When a couple moves in together or gets married they are busy combining two households into one, picking out new dishes or arguing over what color to paint the living room. Chances are the last thing on their mind is outlining an ownership agreement of their dog; however, it can be very important to outline who’s dog the dog will be in the event of a split. Read the rest »

Soups are a terrific way to introduce your toddler to vegetables and fruits. There are many types of soups. The best place to start with your toddler is with pureed soups. They have a pleasing smooth texture. If your child’s “spoon” skills are not refined enough for soup, pour it in a cup and sip away.

Pureed soups, such as cream of asparagus may sound exotic, but they are quite simple to make. Even a novice in the kitchen can be successful. A hand held immersion blender is a good appliance to invest in for making pureed soups hassle-free. This appliance is placed right into the soup pot, move it around, and viola – pureed soup!
Don’t overlook fruit soups. They are sweet, healthy and refreshing. Most fruit soups require no cooking. You simply put ingredients in a blender and whirl away. Fruits soups are a huge hit with toddlers. Read the rest »

When you look around your home are you often overwhelmed by all that you have to complete?� � So many projects, so little time; these once good intentioned tasks have become stressors in your world. � It is time to get real.�

List all the unfinished projects that you are working on; big and small.� Which of these projects simply cannot be finished by you?� Create a plan on how you can finish this; whether it is by hosting a workday at your home or by creating a weekly savings plan so you can afford to hire someone.� Read the rest »

Parents and child care providers work hard to provide a loving, stimulating environment that is safe for even the smallest children. One element of a healthy child care environment that is often overlooked is pest control. Pests may be harmful to children’s health, and pesticides used to control them may also be very harmful. Pest control in child care should be 100% kid-safe: it should effectively manage pests without exposing children or staff members to potentially harmful pesticides. Read the rest »

May is Women’s Health Month.� It is a good reminder for all of us to pamper the ones we love.� The next few days we are going to focus on taking care of ourselves; because if we don’t love ourselves – who will?�

The cost of clutter is such a problem these days.� Loss of income, stretched budgets, overwhelmed schedules, late bills, broken relationships, depression, and lost dreams are just a few costs that some of my clients have experienced.� During the next seven days I ask you to try a few simple things, none lasting more than 15 minutes, but each can create a big impact.� Gaining control over your life does not have to be looked at as a monumental task; rather it can be dealt with in small bite-size steps. Read the rest »

My daughter is becoming a pre-teen, and I’m worried! She has big emotional upsets now and then, but is fine with us other times. How do I ride this roller coaster with her, rather than be upset with her for being on it. I know this is a hard time for kids!
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Dear Parent:

Good for you for thinking ahead! Adolescence is a stage that gets very bad press, which is unfortunate for teens, and for parents as well. It is a growth stage that is full of promise! The perils get much more attention than the excitement of seeing your child grow, learn, and explore her expanding world.

The fact that your daughter has occasional passionate emotional upsets is a good sign, not a bad one. Children who feel safest with their parents are the ones who tend to have open upsets. Your daughter’s explosions are a sign that she is using her instinct to offload emotional tension, whenever she feels overloaded and can’t march forward one more step. Read the rest »