Tips

The 4 Things I Plan to Do to Get Back into Shape

Posted on January 6, 2017

It’s time of the year when many people vow to get in shape. I too am eager to unpack some of the pounds I gained during the Holiday eating season. Also, I just returned from an overseas trip where I visited my husband’s native Trinidad and Tobago. There was plenty of yummy desserts, breads and other delicious meals that got demolished. So…yeah. Ten to 20 pounds later.

Here are the four things I will be using to get back into shape:

My workout playlist I created a few years ago on the Soundcloud App which has been reposted by quite a few people. I even created one for Soca and Afro Beats when I want to switch it up. You can check them out below:

2. I plan to hit the gym regularly and run at least three times a day outdoors or on the treadmill in the gym or my home gym in my basement.

I also intend to cut back on carbs so I’m going to stockup on Thin Slim Foods. I did a review of theses yummy pasta, bread, bagels and desserts samples the company sells and was convinced. I am a genuine convert.

4. Because I’m budgeting this year for several planned excursions and investments, so Lululemon is out of the budget when it comes to updating my work out gear. Fortunately, I can get that same caliber and quality of clothing from Fabletics at a fraction of the cost. Fill out the quiz and you get a lovely selection of clothing to fit your exercise of choice, fit level, place of workout, clothing size and budget.

Once I join, I am offered one two piece outfit for $10.00 and when I order at least $39.95 in clothing, I get free shipping! You cannot beat that. I love leggings of all colors, patterns and shapes. I live in work out gear given that I work from home and have to be flexible with my choice of clothing. Running errands, heading out to pick up or drop off the kids, picking up mail and other routine tasks can be done comfortably in any pair of leggings. Here are the ones the Fabletics team picked out for me. Click below to take the quiz and get your own customized offerings:

If you’d like to get in on this deal and join as well, take the quiz HERE!

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These Are The Most Expensive Children’s Items

Posted on January 4, 2017

A little while ago, we used to publish a list of the most expensive baby and maternity items on a biennial basis. They were very popular features. In a throwback to those posts, here are the most expensive baby or child items (or closest to the top) that are out these days.

Most Expensive Clothing for a baby or child– Mischka Aoki sells a sleeveless drss with silk satin top panels of macramé lace that is also embellished with Swarovski crystals and pearls. The layered and ruffle skirt panel dress with a train comes with a garment bag and costs a whopping $15,806! Get it at LUISAVIAROMA.

For a young gentleman, a Burberry flight jacket made of tartan wool, shearling lining and zip cuffs with leather trims will run a mom or dad $3,195. Get it at Burberry!

Most Expensive Diaper bag – Burberry also sells a top of the line diaper bag made of a combination of rich leather and familiar cotton twill checks. The bag comes with a removal shoulder strap, has double top zip closure and protective metal feet. It has an inside zip compartment and divider pocket. The leather and cotton imported bag costs $1,495. Get it at Saks Fifth Avenue!

Most Expensive Crib – Nursery Works has designed an oval solid maple crib that converts to a bassinet by removing front and back panels. The $7,500 crib is made in Los Angeles but comes with an oval coco core mattress from Pure by Babyletto and is Oeko-tex certified non-toxic, made in Slovenia. Get it at 2Modern!

Most Expensive Stroller– There are a lot of high end strollers out there but Bugaboo’s Donkey Twin Stroller Bundle which includes 1 sun canopy 1 bassinet apron is a hefty $1,885–1,975, depending on accessories. Get it at diapers.com!

If you have it and can afford to spend that much on top of the line, quality items, why not, right?

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The 8 Things You Can Do to Reduce Your Child’s Healthcare Costs

Posted on January 2, 2017

Health care costs are soaring higher every year, and as they do many American workers are watching their health insurance coverage simultaneously diminish. In this economic environment, many families are forced to find ways to cut medical costs wherever and however they can. Consider these eight ways to reduce the cost of their kids’ medications.

Generic Alternatives – Any medication that your child might need will almost always have a generic equivalent that can be substituted for the name brand version at a cheaper cost. Ask your child’s doctor or pharmacist if going generic is an option.
Start with Samples – You don’t necessarily have to buy an entire month’s worth of medication that’s been prescribed for your child all at once, especially if there isn’t a specific medical need for that much. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if they have any free sample packs.
Buy in Bulk – On the flip side, if you’ve been prescribed a medication for your child that you expect she will need for an extended period of time, try buying a 3-month vs. a 1-month supply. Medications are often cheaper per dose in larger quantities.
Larger Dosage Sizes – Another way of reducing your per-dose expenses is to buy a larger dosage size than the prescription and then split the pills to match the prescribed dosage. Here again, the larger pills are often cheaper per milligram than the smaller versions. You’ll need your doctor’s permission before going that route and the medication needs to be conducive to easy splitting.
Shop Around – Like everything else, prices vary for medications. For instance, Wal-Mart pharmacies have a $4 prescription plan for 30-day supplies, and $10 for 90 days’ worth. Sometimes referred to as a 4/10 plan, this doesn’t require insurance. You can find a list of medications and available doses here. Ask your pharmacist if they’ve got a 4/10 plan.
Mail Order – This is rapidly increasing in popularity as a means for purchasing prescription drugs at a discount. You can find deals for a 3-month supply of a prescription that for the cost of only one co-pay.
Coupons – Yes, drugs have them too. You may be able to get them from your doctor or find them online. Check the website of the drug’s manufacturer too. You can save a bundle with coupons.
Discount Cards – Certain groups and organizations offer memberships which afford their members discounts on certain products. You may already have a means to save on your child’s medications right there in your wallet, next to your hard-earned cash.

You don’t have to resign yourself to high medication costs. Instead, try to find different ways where you can reduce the price. Health care coverage may be diminishing, but that doesn’t mean you have to spend a fortune to stay healthy.

reprinted with permission

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How to Dress Your Kids for Winter Weather

Posted on December 30, 2016

As cooler weather starts to roll around, new parents or those that have recently relocated to a more wintry climate often find themselves struggling to determine the best methods for dressing their youngsters in weather-appropriate attire. While opinions on the subject can be quite varied on the topic, there are a few truths that parents forced with their first real winter weather should consider before the chill sets in.

Layering is Key

Frigid weather can send even the most laid-back parent into overdrive, but it’s important to remember that kids are usually only outside for brief stretches throughout the day. As such, it’s best to dress them in layers that are easily shed in warm classrooms and stores, rather than one or two very bulky items that leave them sweating. For younger kids that attend daycare or elementary school, it’s also wise to attach labels to coats, gloves and hats. It’s easy for cold-weather items to get misplaced, sent home with the wrong child or left behind when little ones are in a rush at the end of the day, but replacing them can also become quite expensive very quickly.

Skip Traditional Scarves

Scarves are a winter-weather staple, but they may also be less than safe for younger children, as they can easily be snagged, slammed in a door or stepped on to present a strangulation hazard. Rather than protecting your little one’s face and neck from icy winds with a standard scarf, it may be better to opt for cowl styles or neck warmers, which have no trailing ends to put him in danger when he’s out of your sight.

Dress for the Occasion

There’s a difference between cold, snowy weather and just plain cold. During periods of snowfall, your child will need to be protected from the dampness of melting snow as well as frosty temperatures, while the drier cold of a day with no winter precipitation may require stronger wind protection to prevent chapping and windburn. Familiarizing yourself with the various articles of winter clothing and their best uses while keeping an eye on the weather forecast is the best way to ensure that your little one is dressed appropriately for every winter occasion.

Opt for Water-Resistant Materials

When the thermometer mercury edges just slightly past 32º, all of the accumulated ice and snow becomes a series of very cold puddles along walkways and across parking lots. Protecting your child from the dampness that can accompany walking across those puddles and dripping from overhanging surfaces is important, but it’s also very difficult if his winter gear isn’t waterproof or, at the very lease, water-resistant. It may be cheaper at the outside to spring for a lower-priced jacket that doesn’t have waterproof construction, well-made products that repel water will keep him warm and dry throughout the winter season.

Know Your Boots

At first glance, most boots are created equal. Upon closer examination, you’ll learn that some boots are more suited to cold temperatures that others. While galoshes seem to be a good choice, due to their waterproof exteriors, they offer absolutely no insulation from cold and can be easily filled with snow if it’s high enough to fall over the wide openings at your child’s calf. Honest-to-goodness snow boots, on the other hand, will have both inner insulation and a top that prevents snow from falling inside.

Hats and Hoods are Your Friend

Though the old adage about your body heat escaping through your head is little more than an old wive’s tale, it is still important to keep your child’s head warm and protected from chapping winds, falling sleet or snow, and simple low temperatures. Look for those without drawstrings that can present a strangulation hazard, with waterproof liners and a snug enough fit to block most of the wind’s chilling power.

While you’re fighting the battle against winter’s chill, don’t forget the sunscreen. Though it seems incongruous to slather your little one with the same sunscreen he uses on the beach to go outside for a snowman-building session, it’s actually an integral part of protecting his skin. Snow reflects up to 75% of ultraviolet rays, which can still be damaging even at winter’s low temperatures.

Reprinted with permission

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10 Things to Do While Waiting for Your Kid’s Practice to End

Posted on December 29, 2016

Do you ever feel like all you do is sit around waiting for your kids to get out of one practice or another? It’s like you’re constantly stuck wasting precious time that could be spent more productively otherwise. You’re not part of the coaching team, so you’re not participating in the practice, but you also don’t have enough time to go home and get anything done, making it feel like you’re just wasting time. This catch-22 pretty much leaves you forced to wait it out and do nothing. Or does it?

The next time you are cooling your heels waiting for practice to end, consider some of these practical ways to spend your time.

Get some exercise. Put on some tennis shoes and go for a walk. You can easily get in a 30 minute walk during most practices – if not longer. Make sure you warm up and stretch a little before you start walking. Your heart and waistline will thank you for the extra exercise.
Run some errands. Busy parents frequently feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day, so why not take advantage of the hour or so that your child will be at practice and use that time to run a few errands? Switch to a dry cleaner that is close to the practice location so you are able to drop it off and pick it up conveniently. Visit a nearby store where you can look for gift items on sale that you can put in your gift closet, that way the next time you need to grab a gift for a birthday party in a hurry you have plenty of options on hand. Take this time to read some greeting cards and stock up on what you will need for any upcoming birthdays or holidays.
Catch up on the news. Buy a newspaper and actually take the time to read it. If you get bored reading the news you can probably find a crossword puzzle or a jumble to solve. There may even be sale ads that you can use to plan your next shopping trip.
Read a good book. Have you been hearing about the latest best seller and thought to yourself that you’ll never have the time to sit down and read it? You actually do have the time to read a few chapters if you utilize the time spent at practices to read. Keep the book in your bag or car and the next time you have a few minutes during practice you can pull out the book and see if it lives up to the hype that everyone has built it up to be.
Start a new hobby. There are many different hobbies that can be done with minimal supplies while you are sitting at a practice. For instance, if you want to preserve your photos you can take up scrapbooking. While waiting on the side of the field or sitting in the car you can crop pictures, decide which pictures will go into what spread, decide on the layout etc. You could also take up knitting or crocheting.
Sharpen your mind. There are a lot of handheld video games that will challenge your brain. If you don’t want to go to the expense of buying a video game, you can also buy a paperback puzzle book with brain teasers, word jumbles, crossword puzzles or Sudoku.
Catch up with a friend. According to WebMD, talking to friends is a great way to relieve stress. Many mobile phone plans have unlimited minutes or rollover minutes that will allow you to chat without worrying about if you’re going over your minutes.
Meditate. Finding time to meditate in a quiet place is often difficult when you have kids. The car would be a suitable place to meditate if you’re going to be sitting in there by yourself anyway. You can use this alone time to center yourself and find a deeper calm through different visualization techniques or by doing some deep breathing exercises while you wait. If you are afraid you will fall asleep, set the alarm on your phone.
Do homework with a sibling. If you have a younger sibling with you, this is the perfect time to get in some one on one time with them to go over reading, spelling or math facts. She can bring along whatever homework she has to a practice with a clipboard and pencil, and she can have your undivided attention for the duration of the practice.
Write in a journal. Either write down your thoughts from the day or keep a specialized journal. Some people like to keep a prayer journal, others keep a food journal, and some people like to keep a gratitude journal, just to name a few. If you have any interest in writing stories, this could be the perfect time to spend some time writing out some story ideas or working on the actual story.

The main thing to remember is that the time spent waiting for practice to be over doesn’t have to be wasted time; it can be put to good use. Imagine how much healthier you could be, both physically and mentally, if you spent 30 minutes taking a brisk walk, 30 minutes meditating, and 30 minutes journaling each week.

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All Your New Year’s Eve Facts & Stats (INFOGRAPHIC)

Posted on December 27, 2016

As we prepare to say goodbye to 2016, and welcome a New Year, let’s check out some interesting facts and stats about the season.

The guys at the personal finance site WalletHub went hunting for the most interesting factoids about America’s fourth-favorite holiday, New Year’s Eve/Day, to help people better understand and enjoy the occasion.

Below, you can check out their findings on everything from our eating, drinking and spending habits to travel plans, midnight prayers, DUIs and hangovers.

Source: WalletHub

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4 Ways to Encourage Siblings to Share

Posted on December 26, 2016

From siblings to best friends, children have a difficult time learning to share. It is a concept that may not fully develop until late into grade school, if then. However, there are a few ways you can help your child develop an attitude of sharing.

Model sharing the things that are important to you with others. Often, parents expect their child to share toys, games and even attention with other children. This is usually expected because it was expected of them when they were children. However, adults rarely share the things that are really important to them. Do most adults go around loaning their cars, jewelry, clothes, homes, electronics and even their time to others? Your child sees that when an adult owns something it belongs to her, and she gets to decide when she feels like sharing it and when she does not feel like sharing it. This mindset then transfers into your child’s life. He rightfully feels that when something belongs to him because it was given as a gift or purchased with his own money, that it belongs to him. When he sees his parent being generous with what she has, he will think that sharing is a part of life. If he sees his parent unwilling to share the things she owns, big and little, then he is going to be less willing to share his own things.

Don’t make him share everything. When parents tell their child that they “must” share the toy with someone else, it stimulates a primal instinct everyone has. Instead of helping the child to learn to share, making a child share his toys actually causes him to want to share it and other toys less. He becomes afraid that at any moment you will come in and make him give up the thing that (at least right now) means everything to him. Instead, allow there to be at least a few toys that he has the right to choose when and with whom he will share. This gives the child just enough control over the situation to loosen his grip on the toy. When he has the independence to share it or not, he will eventually be willing to share with others.

Keep a set of toys that belong to you and share those with him and friends he has over. The big problem with not making your child share his toys is that it means that his friends or siblings do not have toys to play with together. To solve this problem you can create a family toy box. Everything in that toy box belongs to you – the adult. Because of this, you get to decide who the toys are shared with and when the toys are shared. You, of course, are very generous with the sharing of this toy box, and let not only your child but any other child that comes over to play use the toys. This will help in a few ways. It will help your child not feel so tense about sharing his own toys, which can actually help him want to share his. It will also provide a great example of sharing for your child. He will begin to learn that sharing can make play more fun.

Help him to see that when he shares with others, others are more willing to share with him and that it is more fun to share. There are a lot of ways you can help your child see this. Utilize moments when you see him sharing with siblings or with other children. Tell him that you see how well he is sharing and that you are glad he is able to have fun with someone else. Positive reinforcement is the best way to help your child learn a new life lesson. When playing with your child, talk about how much fun it is when you have people to play with instead of having to play by yourself. Make mention of sharing every time you see it in the world, whether in books, on the playground, on the TV or in your house.

Sharing is a very difficult habit to form in children. The truth is that most adults have not perfected this either. But life is much better when children learn to share what belongs to them, and it is incredibly rewarding as a parent to watch your child engage and play well with other children.

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Good Luck Returning Stuff at These 5 Stores with Worst Policies

Posted on December 25, 2016

For the next few days, people will be heading to the malls and department stores returning gifts that they don’t like, don’t fit or just want to return for any number of reasons. It’s not going to be an easy task if the item you have to return will be going back to one of these 5 stores that GOBankingRates determined last year has the worst return policies.

Here is what they have in common: They have short time limits on returns, often don’t accept returns without a receipt and have other terms that make returns trickier. The worst store, in fact, doesn’t offer refunds at all — returns are only eligible for exchange or store credit.

1. Forever 21 Return Policy

Forever 21’s return policy is the worst of the retailers surveyed, and makes it harder for customers to get back their money once it’s spent. Forever 21 only allows 21 days for returns, and purchases can only be exchanged for other items or refunded in store credit, not in the original form of payment. Items must also be unworn, unwashed and unused with tags still attached. Forever 21 will be extending its return window for the holidays this year, so ask the cashier about this at checkout.

For online returns by mail, Forever 21’s policy is slightly better. It extends the return window to 30 days, and will refund the purchase to the credit card used to pay. The Forever 21 return policy also noted that final sale items, cosmetics and gift cards cannot be returned for a refund or exchange, except to correct a defect or error.

2. Kmart Return Policy

Kmart (SHLD) allows just 30 days for customers to return items, and does not accept returns made without a receipt. Customers making a return with a gift receipt can receive an exchange for store credit only.

Many items will not be eligible for return if their packages are opened — including music, movies, video games and software. Kmart has no plans to offer an extended holiday return window this year, the retailer confirmed via Twitter.

3. Barnes & Noble Return Policy

The window for returns allowed by Barnes & Noble (BKS) is the shortest on our survey, at just two weeks (14 days). Items must be unopened and returned in their original condition, per the Barnes & Noble return policy, though refunds will be issued in the original form of payment.

The bookseller will not issue returns without a receipt or other proof of payment, and returns made with a gift receipt will receive refunds via store credit. Barnes & Noble did extend its return window last holiday season, CNBC reported.

4. GameStop Return Policy

GameStop (GME) allows just 30 days for returns, and will make no returns without a receipt. Items returned with a gift receipt qualify only for exchanges or refunds in store credit.

Pre-owned items can be returned for a refund within seven days, or for an identical exchange within 30 days. GameStop’s return policy requires that all items be returned with original packaging and in “sellable condition,” and reserves the right to refuse returns of opened items.

5. Sears Return Policy

Sears (SHLD) has a worst return policy that does not allow returns without a receipt. The department store will only make returns for which the customer can provide a receipt or other proof of purchase within 30 days. Sears’ return policy on gift receipts is to provide only exchanges or refunds via gift cards.

However, Sears will extend its return on windows for the holidays, allowing items purchased by Dec. 24 to be returned through January 24, 2016. The original packaging is required for the return to be accepted, and some items will carry a 15 percent restocking fee which will be deducted from the refund. Sears will not accept any returns of Christmas season items after December 25.

Methodology: GOBankingRates surveyed the return policies of 31 major retailers popular during the holiday shopping season to determine the best and worst. GOBankingRates ranked each policy on (1) the return window provided, (2) whether the retailer accepted returns without a receipt, (3) the condition required for returns, and (4) whether the store typically offered extended holiday returns. Other return policy terms unique to retailers were considered in the rankings, as they benefited the customer.

This article originally appeared on GoBankingRates.

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Tips

I Share18 of My Fave Unique Infant Photography Angles

Posted on December 20, 2016

save-picmonkey-s-photo-editor-free-online-image-editing

I think we all can agree that families have run out of creative poses for their babies for birth announcement cards, invitations, at home growth progression photo shoots and for holiday cards. You got the propped up on a pillow, the slouched over a pillow, the barely sitting up straight on the couch. It’s time to get creative and find new ideas.

If you are thinking about photographing or having a professional photographer snap your baby for the Holidays or for a New Year’s card, I’ve curated some unique ideas, vantage points, shots and angles for you to consider. Ever since I co-founded a stock photography co-op that shares free images of multicultural people, I think my visual eye for awesome photography has sharpened!

These are more editorial and artistic in my opinion. I pulled them all down from Pixabay.

This baby napping vantage point works to show off your baby’s soft and/or curly hair. The blurred effect of the background with the light source at the right makes this dreamy and serene.

This photograph would take time, but instead of a traditional digital collage, print out actual photos from your camera and arrange them on a orchid or other branched tree, then attach the photos and send people a photo of that tree. It brings the viewer into the room.

This photo isn’t necessarily unique as I’ve seen the above-ground photo looking down on baby in a lamb’s wool blanket while nestled in a moses basket before, but I like this one for the monochromatic effect of the blanket, carpet and letters all having the same color.

This superclose up of a baby all snuggled up under mom’s chin will warm the heart and make an excellent print and display photo.

Here is another example of positioning the object to one side, but it is combined with the super-close up and napping examples. Photography elements stacking, I call it.

This pose for baby is not uncommon, but I like the coordinated pillows, hat and elbow rest in this one. Also, the blurred background too makes this a dreamy photo.

I think you’d need some Photoshop skills to pull this one off, but nothing you cannot get someone on the $5 digital contracting site Fiverr.com

Create a hammock out of a crochet blanket, outfit your baby in a pair of infant denims and place him in the hammock when he falls asleep. Be careful not to wake him during the shoot.

Ready for my close up, Mr. Deville. Show off your baby’s soft buttery smooth skin, bright eyes and perfect smile with an ultra close up shot like this one.

Having the object, your baby, on one side of the photograph creates an editorial, Gap Ad quality to this photo. This also has ample natural light coming from the back.

Baby in a suitcase. What more can I say?

This would have to be done with a baby closer to toddler age and you’d need a rustic country bench and teddy bear but the pop of color in the little girl’s dress juxtaposed with the neutrals in this photo make it great to me!

If you have a happy smiley baby like this, you’re going to wrap her up in a chenille blanket and take tons of snaps until you get one like this one or close.

Who wouldn’t want a basket full of baby in a long candy cane striped sleeping cap? With the Christmas decorations in the background, this photo is a conversation piece for sure.

Want to bring your baby-friendly pet into the picture, then this close up of Mr. Bones with the new baby is adorable. I would add some blurring effect to baby’s bum to contrast with the sharp image of the dog.

This sibling photo includes the caution and nearby security hand of mom too. Can you spot it? This photo is so cute and aerial shots are always stand outs.

Another super cute sibling photo. The rustic bench makes this a standout and baby brothers’s feet facing the camera too. This is super adorbs and will be widely shared!

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Transform the Interior of Your Home on a Tight Budget

Posted on December 16, 2016

Tips

2. Kmart Return Policy

3. Barnes & Noble Return Policy

4. GameStop Return Policy

5. Sears Return Policy