Archives for April 2010

Picnic Games for Kids

April 23, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Water Bombs filled with waterImage via Wikipedia

Picnics bring to mind memories of playing games and running about in wide open spaces. Kids still love to run and play. Use these picnic game ideas to keep your kids occupied during the next family outing.

When several kids are present, group games can be played. Divide the kids up into teams. A little friendly competition will get the appetite going. Choose games that are easy and fast paced.

Two such games are the potato sack race and the three legged race. With the potato sack race, kids can compete in teams of two or three. Each player hops to the opposite line and tags their partner who then completes his/her leg of the race. Once the final member of the team completes their segment, the race is over.

The three legged race can be played with kids and adults. Kids can pair up with their parents or each other. Tie a string or a scarf around one leg of each partner. The teammates will have to hang on to each other to keep their balance. When the whistle sounds, each team runs as fast as they can to the finish line at the other end.

Kids can test their catching skills with the water balloon toss. Each team of players starts the game facing each other in the middle. With each toss, the tossing partner takes one step backwards. This continues, until there is one team remaining whose water balloon has not burst. Be sure to bring a few towels to wipe off the participants. Water balloons can be filled at home and transported to the picnic venue in a container.

Older kids and teens will want to play games with a bit more action. Sporting goods stores sell outdoor game kits like badminton and volleyball. It takes very little time to set up the net and you are ready to choose your teams. Choose a parent to act as referee and score keeper for the games. In cooler weather, touch football will keep the blood flowing.

Young kids would be happy with simpler activities. Bubbles are entertaining to them. Instead of using the small wand that comes with a bottle of bubbles, purchase the big wand that creates bubbles of all sizes. Soak the wand in the bubble solution and let the kids run behind you and try to catch them.

Games give kids something to occupy their time at a family picnic. Pack your game equipment the night before so that nothing is forgotten. Don’t forget the first aid kit-you may need it.

Article by:

Nicole Dean welcomes you to www.ShowKidstheFun.com — a free website filled with activities to make memories with your children and www.ShowMomtheMoney.com — a fun and informative resource for moms who want to make money from home.

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Filed Under: Family

Exercise Equipment For Your Home

April 7, 2010 by Leave a Comment

I have really been wanting to do more exercise lately. It’s kind of hard for me right now, because, I messed up my foot a few months ago. When it heals up, though, I do think it would be cool to have some kind of equipment at home. At one time, I had a recumbent bike and I really liked that thing. I’m not even sure why we got rid of it. We probably sold it because we needed the money. Or it might have been when we were moving into a smaller house and had no room for it.

eFITology.com is a website that sells exercise equipment to consumers and they deliver and assemble it for you, as well. The site itself and the people behind it seem very supportive and helpful in your quest to get fit. They have a live chat available and a free help line and a very active blog. On the blog, they just had a very cool contest where they gave away three different kinds of exercise equipment. They gave away an upright bike, a recumbent bike and a set of dumbbells. Awesome!

One of the brands they carry is Tunturi. They sell Tunturi treadmills, as well as Tunturi ellipticals. Those ellipticals are so cool and look like so much fun! Not to mention a major workout! I think I’d have to work up from about 30 seconds on the thing! Seriously! LOL!

There is a cool website that bills itself as “The Online Self-Improvement Encyclopedia” – now I could really dig into that site! For hours, probably! Anyway, they have a page chock full of Information on Exercise Equipment. It seems that you could find out just about anything you want to know digging through that list!

Who knows, maybe one day soon this stupid foot of mine will heal up and I will get myself a new something or other! I noticed the other day that my mother-in-law even has a new piece of exercise equipment! No fair!

Brought to your by your friends at efitology.com

Filed Under: Health

The 5 Elements of Feng Shui

April 7, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Clear Your Clutter With Feng ShuiFeng shui is an ancient Chinese philosophy for creating positive energy in any space. The system is dominated by eight areas of each space and five elements. Here, you will learn about the five elements that define feng shui and give rise to the colors and organization of your space to create an atmosphere of prosperity and health.

The Five Elements

There are five main elements in Feng Shui theory. They are wood, fire, water, earth and metal. Each element plays a crucial role within the space that you occupy, whether it is your home or your office. After you have used a compass and your home’s floor plan to create the bagua (energy map) the next step is to look at the elements that control each of the eight areas.

Each element has a particular life area that it influences. Knowing what areas those are helps with creating the design of your home and the use of furniture and accents that demonstrate that specific element.

Fire – As you can imagine, anything that has to do with fire inspires a passion that burns deep within. The fire element also adds a high amount of energy to anything that you do. This includes your work (career), your leisure activities and for couples, your sex life.

Water – Water is a refreshing element. Water flows freely bring with it an abundance of good fortune. In ancient rituals of many cultures, water was used as a purifying agent. Using the water element in your home adds purity, abundance of energy and a fresh feeling.

Earth – Have you ever heard of someone who is “down to Earth?” The Earth element brings a feeling of stability and security to your home. Mother Earth nurtures all who live on it and within it. The same goes for the earth element in your home – it nourishes each family member.

Metal – You may be wondering why metal is an element. It seems so hard and impersonal. Actually, metal is used to represent efficiency and clarity of mind and purpose. Your work will have both a well-defined purpose and good qualities when the metal element is present.

Wood – Think of trees. They provide oxygen for all living creatures that need it. The wood element equals health to the body. Healing cures using feng shui include the wood element in their composition. Prosperity in your home is also governed by the wood element.

Each Feng Shui element serves a different purpose in the home. The associated colors and areas that work best with each element help you to build positive energy throughout your home. Each area will be strong in a particular element and give you a certain feeling when you enter that room.

Filed Under: Home