5 Cell Phone Rules to Set for Your Teen

There used to be a time when if a teenager wanted to talk on the telephone, they
either had to use the one that was in common areas (like the living room or kitchen) or
hope that their parents would surprise them with one for a milestone birthday like 16 or
18.

Yes, that’s a tale that’s almost light years old because these days, kids as young as
10 (sometimes even younger) have them now. Just because technology has changed
the times, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t some “parental guidance instructions” that
should still apply, though.

If your teen has a cell phone, and you’re wondering what some of the best rules to
implement are when it comes to using it, here are five below.

There’s a time and a place for everything. Some kids have their
phone on them at all times. More times than not, it’s not totally necessary for them to,
especially if they are in the house. Make sure that you designate times when the phone
can (and should) be used and times when it shouldn’t. In class, during homework (unless
it’s to discuss homework) or after bedtime are three times when it needs to be turned
off.

Cell phones are not for talking on all day long. Even when
teenagers are not in school or studying, that doesn’t mean that they need to be on the
phone all day with their friends, either. This particular rule is age-sensitive (meaning
someone 13 needs stricter guidelines than someone who is 17), but be sure to sit down
with your teen to discuss times when they can talk to/text their friends and times when it
should be put on silent or vibrate.

There doesn’t need to be a passcode on it. This particular rule
is controversial with some parents just because they don’t want to feel like they are
invading their children’s privacy. But remember, although you may have a very amicable
relationship with your teen, that doesn’t negate the fact that you are still responsible
for their safety and well-being. That said, a lot of cell phones have an option where
people can put passcodes on it to prevent other people [Read more…]

Popped Corn Review and Giveaway

This snack is all natural, gluten free, and has brown rise syrup as a main ingredient. These three characteristics of a snack might turn away most snackers, But I dare you to try some popped corn by G.H.Cretors and tell me it isn’t some of the best popped corn you have aver tasted.

G.H Cretors has been making popped corn since 1885. In this time period a lot has changed, but the quality of their popped corn stayed the same. For five generations, they have been cooking caramel in copper pots, exactly measuring the right time to add the best cheddar cheese, and also roasting their own nuts.
This time honed tradition has led to some of the tastiest popped corn imaginable. We had the find pleasure of trying out a few flavors and have each picked a favorite.


For my husband it was the Chicago mix, cheddar cheese popped corn mixed with caramel popped corn. This combo might not sound good to some, but if you think about it- there are two things a snacker craves, either salty or sweet. This combo [Read more…]

WIN a 5 in 1 Griddler from Cuisinart

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(Details on [Read more…]

Getting Your Backyard Ready for Summer Entertaining

Imagine your perfect summer barbeque in your backyard. Friends, family, burgers,
hot dogs, corn on the cob, the smell of charcoal filling the air, a game of croquet or
volleyball in the yard, and lots of sunshine are probably some images that come to
mind. Now imagine all that in a barren, lifeless, and empty backyard. Doesn’t seem so
appealing does it? Having a nice backyard space is just as essential as the food, people,
and entertainment that make the summer months so special. Here are ways to prepare
your yard for summer entertaining!

Make sure there is a safe and fun place to keep the kids entertained. Sandboxes
are relatively easy to build and kids can let their imaginations go wild in the sandbox.
You can also have a jungle gym or play set installed if your kids are old enough to take
advantage. If you don’t want to spend a ton on these ideas, you could also just stock
your yard with plenty of yard games like frisbee, horseshoes, capture the flag, soccer, or
softball.

Decorate your yard by adding as much color as you can. Lush and full garden beds
not only create aesthetically pleasing visual elements, they’ll attract more life into your
backyard. From butterflies, to birds, to friends who enjoy relaxing amongst color and
flowers, you’ll have plenty of guests in the summer months. Perennials are the flowers
that will grow back each year and require less maintenance. These need to be planted
[Read more…]

Wordless Wednesdays- Swimming in the Lake

DREAMWORKS’ HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON LIVE SPECTACULAR LAUNCHES IN NORTH AMERICA THIS SUMMER!

High-Flying, Fire-Breathing Dragons Embark on Worldwide Tour On the Heels of Smash Hit Run in Australia & New Zealand
Tickets Now On Sale in Select Markets – Blogger Discount Code for 25% off Tickets Available
We can’t wait to go see the show when it comes to our area- it looks like a blast, and who would not love to see dragons flying about? Well,a s long as they are FAKE dragons, LOL.
This summer, audiences across North America will experience the magic of firebreathing dragons that soar through arena skies in DREAMWORKS’ HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON LIVE SPECTACULAR. DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. (Nasdaq: DWA), Global Creatures and S2BN Entertainment today announced HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON LIVE SPECTACULAR will embark on a worldwide tour following its critically-acclaimed debut in Australia and New Zealand. The tour will be produced by RZO Dragon Productions to deliver 23 dragons, some with wingspans of up to 46 feet, Viking warriors and world-class circus artists and acrobats, to perform against a state-of-the-art, wall-to-floor immersive projection measuring more than 20,000 square feet.
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON LIVE SPECTACULAR was created [Read more…]

How to Get Your Kids Ready and Out the Door Faster in the Morning

When school is in session, isn’t it amazing that while your kids’ schedule is pretty
much the same, knowing if they will stay on that schedule can be a daily (unwanted)
game of “hit or miss”? For a variety of reasons, it can be really challenging to get them
out of the house so that they can get to class on time.

If you’re a parent who has been struggling with finding ways to get your kids ready
and out of the door faster in the morning, here are some tips to make it easier on both
you and them:

Plan the night before. Let’s face it. The evening time is not much
less hectic than the morning. This is because while the a.m. hours are about getting the
kids off to school, the evening hours are about taking care of all of the things that they
were assigned while they were in class. This can cause us to forget to plan for the next
day. However, in taking a few minutes each night to pick out clothes and iron them, as
well as reorganize backpacks and pack lunches, you have shaved off at least 30 minutes off of the morning hours that can be devoted to doing other things.


Have breakfast preplanned. If you are a pretty good planner, you
are probably already in the habit of having your kids’ lunches prepared; yet, have you
ever noticed that mornings in the kitchen can tend to be pretty hectic while everyone is
running around trying to figure out what they’re going to eat? Make things less chaotic
by posting up a breakfast menu very similar to the one that you may have for dinner. [Read more…]

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Belk has Kim Rogers