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Secrets to Getting Your Kids To Eat Better This Thanksgiving

Posted on November 17, 2018

A common worry parents have around Thanksgiving? Their children won’t eat well.

They might not even eat at all. The solution? Imagine Thanksgiving from the perspective of a child. You don’t whose going to be there, the food or the schedule. In short, you don’t know what’s going on. And, on top of all that, you’re expected to just go along, and get along. As long as your kids aren’t infants, it doesn’t matter how old they are.

Filling them in on the plans for the day can solve a lot.

Eating expert and Sociologist Dr. Dina Rose, author of”It’s Not About the Broccoli: Three Habits to Teach Your Kids for a Lifetime of Healthy Eating” offers these tips to help your children and you conquer Thanksgiving and Holiday Eating and create a lifetime of healthy eating habits without focusing solely on nutrition:

1.       DO tell children what will be on the menu — and when. Don’t assume they know. Then, brainstorm together how they’ll find something to eat, if they’re picky, or how they’ll manage all the sweets and treats.

2.       DO let your children eat a meal before leaving home (or in the car on the way to the main event) if they’ll be too tired or too distracted to eat at the meal, or if they’re worried they won’t be able to eat anything at all..

3.       DO help your children figure out what they really want to eat by doing some taste testing, but only if they’re up for it. Assuming some of the food is unfamiliar, fill a plate with one pea-sized bite of everything on offer.

4.       DO tell your children that after the taste test they can help themselves to anything they want. Resist the urge to “push” the healthy stuff.

5.       DO resist the urge to tell your kids to eat-up. Remind them to pay attention to their tummies.

6.       DO help your children save room for treats coming down the pike.

7.       DO keep some familiar   s in the car for the ride home if your child is unlikely to eat at the meal.

8.       DO teach your kids to bookend Thanksgiving with a couple of no-treat days before and after their holiday feast. Even if Thanksgiving is outrageous, this strategy will even things out. Then, let them figure out their own holiday favorite treats.

Good News:

1.      Many children pick at their food. Nibbling, rather than gorging, is a healthy holiday habit.

2.      Many children would rather play than schmooze by the appetizer table.

3.      The mindless eating that parents do is easily avoided for kids who would rather run around than sit around.

4.      Happy holiday memories are more important than healthy holiday eating.

Have a great Thanksgiving!

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Bellyitch’s Fave Things: Naipo’s Home Shiatsu Massager

Posted on November 11, 2018

Whether you are expecting, just had a baby, are an overworked stay at home, work from home or working parent, you’re going to have aches and pains related to stress.

Stress can take a toll on the body in the form of muscle cramp, soreness and fatigue. There is a similar pain associated with working out or doing athletic activity to peal off baby weight after giving birth or simply, while you’re on your fitness and health journey.

To ease the pains, having a durable, reliable and effective non-medicinal home remedy and option can be ideal. I use balms and salves and pain medicine and an occasional trip to the massage therapist for a deep tissue massage.

But that is not always an option and can be costly and that is why I was grateful to have been able to test out Naipo’s  Neck Massager Adjustable Intensity Shiatsu Back Shoulder Massager with Heat and 3D Deep Tissue Kneading Electric Massage Machine. (complimentary in exchange for an honest review)

It’s  a portable massager, wrapped in quality leather and mesh material and delivers some serious kneading. You can position it on  your neck or lower back and it delivers the best in relief EVER! I swear! This is good stuff. It comes with two connectors: one for a standard plug at home and one that connects to the car cigarette lighter so you can get treatment on the go!

Perfect for long car rides during the holidays or over summer break, for people who drive for a living like Truck Drivers and Lyft, Uber and taxi drivers. The long periods of time sitting can give the body a beating after a while.

It has an ergonomic design perfectly fits your body to provide you an optimum use. Heating function works effectively on relieving tightness and poor blood circulation.

This massager would make an EXCELLENT give this holiday season as well and retails for just $43.99 on Amazon! A steal at  under $50 compared to over $1,000 in chiropractor or masseuse bills.

I did a video review too. LOOK:

https://amzn.to/2JVFnSg
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5 Ways to Teach Kids About Thanksgiving

Posted on November 10, 2018

The first Thanksgiving as we know it was celebrated in 1621 in Plymouth, Massachusetts. It was a celebration that was born from the pilgrims desire to give prayers of thanksgiving to God for giving them a good harvest.  Thanksgiving was tied to religious celebrations for hundreds of years, but today there are many secular celebrations as well.  Many times, Thanksgiving is over shadowed by Halloween and Christmas because it’s not as flashy or filled with gifts and treats.  Here are some ways to teach your kids to be thankful and to enjoy Thanksgiving.

  1. Create a thankful jar.  For this, you will need a jar of some sort.  This is a great time to recycle a jar that you have recently emptied.  Wash and dry the jar thoroughly and remove any labels that might be on it.  Cut a strip of printer paper that is the right size to wrap around the jar.  Encourage the kids to decorate the strip with a Thanksgiving theme, making sure to write “Thank you” or “Thanks” some place on the strip with crayons or markers.  When the kids are finished, glue the strip of paper around the jar. If you like you can tie a pretty ribbon around the mouth of the jar.  Have the kids cut up slips of paper that can be used for everyone to write what they are thankful for during the days leading up to Thanksgiving.  During dinner everyone should pass around the jar and take a slip of paper out and read it.
  2. Read a book.  There are many books in the library or at the bookstore that explain the story of the first Thanksgiving.  Pick out a book that is age appropriate for the children you are reading to so that they can better understand the story.  Use the story to teach the kids how you feel about Thanksgiving and why you think it’s important.
  3. Perform a puppet play.  Gather together several lunch sacks, construction paper, glue, crayons and other things to create puppets.  If you’d like, you can also print out characters from clip art, cut them out, and glue them to a craft stick instead.  Even a sock puppet will work for this project.  Make puppets that represent the pilgrims, the Native Americans and maybe even a turkey or two.  As the kids are working on making the puppets you can talk about what the pilgrims wore versus what the Native Americans wore.  Keep in mind that historically it is believed that the Native Americans were dressed very simply and would not be wearing a big war headdress.  Once the characters of the puppet play have been created you can talk about the first Thanksgiving and then act it out with the puppets.
  4. Play a game.  Create your own Thanksgiving trivia game.  Go online and find a bunch of facts about Thanksgiving and put them on cards.  Each question should be on its own card. The person who gets the question right can keep the card, that way you can see who wins the most cards at the end.  The beauty of this game is that you can gear the questions to the age of the players.  You may need to have true and false questions or multiple choice questions for little ones.  This game can even be played at the table during Thanksgiving.  You can reserve a special set of adult questions to be added to the game.  You might want to print out the adult questions on a different color paper or using a different color of ink so that you will know which questions are meant for adults.  The game can be fun and challenging, and it will also teach your children a lot about Thanksgiving.
  5. Cook an authentic dish.  There are some misconceptions about what kind of food was served at the first Thanksgiving dinner.  Research with your child what foods would have been there and then prepare some of those dishes on the days leading up to Thanksgiving.  A few suggestions would be: succotash, corn soup, squash, beans, maple sugar candy and berries (even cranberries).  While you are cooking you can talk about how you think the pilgrims and Native Americans would have cooked their food since they didn’t have electricity.  You never know, you might find some new family favorites.

Spend some time with the kids talking about Thanksgiving and why it’s important to you and your family.  Many people find that adopting an attitude of thankfulness all year long helps them enjoy life more.  Give it a try and see what you think.

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26 Election Day ‘I Voted’ Freebies: Rides, Food, Coffee, Drinks and More

Posted on November 6, 2018

So today is Election Tuesday in America and a lot of retail and consumer product brands and locations want to encourage people to get out and vote. To incentive the electorate, they are offering free products, rides, food and drinks

Technically, it is illegal  to provide  voters with incentives before or after voting in a federal election, however, I think the Feds have enough real problems to worry about these days than ruin all of our fun on a day to exercise civic duty!

I combed through several cites, Thrillest, USA Today, NYT and Business Insider and curated an ULTIMATE LIST of 26 FREEBIES for you guys.

[The ASK: Don’t click off and go share the list from the large websites. Support an independent publisher and share my curated version of all four]

Here’s the list:

FREE RIDES

• Uber is offering users a free ride to a polling place.

• Lyft is providing free and discounted rides to the polls. The free rides are being distributed through Lyft’s nonprofit and nonpartisan partners, including Voto Latino, local affiliates of the National Urban League, the National Federation of the Blind, Faith in Action, League of Women Voters and the Student Veterans of America. Lyft’s partners are determining how to distribute the rides to the users they deem most in need of transportation to the polls.

• Lime is offering a free ride to the polls, up to 30 minutes long, by providing access to their fleet of shared bikes, e-bikes and e-scooters.

• Several Y.M.C.A.s will offer free or reduced child care services for people who are voting. Contact your local Y.M.C.A. to see what is available.

• As part of Zipcar’s #DRIVEtheVOTE initiative, any member who reserves a car in the United States from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on election night will receive $20 in driving credit toward a future reservation.

• Via Metropolitan Transit, the transit agency in San Antonio, is running fare-free bus rides to encourage San Antonians to make it to the polls.

FREE FOOD, COFFEE & DRINKS

 

• Potbelly Sandwich Shop will be giving out free cookies on Election Day and on Wednesday (no “I Voted” sticker required).

• Shake Shack is offering a free order of crinkle-cut French fries with any purchase on Election Day. Voters can walk in and flaunt their “I Voted” sticker or use the Shake Shack app to redeem the offer.

• Corner Bakery Cafe is offering free coffee to voters who show stickers at any of its locations across 26 states.

• In Philly, coffee chain Saxbys is giving away a medium hot coffee, a medium cold brew, or a medium Groothie smoothie to anyone who comes in on Election Day.

• Toby’s Estate, also in NYC, in Brooklyn, is offering $1 drip coffee at any of its five locations on Tuesday.

• NYC’s Birch Coffee is offering a free drip coffee at any of its 10 locations on Election Day.

• Bobo‘s is offering a free oat bar if you tag @eatbobos on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter and use the hashtag #GetOatTheVote.

•Chameleon Cold Brew is offering a voucher for a free 10-ounce cold brew if you post a selfie with an “I Voted” sticker, tagging @ChameleonColdBrew and using the hashtag #FuelTheVote.

•Taco John‘s is offering a free order of chips and nacho cheese with any order placed on its app. Tuesday is also National Nacho Day.

• Stumptown Coffee Roasters is offering a free coffee for canvassers, registered voters and volunteers at the polls on Election Day.

•  In Los Angeles, all the 1933 Group bars are offering $1 Moscow Mules or Old Fashioneds between 5 and 7 p.m. on Election Day. The bars are Oldfields, Bigfoot Lodge, Bigfoot Lodge West, Harlowe, Sassafras, Idle Hour, Thirsty Crow, Highland Park Bowl, and La Cuevita.

•  Pick up a “free election dip” on any ice cream sandwich purchase with your voting sticker at Coolhaus in Pasedena or Culver City, CA and Dallas, TX. (It’s free sprinkles.)

•   Booze delivery company Drizly will help you toast your sorrows or celebrate your victory on election night. New customers get $5 off an order with the code “Election5” in Indiana, Massachusetts, Maine, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Jersey, Texas, and Washington. Take $10 off with the code “Election 10” in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Wyoming, and Washington, DC.

•   You can order Blaze Pizza online using DoorDash to watch the returns come in and get free delivery

•  Get a free Rice Krispie treat when you buy one at NYC’s TreatHouse at the New York location at 452 Amsterdam Ave.

•  Don your “I voted” sticker and, boom, you’ll get a free order of chips and queso with the purchase of any beverage at Twin Peaks Restaurants nationwide.

•  Flaunt that “I Voted” sticker at Condado in Columbus, OH, Pittsburg, PA and other locations and you’ll earn yourself a free taco.

FREE EVENTS

• The first 200 people that can show their voting-related social media post with the hashtag “I Voted” at Brooklyn Bowl in New York can catch a free show. “I Voted” stickers will not work for entry.

• The Creativity Museum in San Francisco is offering free admission to voters through Friday.

• After the Illinois State Board of Elections caught wind of its free admission offer for voters, the Field Museum in Chicago opened its gates to everyone. The museum is offering free admission for all Illinois residents on Tuesday.

FREE PRODUCTS

• The dermatologist Dr. Pimple Popper is offering a free daily moisturizer to all voters who post a selfie — while they are in line at the polls or with their “I Voted” sticker — that tags her skin care line.

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Tips for Breastfeeding While Working

Posted on November 4, 2018

Women have always worked and breastfed. The pioneer mother on the prairie had lots to do besides nurse her babies, and even modern mothers who are at home during the day struggle with the work of running busy households while responding to the needs of their infants. Combining working and breastfeeding is not really a new concept.

Here are tips excerpted from Dr. Sears’ website to help you continue to give your baby the very best in nutrition after you return to your job.

YOUR WEEKS AT HOME

Make a commitment. Juggling breastfeeding and working is not easy. There will be days when you wonder if it’s all worth it. You’ll develop a love-hate relationship with your pump. You’ll leak at embarrassing moments, and you may be on the receiving end of less than supportive comments from ignorant co-workers. There will be days when you’re ready to toss in the pump and reach for the formula. Yet, once you make a commitment to continuing to breastfeed, you’ll find a way to do it. If you believe that breastfeeding is important for your baby and for yourself, doing what it takes to continue this beautiful relationship will not seem as difficult. And you’ll enjoy all the practical benefits of nursing your baby full-time when you are together after work and on weekends. You may be worried that nursing and working will be a lot of bother, or friends may have told you about their own difficulties with pumping milk or arranging feeding schedules. Working and caring for a small baby is a juggling act, so you need to think carefully about this choice and how you will manage. If you’re not sure that you want to continue breastfeeding after you return to your job, give it at least a 30-day trial period. This will give you a chance to work out any problems and settle into a mutually-rewarding experience for you and baby. Have confidence in yourself. You can do this!

Get connected. To build a solid relationship with your baby, you must banish the “what if’s.” “What if he won’t take a bottle?” “What if she won’t settle down without nursing?” “When I pump milk at home I can pump only a little bit. What if I can’t pump enough milk when I’m back at work?” Don’t let these worries about the future intrude on your enjoyment of your first weeks with your baby. These are legitimate concerns, but at the same time, they are all problems that can be solved. It’s good to plan ahead–but not too much. Don’t let your preoccupation with the day you need to return to work (“W” day) rob you of the joy of those weeks of being a full-time mother. So even if your maternity leave is only a few short weeks, use this time to allow yourself to be completely absorbed by your baby. Think of this time as a “babymoon”-like a honeymoon, with emphasis on establishing a relationship with minimal intrusions. This season of your life will never come again; treasure it while it’s here. (You can organize those closets next year–or five years from now.) Mothering a newborn will absorb all your time. It should. These weeks after birth are when mothers fall in love with their babies. And, as with any love affair, the two of you need time to get to know one another.

Will focusing on just being a mother now make it more difficult to leave your baby later? It might. We’ve seen many mothers who had thought they would return to the workplace move heaven and earth in order to stay home longer with their babies. We’ve also seen the payoff for mothers who take the time to really get attached to their babies but who do return to their jobs: they work very hard at maintaining the close relationship with their child. They enjoy their babies more, and the benefits to their children are lifelong.

Get breastfeeding off to a good start. Doing everything you can to make breastfeeding work well in the early weeks is important to breastfeeding success after you return to work. You need to breastfeed early and often to encourage your breasts to produce lots of milk. Feeding your baby on cue will get your milk supply in line with your baby’s needs. And your baby needs lots of practice at the breast so that she has good sucking skills that will not be affected by artificial nipples later on. The more you can learn about breastfeeding at this stage, the more easily you will be able to solve any problems that might occur later on.

Plan to take as much maternity leave as you can. The longer you can enjoy this exclusive breastfeeding relationship, the easier it will be to continue when you are back on the job. Use vacation time, or any other time off that is available to you.

Consider taking an unpaid leave to stay home longer with your baby, if that is financially possible. (Sacrificing some income at this point in your life could turn out to be the one of the best investments you’ll ever make.)

Working only part-time will also simplify breastfeeding. If there is a compelling reason why your baby must receive breastmilk, perhaps because of prematurity or allergies, you may be able to prolong your leave time by getting a letter from your doctor.

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You Think Your Child is Gifted & Want  Test It Out: Here’s What to Do Next

Posted on November 3, 2018

Learning experts agree that simple prep work, which deals primarily with skill building and familiarizing a child with the testing format, is most effective.

If you’ve followed this blog for a while, you know that I have long been an advocate for growing the best, most conscientious, socially and culturally aware, well-rounded humans and have frequently shared posts, studies, reports and other resources for parents who are interested in raising great humans.

There are endless opportunities in daily life to enrich, enlighten and essentially set up your child to have the best possible successful and happy life and future once you, as a parent, are ready to invest the time and effort.

It doesn’t even cost a penny or much either. Puzzles, online games and tools are plenty online.  There are ways you can incorporate brain development in play, and through several of the methods I’ve blogged about here before.

I’ve shared insights, tips and suggestions about what the families that grow entrepreneurs and free-thinkers do differently, how to encourage your children to read more, tips to help your child who is struggling with homework do better, how to set up a boss homework station that gets things done, reviewed books on what Asian parents do differently, and my most popular post with a guide for helping a children go from a C to an A honor’s student.

Many wealthy families invest in paying hundreds and thousands of dollars annually to get tutors for their children.

And as I said before, you don’t have to be affluent either to make this happen even after you personally determine that you have a gifted child but before you have your child officially tested.

If you don’t have the resources of the super rich, you can invest in one of the many books out there that train and prepare children for taking the tests that the best and most elite and exclusive schools use to ascertain which children to admit.

One such tool is the series of test prep books offered by Reston, Virginia-based The Test Tutor. Among the bank of tests its books help students prep for are:

The Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT®2) is a tool used to assess the general intellectual ability of children in grades kindergarten through 12th grade. While the  NNAT-2 does not require reading, writing, or speaking to complete, the question types may be very different from any other test or schoolwork your child has experienced. Prep books start at $19.99

Iowa Algebra Aptitude Test (IAAT) is used to assess a student’s knowledge of basic algebraic concepts, as well as other math principles such as geometry and statistics. The purpose of the test is to assess how well a student understands these concepts, which are considered key for moving through grade levels. The test is administered in a group setting by school administrators/teachers. It contains 60 questions divided into four parts.

The Kaufman Brief Intelligent Test (KBIT) measures verbal and non-verbal intelligence in individuals from ages 4 through 90 years.  It is commonly used as a guide for teachers, parents and students when quick assessment of intelligence is needed for gifted program placement.

The Weschler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) is used to assess intelligence in children between the ages of 6 to 16 years old. IQ tests don’t assess learned knowledge such as reading and math. Instead, they measure a child’s learning capabilities through verbal and non-verbal exercises. For this reason, they are a far better predictor of future academic success, especially in children who are not traditionally exceptional students.

The Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement are long-standing tests used to determine how well a student is retaining and understanding certain subjects. The subjects tested are specifically selected to reflect a student’s knowledge of “core” or very important topics. Information covered includes reading, writing, vocabulary, comprehension, editing and different types of math. The subtests have variations which make them applicable to students of any age, from kindergarten through college. In fact, the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement has norms that make it applicable to adults up to the age of 90. For this reason, it is also commonly used outside of academic institutions to assess the learned knowledge of adults.

Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI) is a test given to children 2-7 years of age to assess general IQ as well as verbal abilities, reasoning and processing skills, visual-motor skills, and comprehension of both verbal and visual information. The results from these tests are compared to averages and peer norms then analyzed for areas of weakness or strength. These results then aid parents, teachers, and other professionals in placing them in educational programs best suited to their needs and learning abilities. Although grouped as a single test, the WPPSI actually includes many subtests. Depending on the child’s age and on administrator choices, children may only be tested in certain areas.

Because a lot of these tests are not necessarily correlated to the what children learn in school, it is essential to get prepared and Test-Tutors books are boss for preparing your child to perform well on these tests. If f you want your child to perform at his best, you must expose him to the types of questions he will encounter.

Test-Tutor also sells some tools I used on my straight A. Deans list and honor roll kids to give them a boost. Tools like BrainQuest cards and more starting about $9!

There is support that their prep books get results too! The company gets loads of positive comments and reviews from parents who have purchased the books, use them and recommend them to others. I’ve gone through them and am impressed and excited to delve into them myself and start testing them out on my brood.

They too will be applying to limited enrollment academic programs and schools in coming months and years. I’m hopeful and optimistic that the Test-Tutor will get them properly trained to excel and crush these tests.

 

The price range is reasonable and significantly more cost effective than going with a $150 per hour tutor. That’s the going price range around where I live and I’ve actually paid for an expensive tutor before and did not get much results. It was a total waste of money. So I’m hopeful that Test-Tutor will be a wise cost-effective investment that will pay off!

I’ll keep you updated.

If you want to check them out yourself, check out the website at Theor follow them on social

https://www.facebook.com/TheTestTutor/

https://www.pinterest.com/thetesttutor

/https://www.youtube.com/user/TheTestTutor

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4th and 5th Graders Can Ski FREE This Winter in PA

Posted on November 2, 2018

The Pennsylvania Ski Areas Association (SkiPA) wants to make it affordable for kids to stay active, have fun and get outdoors with their families this winter.

SkiPA invites 4th and 5th graders to ski or snowboard for FREE up to three times at 21 participating Pennsylvania Area Ski Resorts.

Additionally, fourth and fifth graders can take advantage of a beginner lift, lesson, and rental package free.  Snowpasses are issued on a first-come, first-serve basis, so PSAA encourages families to fill out their applications online now.

And, families DO NOT need to be from PA to participate.  There is a nominal online processing fee of $35 before Dec. 1 and $40 after.

Celebrating its fifteenth anniversary this season, the Snowpass program can be used even if your child has never skied or snowboarded before.

Any fourth or fifth grade student can participate by completing a simple application and providing a report card or other document verifying they are currently in the fourth or fifth grade. A photo of the student is also required.

You can apply online at www.skipa.com or download an application and apply by mail.

Skiing and snowboarding offer families the opportunity to exercise outside together during the winter months.

A ninety-pound youth can burn between two and three hundred calories per hour skiing and / or snowboarding depending on their activity level. Skiing and snowboarding are listed among the activities included in the President’s Challenge organized by the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition. Children and adults can earn points toward a Presidential Active Lifestyle Award by skiing and snowboarding. Twenty-one ski/snowboard resorts across Pennsylvania belong to the Snowpass program.

The Snowpass can be used at the following Pennsylvania ski area resorts:

First-Time Ski Tips for Kids

It can be a little overwhelming skiing with kids in tow for the first-time. SkiPA has five helpful tips to make the experience less stressful and enjoyable for all.

  • Memorize the NSAA Your Responsibility Code

Before embarking out on the first ski trek, make sure everyone in the family discusses the Your Responsibility Code . The National Ski Areas Association developed the code to help skiers and boarders be aware that there are elements of risk in snow sports that common sense and personal awareness can help reduce.

  • Wear a Helmet

The National Ski Areas Association recommends wearing a helmet. It is important to make sure the helmet fits correctly for maximum protection and comfort on the slopes. A ski and snowboard helmet are not something to grow into. Learn more at www.LidsonKids.org.

  • Dress for Success

Properly suiting up for a day on the slopes is key to staying warm and dry. Cotton clothing such as jeans and a sweatshirt will become wet, then cold. So, the key is to make smart fabric choices and dress in layers. Layering allows the body to adapt to changing temperatures. Look for fabric that is water and wind-resistant. Most importantly, kids should wear a hat or headband, polyester or wool socks and gloves or mittens as the extremities are the first to feel heat-loss.

  • Wear Sun Protection

Always make sure children have sunscreen and ski goggles. The sun reflects off the snow, so is stronger than you think even on overcast days. Goggles provide the best protection for every day on the slopes, especially for children. Making sure the goggles fit properly is very important. When fitting children, be sure to try on the helmet and goggles together to make sure they fit seamlessly.

  • Take a Lesson

Start kids out with a ski lesson by a trained professional. Most resorts offer lessons for kids as young as three or four. Children’s instructors know how to teach kids specifically by starting with key fundamentals and slowly progressing to make the experience fun while building confidence on the slopes.

Good luck and have fun!

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These Couple Costumes Won Halloween

Posted on November 1, 2018

Another Halloween has wrapped and now we start the process of scoping out the best costumes. Twitter put together its best t Couple Costumes from Halloween. Here are my faves

https://twitter.com/adamthehawk/status/1056528029118353409

https://twitter.com/GoldeeenS0UL/status/1051861246130049024

 

 

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Holiday Vacation Season: Best Ways to Experience Egypt as a Family

Posted on October 31, 2018

Egypt is one of the most fascinating and culturally rich places anyone can visit. From its historical sites to the more modern tourist attractions, Egypt is the perfect place to go for a family vacation. If you do decide to visit Egypt for a family vacation, here are some of the best ways to enjoy it:

  1. A Nile River Cruise: The Nile is perhaps the most famous river in Egypt as well as being the longest river in the world.

A Nile river cruise with family would be a great way to enjoy an Egyptian holiday. On one hand, you get to visit one of the greatest rivers in the world. On another hand, you get to sail through Egypt, catching a view of various landmarks.

You will also have the opportunity to stop and visit various cultural sites such as Luxor temple, the world’s largest outdoor museum, Karnak temple, Philae Temple and Hatshepsut temple.

If you’re looking for the perfect balance between leisure and cultural enrichment, a Nile River cruise would be a great option for you and your family.

  1. Visit the Pyramids: One can hardly think of Egypt without thinking of the pyramids, and for good reasons. No trip to Egypt is quite complete without a stop at the pyramids.

These monuments have stood for hundreds of years and continue to attract millions around the world. There are around eighty pyramids in number but some of the most popular are the pyramids of Giza, the pyramid of Djoser and the Red Pyramid.

Visiting the pyramids is sure to be a great memory for the family as well as an educational opportunity for the children. If you’re visiting Egypt, make sure to see the pyramids.

  1. Visit museums: Egypt is practically bursting with culture and history and this is shown through its various museums that house centuries-old artifacts.

Take a trip to some of the popular museums such as the world-renowned Egyptian museum in Cairo, the Luxor Museum in Luxor and the mummification museum which is also in Luxor.

These museums also have souvenir shops in which you can purchase memorabilia to commemorate your family trip.

Also, visit some of the lesser-known but still interesting ones such as the Nubian museums. Many feature exhibitions that cater to a younger audience which makes sure that the kids don’t miss out on anything.

  1. A desert safari: Egypt, as most people know, is in a desert and this means that there is a great number of fun activities that can be engaged in during a visit there.

There is camel riding through the desert as well as dune riding. If you fancy a more laid back experience, there is the option of a safari in an air-conditioned vehicle that allows you to see the Egyptian desert in all its glory.

Many safaris also offer a desert camping experience if you are interested. It is sure to be a fun experience for the entire family.

  1. Visit the coral reefs: It’s important to escape the heat when in the Egyptian desert and what better way than diving in the red sea?

While it is not eh most advertised activity to engage in while in Egypt, the Red Sea is home to an amazing coral reef that is open to divers.

This gives you the opportunity to not only cool off but also to see a wide variety of sea life up close such as sharks, dolphins, and stingrays.

It is a great activity for the whole family you don’t want to miss.

  1. Visit the local souk: No trip is complete without shopping and besides the many malls and shopping complexes that can be found in Egypt, a visit to a local souk is in order.

At a souk, you can find a variety of authentic Egyptian items to take back home, from tapestry to lamps to fragrances.

If you’re looking for the perfect souvenir or gift courtesy of your Egyptian trip, take a trip to a local souk.

 

 

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17 Last Minute DIY Halloween Costumes

Posted on October 31, 2018

Today is Halloween.

If you have not already secured a costume, never fear. I put together a list of some DIY costume ideas that you can recreate using the clothing in your closet or that pile of stuff you’ve been meaning to send to Goodwill.



1  Steve Jobs: To pull this off, all that is needed is a black turtleneck, a pair of faux glasses or real ones if you wear eyeglasses and an iPhone. Voila!

2  Arthur: Yes you have to find a pair of aardvark ears but a pair of mouse ears would do. Yo li cam also get some felt from a craft store or target and cut out your own and Glue them on Pipe cleaner with a glue gun and add them to a head band. Wear a cropped yellow sweater in your closet or pick one up from your local thrift store. Wear it over a white collared shirt and jeans.

3  Donald Trump: This is easy for any man who owns a suit. Find a red cap and done! Look out when you’re out and about in the streets! He’s a controversial figure and you’re bound to bump into some detractors.

4  American Idol contestant  – Now that the old popular singing talent contest is back on air, you can go as a pop culture costume from this show. You can find a copy of the logo online and print it out along with a random contestant number and then print out a fake “you’re going to Hollywood!” sign”

5  Waldo– All you have to do is pull out a red and white shirt you already own or hit up a local discount store or thrift store for a shirt. Wear blue jeans or pants. Carry a brown saddle bag and if you have a cane already, that’s a bonus. A winter cap or beanie completes the look.

6  Rosie the Riveter– To pull off this costume, grab a scarf with red in it for your hair. If you have a blue jumpsuit, that’s perfect. If not a blue collared shirt with a pair of blue denim jeans will suffice. Wear bright red lipstick.



7  Lumberjack —  Man or woman can pull off the lumberjack with a plaid shirt and vest coat with a winter cap. Pic up a toy ask from WalMart, Target or a costume store on the way home. Women can draw on a scruffy beard with eye pencil.



8  Wednesday Addams — If you own an LBD wear it over a white shirt with a collar, with knee-hi socks and black shoes, preferably Mary Janes if you have them. Pull your hair into two pigtails and top it off with dark eye liner around the eyes.



9  Robber- This is a costume anyone of any gender can wear. All it requires is a pair of black pants and a black and white striped shirt. Pick up a black robber’s mask from the costume store or DIY one at home. You can get a toy gun or DIY a money bag using an old pillow case that you draw on dollar bill signs on.

10  Mary Poppins – This is another relatively easy costume to pull off last minute because all you need is a white shirt and tea length black skirt, black tights and shoes. You’ll need an umbrella and a hat to really be convincing tho. Perhaps, you’ll be able to find one in a local costume store.



11 Audrey Hepburn -This is another easy costume for a woman who owns an LBD and pearls. Put your hear up in an updo, add a pair of shades and a tiara if you can find one still available.



12  Tom Cruise in Risky Business – One of the easiest because all you need to go as this costume is a white shirt and a pair of shades and sports socks. You do have to be comfortable in walking around in a shirt and I don’t recommend going with no shoes either. 


13 Ruth Bader Gingsburg The Notorious RBD — All you need is a black robe and a doiley with eyeglasses. If you can get a gavel or DIY one when you’re good.

14  Scarecrow– Wear a plaid shirt and used face paint to paint your face like a scarecrow



15  Britney Spears– A grey plaid mini skirt, grey sweater, white collar shirt, long socks and wear hair in pigtails.



16  Tennis Player – A tennis skirt, shirt, visor and racket is all you need to be this costume.

17  Lisa “Left Eye” Lopez from “Creep” video – I think I’m doing this or the Britney. Going to pull out my plaid shirt, wear one of my son’s jeans and hubby’s boxers, with a white t-shirt I own and draw on her signature black mask eye makeup under her left eye and wear my hair in two pigtails with a backwards cap. I’ll be totally reliving the 90s era one way or another this Halloween!

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