Image from Pixabay

A weekend away is an excellent chance to spend time with the family. Weekends are for bonding, yet so often we spend the time doing our own things. Going away will bring your family together and create some fantastic quality time. Kids aren’t always keen on the idea of going away. Their games and friends are right at home, and it can be hard to tear them away! Picking a place with plenty to keep the kids amused will make sure they enjoy themselves too. Here are just a few options you could consider next time you go away.

Image from Wikimedia

FAIRBANKS, ALASKA

We’re starting the list with a festive option. Sulphur Springs is sure to get you into the Christmas spirit if you visit now. Things are going on that you and the kids are sure to enjoy. Start your trip at the Ice Alaska world ice carving championships. Ice sculptors from all over the world come to compete in this incredible competition. The park is complete with an ice slide and frozen train rides! You could even sign up for a family ice sculpting class! The Christmas fun doesn’t end there, either. Timing your trip well could see you witnessing the annual dog sledding race, dubbed ‘the most difficult dog sled race in the world’! Show your kids some sights they won’t forget in a hurry with a visit to Fairbanks this winter.

GALVESTON ISLAND, TEXAS

Galveston Island is a barrier island that offers fun activities for everybody to enjoy. You can get festive here too by visiting during the world-famous Dickens Festival from December 2nd – December 4th. Don’t worry if you can’t make that, though. There’s plenty more to keep you amused. Sites like this guide to Galveston Island can give you an overview of what’s available and where to find it! Keep the kids amused with a trip to Schlitterbahn waterpark. You could sign them up for a day of extreme water sports. You could even book a ride on a helicopter with Galveston helicopters! Turn the trip educational with a visit to Galveston Children’s Museum. This list doesn’t even skim the surface of what there is to do. Do a little research and see the options!

Image from Wikimedia

SULPHUR SPRINGS, ARKANSAS

A trip to Sulphur Springs will open your children to a natural world they’ve never seen. The caves in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains are an amazing sight. They’ll amaze the whole family. Visit the Old Spanish Treasure Cave to hunt for crystals and fossils. Spend the weekend exploring these spectacular caves. This trip promises to be both educational and entertaining, which sounds like the perfect weekend with the kids! An official tour of the caves will allow you and your children to learn more about the caves as you walk through them. It’s worth paying for this addition so that you can get the most of your experience! Your kids are sure to enjoy the chance to learn about such an amazing natural spectacle firsthand.

Collectively, the bridesmaids are the second most important group of females at any wedding ceremony. As much as the world revolves around the bride, there is a fair and sometimes unfair share of attraction that is enjoyed by the bridesmaids. Yes, unfair sometimes, because, the bridesmaids’ status as being unmarried singles sends the level of attention and attraction sky-rocketing. Well, we wouldn’t give too many glances to the bride, apart from the legal and allowed ‘oh, she’s pretty’. You take your compliments too far, and you get a growling look from the new man in charge.

So, most of the attention is on the bride, while the bridesmaids also get some. They are pretty and most times single. How do we pick dresses for them that would just be perfect? Here are some factors, we could look at.

Have an Inspiration Board

The first thing you need to do is search. Then, create what we like to call an Inspiration Board. Save pictures from magazines and catalogs and paste them on your inspiration board. Similarly, you need to have an online Inspiration Board, where you can save images you get online. Start off by doing some research. Visit wedding sites, where you can browse thousands of gowns, bookmark your favorites, save them, and share them with your friends. The reason you’re sharing with friends is so that you can discuss them and get their opinions. Then find stores in your area that make such dresses. You could schedule a visit to go check their showroom and see what they have in stock.

Style

Can we throw style out the window? The style matters a whole lot. The style must be in tune with progressive and forward thinking mentalities. You can’t be having a wedding in 2016 and your bridesmaid is wearing clothes from the eighties. The style needs to be fresh, trendy and fair to look upon. This is one aspect we must never get it wrong. We actually suggest that you hold a meeting with the bridesmaid and deliberate on what style should be adopted. Yes, it’s a serious business. Treat is as such.

Wedding theme

Some weddings are themed. A wedding or party ‘theme’, is simply a certain style choice for your day that you then reflect in your choice of invitations, dress code, decorations, music, and all. You might choose something like a particular subject as a theme, (maybe football, butterflies or chocolate), or a color theme, (like pink, black and white or rainbow colors for example), a wedding theme will create a unique style and mood for your celebrations and the choice of theme is entirely up to you. If you have a theme for your wedding or intend to have one, then your bridesmaids’ dresses shouldn’t be far from the general idea. It is important that their dresses go in line with the general theme. Here, you also have to be very careful, you don’t want your bridesmaids looking like a clown. They should rock the theme in a beautiful but subtle manner.

Dress fittings

When picking the dress for the bridesmaids, the fittings are highly essential. You must make sure that the dresses are perfect for them. Here, there is an important balance to make. The balance should be between what the bridesmaids are comfortable with and what you would love her to wear. The dress fitting is also a function of the maids’ tastes too. It wouldn’t be so good to force someone to wear a body hugging gown when the person is much more comfortable with loose fitting clothes. The balance needs to be made and it needs to be made in love and friendly reasoning.

Budget

Yes, we can’t just give you all these wonderful tips without telling you to be watchful about your purse and how you spend. It is important to always work with a budget. The truth is that in most weddings, the bridesmaids pay for their dresses, but, it is necessary that when it comes to price, you need to try to be considerate of your friend’s pocket. If you feel your wedding might be a financial burden for your bridesmaids, just emphasize your search on dresses that are more affordable. Another thing that could be done is to select a color and a style and let them just pick up their own clothes.

There are several online stores where you can pick affordable and beautiful bridesmaid dresses such as azazie.com. This is a favorite because you can order some sample dresses and try at home before making your final order.

Getting a divorce is undoubtedly one of the most stressful events in anybody’s life. Not only are you admitting to a failure of a relationship, but you are also entering a new chapter in your life that is very different from your previous one. A divorce would affect your assets and finances, children, domicile, even your pets. Many couples who have decided to get divorced often moan about the high costs of divorce. Most the expenses actually go toward paying attorney fees, so what if a couple decides to go at it by themselves? There are definitely both advantages and disadvantages of getting divorced with or without the help of a divorce attorney.

Representing Yourself In A Divorce Court

There have been instances where a couple who has called it quits successfully navigated their divorce procedures without a hitch by themselves. This is certainly doable, but only if the couple still gets along with each other and the decision to get a divorce is mutual. Couples who have no children or very little assets to split are usually more likely to be successful to get divorced without professional help from a divorce lawyer. This is certainly the much cheaper option. There have been cases where couples simply bought a divorce kit on the internet and successfully divorced for less than $ 100. However, there might be additional fees such as the cost of parenting education classes. This is the best case briefs scenario that usually only applies to extremely simple divorce cases among couples who mutually agree to the divorce. If you suspect that your divorce might turn acrimonious, it is highly recommended to seek the legal guidance of a divorce attorney.

Getting Divorced With Attorney’s Assistance

Most divorce cases actually happen with the help of divorce lawyers because most couples have at least some points of contentions regarding the divorce. Choosing to represent yourself in a complex divorce case without a divorce attorney could actually end up costing you more money, especially if your spouse has a more competent lawyer. Getting a divorce with a lawyer on average costs around $ 15,500 with about $ 12,800 for attorney fees. If there were more than one issue to be settled in court, the average cost is about $19,600, with around $ 15,800 for attorney fees. Couples who successfully settled everything outside the divorce court paid around $ 14,400, with $ 12,200 for attorney fees. Attorney fees can differ significantly due to several factors such as fee structure (flat fee vs. hourly fee, contested vs. uncontested divorce), location (city lawyers are usually more expensive than those in the countryside), experience (the more experienced the divorce lawyer is, the higher the hourly rate).

Other Factors To Consider When Getting Divorced With Attorney’s Help

The nature of your divorce would also influence how much you will end up paying attorney fees in the end. For example, if it is an acrimonious divorce full of disagreements on many things, the attorney would have to spend more time and effort handling the case. Thus, you should expect to pay some extra fees.

Raising a child is never easy, but the teenage years can get truly turbulent! From family rows to fitting in at school, our teens are more moody and self-conscious than ever. Unfortunately, all these new stresses and tantrum-inducing hormones can wreak havoc on your teen’s skin, creating breakouts and acne.

Acne can cause the confidence of even the most outgoing teenager to plummet, so it’s vital that your child knows you’ve got their back. Overzealous parents sometimes panic in their quest to give their teen clear skin and make choices that can actually worsen the condition.

If you want to help your teen deal with acne, make sure you avoid these five common mistakes: 

1. Over-cleansing or exfoliating

 One of the most common mistakes people with acne make is over-cleansing or exfoliating too roughly. It seems to make perfect sense to scrub away the dirt and impurities that cause breakouts. However, over-cleansing can actually cause your body to retaliate and produce more sebum to compensate for the natural oils you’ve stripped away, leading to more acne.

If your teens want to exfoliate, advise them to do so no more than once or twice a week. Help them find a gentle, ph-balanced cleanser that won’t irritate the skin or cause further inflammation. 

2. Trying too many products at once

 When you and your teen are desperate to clear up a bad case of acne, it can be tempting to try every product out there that promises to stop breakouts in their tracks. However, adding too many new products to your teenager’s skincare routine at once can have unintended side-effects. Selecting products that are wrong for your adolescent’s skin type and combining certain ingredients can cause dryness, oiliness or even increase acne.

Help your teen by making sure they don’t introduce too many new products into their skincare regime at once and remind them to be patient. Remember: Some treatments take time to work and shouldn’t be abandoned prematurely. 

3. Reaching straight for a well-known product

If it’s on TV or endorsed by a celebrity, it’s gotta be good, right? Not necessarily. There are a lot of big-brand acne treatments on the market that may be ideal for some skin types but not others. Do your research by checking balanced Proactiv reviews and skincare studies to find the best regimen for your teen. The number of products out there can be overwhelming and choosing the wrong one could actually make your teen’s skincare situation worse. So it may be best to consult a professional before diving into treatment. 

4. Putting off seeing a dermatologist

 Whether it’s to do with money or a busy schedule, many parents put off booking an appointment with a dermatologist for far too long. As an investment in your teen’s self-confidence, it’s a small price to pay. Some acne can’t be treated with over-the-counter medication alone. To treat acne effectively, a tailor-made skincare routine may be necessary. A skilled dermatologist can give you and your teen some simple skincare tips to treat acne and advise you which products best suit his/her problem skin. 

5. Making acne a big deal

More than likely, your teen thinks that his or her skincare woes are the end of the world. While it’s important to be sympathetic (never tell them they’re over-reacting!), it’s also not a good idea to join them on the freak-out wagon. Don’t pester them over the little things and do whatever you can to limit their stress, as stress hormones play a big part in causing breakouts. Simply be supportive and offer advice when and if needed.

Believe it or not, acne affects up to 50 million Americans annually. So, while it might feel like it, you and your teen are far from alone. Like most of the awkward parts of growing up, this too shall pass. In the meantime, just focus on keeping your teen’s self-confidence up and helping them manage their skincare routine by avoiding the common acne mistakes listed above.

The Importance Of Proper Construction

If you’ve ever managed to get outside of the United States and see a third-world country, you’ve seen what unregulated architecture can be. One of the reasons homes in the US have the quality they do has to do with exceptional standards that all new property must live up to. There are different standards for different properties.

As an example, you’re not going to have a handicapped parking spot required in your driveway, but even the smallest public building would. Before you buy a home, find a way to vet its safety record. Ensure that it is in compliance with all local codes. Here’s a handy list of seven that are especially important. If you’ve got a property that’s been in the family for decades, you’re not excused.

Oftentimes older systems can corrode, or cease their proper functionality. Consider your electrical system. Would you trust a non-upgraded electrical system from the 1930s? Yet some people never fix problems like this, and are surprised when a short in the wires near corroded plastic sets a mouse-nest on fire and burns the house down. Following are three safety upgrades that are stylish, but can be integral to your home’s security.

Railings

In houses that have more than one level, a railing is going to be something which is eminently recommendable in maintaining the safety of occupants. But it doesn’t have to be a bare-bones metal construction fastened with utilitarian bolts. A wooden railing with a finely sculpted motif recommending its appearance can actually add a certain elegance to the house.

For the staircase that’s a bit dangerous because it lacks a rail, or that upper hallway looking down on the entertainment center, a well-designed rail system can increase the property’s safety and artistic appeal. If you buy right and don’t spend too much, property value increase alone could pay for the investment over time.

Fire Alarms

You need some sort of fire alarm services in NJ and elsewhere, and according to AlphaFireNJ.com, “there is no one size fits all approach”. And you want those fire alarms you install to work. But you don’t want them to be static. They should be monitored, and experts should install them to ensure that they are working correctly.

Something that has a certain hipster-chic to it is the installation of a traditional “public” fire alarm system in a house. Some workrooms may need a sprinkler, and you can remove the ink cartridge on the pull-down if you like.

This can be a more effective way of waking everyone in the house up, too; sometimes you’ll sleep through a conventional residential alarm. But get the type used in schools and commercial buildings, and nobody will be able to stay under the covers.

This can additionally be used as a surrogate intruder alarm if you’re not the kind to keep guns on your property. If you suspect an intruder and want him gone, pull that fire alarm. He’ll probably have to find new dungarees somewhere once he’s done running.

Wiring

You may have old sockets in your home. More tenured properties often have electrical systems which stretch back decades. These can become dangerous, as mice can bite away their insulating portions, and materials can naturally wear out.

Rubber becomes gritty and brittle over time, as does plastic. These items can make leaving an electrical system in an older property alone a substantial risk, and could cause that property to violate code. Getting past this can be done with an upgrade, and while you’re at it, you might get outlet covers that are stylish, and install additional plugs where necessary.

Expressive Safety

You don’t have to sacrifice style for security. Just choose safety options which can be configured to match your tastes, and don’t be afraid to get creative!

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Author’s Bio

Wendy Dessler

Title: Super-Connector at OutreachMama

Wendy is a super-connector with OutreachMama and Youth Noise NJ who helps businesses find their audience online through outreach, partnerships, and networking. She frequently writes about the latest advancements in digital marketing and focuses her efforts on developing customized blogger outreach plans depending on the industry and competition. You can contact her on Twitter.

One of the best things about winter is that we get to put on our knitwear and relish in the warmth of our home but this season often turns into a financial nightmare, when 50% of our electricity bill is spent on trying to heat up our home. There is this misconception that we can’t have a warm home and a reasonable electricity bill at the end of the month but the fact is, it is possible, with a few simple tweaks done to your house.

First off, take full advantage of the sun by opening windows and the curtains during the day and closing them before it gets dark, so you will have warmed up your home and have less use for the thermostat. Speaking of which, investing in a programmable thermostat means it won’t keep the temperature unnecessarily high when nobody is home, and it will work less when the fireplace and other heating sources are running. This piece of gadget is known to cut costs by around 30%. Closing fireplace escapes when there isn’t a fire and other gaps around the house are more ways of keeping much of the warmth inside the house and the cold at bay.

Unlike summer, where barbecues in the backyard are always a good idea to keep the house cool and to avoid having to sweat it out in the kitchen, winter is the time to use the stove and the oven to cook, while warming up your house at the same time. That’s the thing about energy efficiency, you have to work with the seasons by adapting and doing small changes when the weather changes, so that your home can be warm or cool enough, depending on the season you are in. There are more ways you can keep a warm house this winter, without raising your electricity costs, as the following infographic proves.

The watch was invented to tell time. However, many people today take this gadget for granted. As we move deeper into the digital age, less of the younger generation wear watches. In a recent survey, only 37.2% of young people aged 16 to 34 used their watches to tell the time. Over 30% of the respondents in the survey saw watches as either fashion statements or pieces of jewelry.

This is understandable considering that more than two thirds of the adults in the US own a smartphone and many of them depend on their phones to carry out many tasks. However, if you’re in the 70% that understands the importance of having a high-quality time piece, then you’re probably trying to decide which watch to purchase.

There are various types of watches in the market. You can get great deals on watches of different kinds online from DailySale. However, the LED Watch stands out for being the watch that set the ball rolling for modern smart watches.  LED is an abbreviation for Light Emitting Diode. The term refers to the slabs of silica that are used for the watch display. The technology was the result of several years of research into semiconductors in the 1960s.

The First of Its Kind

The first watch that used LED technology was developed and launched by the Hamilton Company.  This was the first watch that did not feature any moving parts. It was fully electronic. The time was displayed by pushing on the crown of the watch. This resulted in the production of a small electrical current which would flow through a semiconductor diode.

This watch, known as the Pulsar, came with an 18 carat gold case and was sold at $2,100 apiece. This was the price that a Chevrolet Vega sold for during the same period.

The development of the Pulsar was inspired by a request to Hamilton Company by Stanley Kubrick. He wanted the company to develop a digital clock for his film 2001: A Space Odyssey, which was released in 1968.

The Pulsar was an instant hit. The first 400 hundred watches that were produced in 1972 were sold almost immediately. However, because the circuitry was found unreliable, many of the watches were later withdrawn.

However, with a few corrections, the watch was back in the market. It became one of the biggest watch successes in the US with over 10,000 watches selling every month. The likes of Henry Ford and US President Nixon were seen sporting the watch. Even the Shah of Iran and celebrities like Jerry Lewis and Roger Moore couldn’t resist the pull of the fully electronic time piece.

The Rise of Competition

Following the success of the Pulsar, foreign companies begun developing and distributing different types of LED watches. By 1975, there were more than 80 different models and types available in the market. The competition meant that the price of the watches was driven down. 1977 saw the introduction of the first LCD watch and even greater competition for LED watches.

LED watches remain one of the most convenient ways to tell time. Modern designs make the watch even more cutting-edge. If you’re looking for a convenient and affordable time piece that will also help you make a fashion statement, LED watches are the best option.

Image via Pixabay

Finding a beautiful wedding gift for a pair of newlyweds is often easier said than done. Especially if they already seem to have everything they need. If you don’t know what to buy, this can make gift shopping almost impossible. But getting wedding gift inspiration doesn’t need to be so hard. If you want to buy the bride and groom something they will adore, you just need to think outside the box. So rather of buying them the same gift as all of their other guests, get inspired by these unique gift ideas instead.

Monogrammed Stationery

Monogrammed stationery is a fabulous and functional gift to give to newlyweds on their wedding day. A monogram is a motif which is made up of a person or a couple’s initials. As brides generally change their name after marriage, this gift could showcase your bride’s new initials. You can also opt for a marriage monogram where both the bride and groom’s initials are combined. The motif can then be printed or embroidered onto items such as notecards, notepads, and even towels. These are items they can keep for special occasions or use regularly. Always ensure before ordering this gift that you know the correct spelling of both the bride and groom’s first and last names. This can help you avoid making any embarrassing mistakes when you present your gift at the wedding.

Luggage tags

After their wedding is over, the newlyweds will probably be jetting off on their honeymoon overseas. So why not help them travel in style by buying them matching luggage tags. This is a fantastic gift that can help them look forward to their first trip as husband and wife. Luggage tags can be bought in an array of colors, shapes and sizes both online and instore. Try to choose colors that you know the couple like or use their wedding theme as inspiration. For an added touch, why not also get the tags personalized. They could be embossed or embroidered with their names or initials for instance. This can help to make this simple gift even more personal.

Instagram Album

If the bride and groom are avid Instagrammers, this gift is one they will treasure forever. You can go through both of their feeds and gather photos from special moments they have shared together. You can then have these images printed and put them into an album. There are also printing services which allow you to create Instagram photo books. These hardback books can contain the newlyweds Instagram photos, as well as written text too. Either option can create a wonderful gifts that is appreciated by the couple for years to come. Being able to physically hold their treasured memories rather than viewing them on their phones makes this gift extra special.

Hopefully, these ideas will have given you some much-needed inspiration before you start shopping for your gift. If none of these are suitable, consider the interests and personality of the bride and groom. This should help you generate even more potential gift ideas which they will love to receive.