away. Of course, just as in chewing gums, it’s important to avoid sugar in snacks, drinks and meals, as well, as it can pose a serious threat to the health of your teeth.

Almost all tooth decay, and most gum diseases, can be prevented with good oral hygiene. It only takes a few extra minutes every day to brush and floss, as well as a few precautionary measures, for a lifetime of healthy gums and teeth.

5 Cheap and Cheerful Summer Activities

Ah, summer. Once the weather improves I’m quite sure we’re in for a scorcher! And there’s nothing better than long days in the sunshine, spending lots of time with the kids, enjoying days out and of course plenty of ice cream! You might even be planning to jet off on holiday if you’re lucky.

But if you’re living on a budget, or you’re watching the pennies due to your summer holiday coming up, then day trips to theme parks, zoos, the local water park and even just spoiling the kids with new summer clothes can often make us sweat. It’s times like this that many of us wish we had an investment we could cash in to fund all the summer fun we want to have! For more information on investments and investment pieces such as coins, gold and silver bars, click the link.

But did you know that there’s still plenty of activities you can do that are budget friendly and also ideal for keeping the kids entertained? It’s true! Read on for 5 of my favourite cheap and cheerful summer activities.

Visit the library

Did you know that during the summer months, the library is a hubbub of activity and fun? Many libraries have summer reading challenges that are aimed at school children of all ages and abilities. They can take part and win prizes, stickers and boost their reading abilities over the summer break, but they can also enjoy free summer shows, pop up cinemas, creative afternoons, author talks and so much more! Head down there and put some exciting dates in your diary.

Go for a nature walk

There’s nothing more budget friendly, then a walk in the great outdoors! The kids can burn off some energy, enjoy the great outdoors and see what wildlife they can spot along the way. Print off some activity sheets from the internet of common wildlife that they’re likely to spot and get them to tick it off as they go. Take a picnic with you and you’ll be out for hours!

Go camping

No, I don’t mean an expensive pitch at a caravan park. Why not put up the tent in your own back yard? The kids will LOVE playing in the tent and it’s great for their imagination. Not only that, but it’ll provide some respite from the sun during the day. When night falls, you can spot bats, owls and even do a spot of star gazing together over a perfectly with brewed pour-over coffee. Bliss.

Vlog

Do you have a budding Influencer in the making? Let the kids create their own vlog of their day, and then you can sit together and edit it. Add some fun graphics, music and then you can all sit together and watch it as a family! Don’t forget the popcorn!

Unleash the artist within

Your mini Picasso will love this activity! I often pray for the carpet when the children want to get the paints out. So, why not make the most of the good weather and let them unleash their creativity outdoors! Place paper or canvas outside and let them loose with paint!

Types Of Bikes Up For The Rental Services To Make Hikes And Trails Memorable One

There are multiple types of bicycles that the market has in store for you. With new features added to the bikes, the items are becoming even more promising than before. Each bike has its pair of pros and cons, which will make it all the more vital to use. So, going the features of these bikes and then end up selecting one that you like the most seems to be the pretty promising option around here. Without wasting any time further, make sure to go through all the bikes you could find under the under packages and then head for the one you like. Make sure to select the best bikes from bike rental Manhattan packages as once rented, the bikes will be yours for that particular time or days, without any change.

The first one is a mountain bike

Mountain bikes mostly have around 26 inches or 29 inches wide knobby based tires. It will allow them to be used in loose dirt and even overcome all kinds of basic roadside obstacles. These bikes are noted to have flat handlebars and rugged components and frames.

These bikes have suspension to just help the cyclist to navigate through the rocky based mountain trails.
Most people will ride mountain bikes not just on roads but on traits as well. IT will not provide any harm to the bikes.
It might be likened to those driving SUV on highway. The vehicle over here will be operating just fine but not may be the most effective choice.

These mountain based bikes are available in various price ranges. However, the recreational lower end ones are not made suitable for all the aggressive mounting biking but can always work just great for the trips on the smoother dirt paths.

The comfort or the Hybrid bikes

The sports or hybrid comfort bikes are designed to share the same comfortable features but are mostly distinguished by the size of the wheels. In a traditional manner, these hybrid bikes are known to have wheels of larger road sizes with slightly thinner base, when compared to the comfort bikes, which might yield mountain styled smaller wheels. Both these bikes are noted to have loaded with comforting features and might work well on the paved trails, smooth dirt and even family cycling trips. These bikes are known to have quite an upright position, which is solely designed for comfort.

Head towards the road bikes

You can identify the road bikes through its skinny tires and drop or down tuned handlebars. These bikes are more or less famous among the bike riders for their speed and efficiency.

The larger forms of these thin tires will help it in gliding along a road with very little effort.
Then you have multi-position handlebar, which can offer grip variations from the upright to just more aggressive.
A road bike is always the main choice for anyone whose main intent is to ride on pavement, and mostly to cover longer rides.
The metropolitan areas have seen so many bike rental shops and even online rental companies dealing with these road bikes now.

The time trial or the Triathlon bike

The bicycles which are mainly built for the time trial or triathlon events are noted to be specialized road bikes. These machines are noted to have forwarded forms of bull-horn shaped handlebars and even the aero bars, to say the least. Through the aero bars, riders get the chance to lean a bit forward in an aerodynamic position. The shifters as noted on these bikes are mostly located at the end of aero bars. The current geometry of this bicycle frame is mainly designed to match up with the time trial or triathlon racing, which will all be focusing more towards the aerodynamics.

Trick or the BMX bike

The full form of BMX bike is the Bicycle Motor Cross. These bikes are given this name for their single speed option, which is raced around shorter forms of dirt tracks, more or less similar to that of the motorsport.

This term BMX is frequently used for describing any form of single speed bike with around 20 inches of wheel diameter.
These bikes are mainly robust in nature and durable, at the same time.
It is mostly selected for anything associated with the intention of showing some tricks or jumps.

Going for the commuting bike

Commuting bike is the one common bicycle option to be seen on road for covering general transportations, no matter whatever the style might be. Commuting bikes will have some practical amenities like rear racks, lights, fenders, and locks. Such additional accessories will make this bike a utilitarian tool. If you think cycling to work is not your cup of tea, you can try riding to grocery store, nearby post office or just cover such small errands with the help of this form of bike. Using bikes for transportation is always a perfect way to save on fuel or petrol, getting a daily dose of exercise and helping out the environment a lot more. The experts can always work hard to save and select an apt commuter bike or just adapt the bike to some of the commuter friendly options.

Try out the cyclocross bike

A cyclocross bike comprises of road bike style with drop handlebars but with some wider forms of knobby tires like that of mountain bikes.

These bikes are mainly designed to be raced just around any dirt trail where the obstacles are placed at multiple intervals.
These obstacles are in need of the rider to just dismount and carry the bicycle for a shorter period of times.
Cyclocross events are always of a lot of fun and these bikes are noted to be versatile too. They are mostly declared to be an anything-to-do bike.

With so many bike options, heading for the next cycling venture won’t be that difficult of a consideration for you to make. It is true that you can log online now and get the selected bike up for rent, for hours or days and end up saving some bucks.

Top 3 Latest Jewelry Trends You Need In Your Life

Everyone knows that how you accessorize and decorate the clothing you wear is half of your style. Therefore, jewelry and accessories should be given very special attention by following trends and news from the world. That is exactly what we’ll be doing today because, as the trends change and develop, you’ll want your collection to change as well, especially because there are some amazing, unique pieces coming into the market:

Multiple ear piercings

Earrings used to be so simple: just a little stud, or a small hanging jewel to round out the look, but that has all changed. You can now safely (at a piercing shop, of course) pierce any part of your ear, so you can decorate it however you’d like. Upper ear piercings are not a taboo and a thing that only alternative-style people do, but something that everyone can enjoy and have. You can also do a double pierce on your earlobe, with a stud on top and a hanging piece of jewelry like a feather below it. Combine that with the fact that earrings themselves are evolving, and you can find more and more pieces where the backs play a role in the design itself, making them more interesting and easier to play with. If you don’t want to pierce your upper year, you can also get snap-on upper ear jewelry and fake little hoops, so you can try the lookout without the pain.

Layered necklaces

Yes, we’ve had layered necklaces for a long time now, but they’re getting messier – literally. People are now layering chunky jewelry with so many hanging pendants that you don’t know what belongs where, but it looks amazing. The trick is to find as many different pieces as possible and, if you browse for unique jewelry online, you will find exactly that. The best part is that good, chunky necklaces don’t have to be intertwined with others, you can wear them on their own as a statement piece when you want a more toned-down look. When you are pairing up messy necklaces, try to stick to an overarching theme, like the same material or color palette, so that it all links together into one big piece, and try to choose various lengths, because you don’t want one big block of necklaces choking you right at the base of your neck.

Charms and pendants

Yes, you can pull out the charm bracelet you started collecting when you were in high school because it’s back in style. Charm bracelets are such an easy way to add some elegance, fun, and movement into your look. They are small and dainty enough to not create a statement on their own, but they will definitely add to the shine of your outfit. One thing you don’t want to do is overcrowd your charm bracelet because that is when it becomes a spiky mess, instead of dainty, dangling jewelry. So, if you do have more charms than a bracelet can handle, it’s better to divide them into two bracelets and wear them separately or layer them.

Some of the trends that we’ve parted with this year are things like birthstones and dermal piercings, the latter always tethering on the very edge of the trendy circle. However, even if you don’t enjoy the trends or you want to wear something that is “out”, you need to remember that jewelry is the best possible way to make a statement about who you are and how you want to present yourself, so choose your jewelry wisely and make sure you know what your personal style is.

A Fashionista’s Guide to House Party Fashion

If you care about fashion, you know very well that you can’t have just a “party outfit”. Different party settings require different outfits, and you want to be sure you don’t miss the point. On the one hand, you don’t want to be overdressed in a group of people who are all in jeans and T-shirts, but even worse, to be underdressed when everyone around you is done-up. The best thing to do here is to ask the host what level of casual is expected and act upon that. So, to make sure you’re ready no matter their answer, here are a few different outfits to make you look great at a house party.

Girl next door

If you want to play it safe and make sure you’ll fit in no matter what the setting is, you might want to go for a “girl next door” look. For starters, it means not overdoing it with your makeup and hairstyle, but rather going for something that makes you look put-together and soft. As for the outfit, something like a midi skirt and a button-up shirt will look casual enough for a little BBQ get-together, but also fancy enough for something like an evening party or dinner. Your shoes can play a big role here because wearing something like Converse sneakers will make the look more casual, while a strappy sandal with a heel will instantly make it look more formal. If you want a nice middle ground, go for ballet flats. Of course, accessorize with your favorite pieces (a headband would go great with this!) and you have a finished look.

Fancy party

For something like a New Year’s party or a Christmas party, you’re going to want to dress up a bit more, but still less than if you were going out somewhere to celebrate because a home is still a more casual location. For this occasion, the perfect outfit would be a chic party dress, preferably something that is made of a comfy material because you’ll still be hanging out on a couch. This is the time to make your makeup and hair as glam as you want, so get out the red lipstick and go to town. When discussing shoes, platforms will probably be a better bet than heels because the last thing you want is to leave scrape marks all over someone’s floor.

Style up jeans

Jeans can be quite casual, but there are also ways to style them up, making them the perfect versatile option. You can wear jeans with a casual graphic T-shirt from Designhill and a blazer on top for the perfect mix of casual and partywear. A more professional option is to wear them with a button-down with a French tuck or completely tucked in. Accessories will play a big role here because putting a good statement necklace on top of a plain T-shirt will change the entire vibe of the look. Jeans also allow you to be more casual because you can sit in any possible way, whereas dresses can limit your range of movements and the ways you can sit without causing a scandal.

Ultra-casual

If you have a really casual house party, like a movie night or a sleepover, you can dress however you want, but if you’re reading this – you care about what your outfit says even if it’s the most casual situation. For this, you can follow sportswear fashion because it will give you a casual look without being in sweatpants. Something like yoga pants with a sports bra and a wind jacket over top is a good example, paired – of course – with sneakers. Put your hair up in a sleek ponytail or a messy bun, and you are ready for the party.

Of course, you don’t want to lose your personal style and touch just because you don’t think it will go with the style of the party because house parties are all about meeting other people and having fun, so try to put your looks at the back of your mind and enjoy yourself!

Fresh Gardening Trends for 2019

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As one of the most precious hobbies out there, gardening has a special place in our hearts. It allows you to get closer to nature right there in your backyard, lets you care for something important, and gives you the opportunity to watch your hard work grow. Though cultivating plants and flowers may seem rather straightforward and boring, gardening is actually one of the most creative hobbies out there. It allows you to experiment with nature in a safe and pleasant way while improving your mental and physical health.

It’s no wonder, then, that there are constantly new gardening trends that you can try and fall in love with. Each year brings a new and refreshing perspective on gardening and makes you see a side of the hobby that you never thought was there. 2019 is no different, as it allows you to play with your design and concept in many new or improved ways.

If you’re at loss for ideas but want to do something amazing with an existing garden or with a completely new one, these trends will show you the way to happiness and prosperity. Let’s see exactly why they’re so popular.

1. Giving back to nature

Up to now, gardens have simply been something pretty to look at. Some have even seen them as ways to take away from nature and tame it. This view is considered rather outdated in today’s garden community as people have found ways to give back to nature and the community with their gardens.

Even though you’re working with nature, you’re still going to create waste. Whether it’s garden clippings, weeds, or leftover and rotten produce, it’s bound to end up in the trash. Well, not anymore. With a composting bin, you can build yourself, there isn’t a thing you can’t recycle. The benefits are endless because now you don’t have to spend money on fertilizer, either.

As well as that, you should focus on making decor yourself and using recycled materials. This way, you’re fully supporting your self-sustaining eco-system and making sure the Earth stays cleaner one garden at a time. The more gardeners take to this approach, the cleaner and greener the Earth becomes. It’s a good thing, then, this is becoming one of the most popular ways to decorate your garden today. Soon enough you won’t be able to find a garden without recycled furniture and a compost bin in it.

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**2. Finding the focal point**

Focal points are the basis of any good design. If you have certain things the eye can focus on, you can create stunning visual effects. It works both ways: it can either make your garden look more spacious or make a huge vast space look more complete. The focal point of 2019 is definitely the garden structure. Whether it’s the pergola or closed pavilion, it has the power to bring the indoors outside and completely transform your garden.

Garden structures are rather stunning and offer you a unique experience of your garden. Not only do they give you somewhere to hide from the sun, but they also make the garden enjoyable in cold winter days. As well as that, they can make the perfect venue for your new social event.

On top of that, garden structures are an extension of your style and personality. You’ll get to play with interior and exterior design all at once and create something you’ve always dreamed of. If you want to completely incorporate your garden structure to your garden, you can even decorate it with climbing plants.

From a modernistic to a fairytale look, whatever you imagine can be yours in a few steps. You can also either match your structure to the interior of your house and tie it to your home or create your own little world outside different from anything you have inside.

3. Make way for minimalism

Minimalism may have started in the 20th century, but it’s more relevant than ever today. In the age of capitalism, when consumerism seems inescapable, it’s your job to rebel. Say no to tacky decorations and excessive decor. It’s time to show the world that your home can be just as stunning stripped down to its bare beauty.

Don’t limit you minimalistic tendencies to just your home, either. Your garden deserves to feel the love, too. Gardeners everywhere are sick and tired of putting so many things in their garden and positioning their flowers a certain way just to make room for more. An overstuffed garden isn’t a synonym for excellence any longer.

Even if you’re new to minimalism, you’ll be able to pull off a decent outdoor design. The most important thing is that you believe in it and trust in its effectiveness and power. Minimalism can set your garden free from the expectations of society, give you a new perspective on beauty, and leave you with a breathtaking garden that’s easy to take care of.

This is, therefore, also an ideal solution for a busy individual who still likes to keep a neat back yard. You won’t have a lot to tend to, but it’ll still be magnificent.

4. Landscaping on a new level

In 2019, it seems that playing with just garden plants isn’t enough anymore. Landscaping and garden architecture is also very important today. In that spirit, we can see that a lot of new landscaping trends are on the rise. This is especially noticeable when you take into account the fact that you need something edgy and cool to set aside modern gardening from traditional designs.

One of the most popular and easiest landscape gardening trends of today is combining the landscape with your plants. Edges and boundaries are no longer a thing, and you don’t have to worry about having a clean cut architectural design. The era of combining even those things we thought could never be combined is upon us.

This trend is especially appealing to those who have a big yard and don’t know what exactly to do with it. With a little work and creativity, you’ll have the most unique design on the block but won’t have to invest a lot of money or time into it. Simple yet effective, this remains one of the most popular trends of 2019.

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5. Bring the outdoors in

Indoor gardens have become more and more popular in the previous years, only to reach their peak and become a trend in 2019. With small or no spaces available for garden cultivation today, it’s no wonder that the average person decides to bring the plants inside. Not only does that save space, but it also gives you something very unique to work with. As well as that, it can be very practical.

Depending on the type of space you work with, there are different indoor garden ideas that you can choose from. Before you bring in the plants into your home, you need to scout the premises and figure out where they’d fit in.

Some people choose their living rooms as their garden space while others prefer being greeted by their garden at the entrance of the home. There are also those who think the bedroom can benefit from some plants. Whatever you decide, your garden is bound to make a valuable addition to the room. Make sure that your pots and plants match the design and style of the room you’re incorporating the garden in.

As well as that, you can take things a step further. Who’s to say that you can’t transform your whole house into an indoor garden? You can place a few plants here and there and create a agree on a path that envelopes the entire premises. To really show your design is connected throughout the whole house, make sure that each room has one key plant in it.

Corners, windows, and desk sides are also great places to put your new potted plans. As well as tying the rest of your design together, plants can refresh your home entirely. They produce oxygen and take in monoxide, meaning that you’ll be rewarded with fresh and clean oxygen. In other words, your cognitive function will be improved and you’ll be living a healthier life just by cultivating plants inside.

6. Perfection is overrated

Up to now, we’ve witnessed that most garden designs were perfect. Each plant and flower had its specific place in the garden, and there couldn’t be a petal outside its rightful place. Though such gardens are stunning, they’re also kind of ridiculous. The whole point of nature is to let it be as wild and free as possible, not to contain it. Plus, who has time to take care of every little petal and leaf?

Thus, the trend of asymmetry was born. People have gotten bored with the whole being a perfect ordeal and have quickly moved on to the most asymmetric designs you can think of. This gets off the responsibility to take care of every inch of your garden. Whatever seems out of place can just be prescribed to asymmetry and imperfection.

There truly is beauty in chaos and wilderness, and your garden can be a testimony to that. That being said, you should have at least one feature to tie the whole design together. This key feature gives the garden a sense of completeness and lets the onlooker know that you intentionally designed it the way you did. Otherwise, it may just look like you have no idea how gardening works.

Conclusion

Some of these trends are brand new while others have just been improved upon. Regardless of which category your favorite ones fall into, you’re bound to find something truly wonderful for your garden. You’ll never see it shine brighter than after you’ve rejuvenated everything on the premises and made it into something even more beautiful.

You may think that there’s only one way your garden will grow, but you’re wrong, there are many. With every new trend, you’ll find a new way your garden can grow and shine. Don’t be afraid to experiment even when you don’t think a certain something will work. Soon enough, you’ll have the recipe for the perfect garden in your hands, and the only thing left to do will be to use it.