Maximizing Family Time

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Do you ever look at your life and think that you’ve got your priorities wrong? Do you wish you could spend more quality time together as a family? Check out these simple ideas for maximizing family time right now…

Start Saying No More

If you’re one of those people who just can’t say no, and that means that you’ve taken on way more responsibilities than you can really handle and maintain a healthy family life, you need to learn how to say no more. If helping out at the community center means you’ll miss dinner with your kids, say no; if doing an extra shift because someone is sick means missing your kid’s school play, say no. You’ll free up so much more time to be with your family when you say yes only to the things you really want to do.

Make Dinner Times Non-Negotiable

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Even if it means you need to buy furniture so that you can all fit into the dining room comfortably, even if it means moving your appointments around, even if you experience resistance from one or more family members, make it known that barring an emergency, you expect everyone to be around the table to eat dinner time. Why? Because it’s the perfect time to relax, talk about each others’ day and just have the pleasure of being in the company of the ones you love the most.

Get the Family Involved

If you usually clean the kitchen or do the grocery run alone, although you might think that involving the kids will just make it take longer, ask them to help you out. Sure, it might take longer at first, especially if your kids are young, but it will ensure that the time you spend on chores and other busywork isn’t wasted — it’s also time you spend bonding with your children.

Get Rid of Time-Wasters

While we’re on the subject of chores, you probably have a lot of them, and other household issues that are basically a waste of time, which by reducing them, will buy you more time with your family. So, declutter your home and spend less time cleaning, hang a hook for your keys, so that you don’t waste so much time looking for them and switch the carpet for a much easier to clean wooden floor and you’ll have so much time for your family you’ll be looking for an escape.

Telecommute

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If you have a job and it is one of the biggest factors in how little time you’re able to spend with your family, if it’s the right kind of job, ask your employer if they’d be willing to let you telecommute. By working from home, you cut out your commute, which obviously frees up some time, and if you’re able to work efficiently, you can finish up and be out playing with your kids instead of filling a chair just because you’re expected to, too.

I really hope some of these ideas help you to spend more time having fun and bonding with your kids and your spouse.

Fueling Your Kids' Ambitions

You want to be able to give your kids everything as they’re growing up. A good house, a good upbringing, and mainly the freedom t be able to do whatever they want. They’ll have so many different ambitions over their lifetime. One day they might want to be an astronaut, they next they might want to be the next Beyonce. Whatever it is, you should always be looking to drive that ambition. Especially from a young age, they should never have their ambitions shot down. So, if you know your kids are going through that stage where they have a million and one passions, here are some ways you can fuel that passion.

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Take Them To Classes

A lot of children will have the want to start a new hobby, but will never actually want to go to the classes. It can be such a nerve wracking experience for them, especially when they’re possibly going to be one of the only new kids joining the class. The first thing you need to do is get them kitted out. If it’s your little boy with football, buy him all the latest kit to make sure he looks the part. He’ll feel like it’ll be easier to fit in then. If it’s your little girl and her dream is to be a dancer, buy her the latest leotards and tutus so that the lesson is easier for her. If you’re stuck for where the buy the right clothing, you can use companies such as Always Under Pay tutus for girls.  We as adults know how intimidating it can be going into something that you don’t have a clue how to do. One of the best things you can do here is encourage them to go as much as you can.

Get Involved

It is more common than some parents realise for children to be put off their hobbies because the parent shows no interest at all in what they do. Some are just the taxi to and from the practice. It can be hard for them to stay motivated if they can’t really share their journey with you. Make sure you’re someone who pays attention to everything happening with regards to whatever hobby they’re undertaking. You can even try to learn what it is that they’re doing. Again, referring to the footballing, if you’re a mom or a dad it’ll be good if you could practice at home with them. Learn the rules and techniques, and don’t be afraid to get muddy with them. It could be a great way for both of you to keep your fitness levels ups.

Volunteer

A lot of clubs, unless they’re professional, will most likely be run by a group of volunteers. If you want to truly get stuck into whatever it is that they’re doing, you could become part of the group that runs it. Having you by their side, as well as being part of the actual team is going to be so rewarding for the both of you, Whilst your child is making friends, you also will too. These teams are usually a close knit group.

The Tater Tot Casserole Cookbook is the Perfect Christmas Gift!!!

Ho ho ho! Need a last-minute fun and unique Christmas gift? Got Amazon Prime? Get this book in 2 days for only $6.49!

Did you know The Tater Tot Casserole Cookbook is a great Christmas gift when you don't know what to buy for someone? Sure, candles are universal gifts, and maybe even a box of chocolates (unless there are food allergies), but YOU CAN'T BE ALLERGIC TO A COOKBOOK and it doesn't smell like anything that might offend your sensitive nose!

Did I mention the cookbook has a gluten-free recipe and a dairy-free recipe and even a vegetarian recipe? Did I mention it's cheap (under $10 shipped ... and only $6.49 with 2-day shipping if you have Prime!), FAST and you also get a free Kindle edition of it? Win-win-win-win!

Wait, did you hear that part? You buy the print book for SOMEONE SPECIAL and you get the ebook version for yourself!

Yum. Dairy-free peeps, back off this version.

I am a people pleaser, friends, and I tried to include everyone I could. I do NOT, however, have a peanut-free version but there were no nut products in there in the first place! I am an include-everyone kind of gal. In the interest of pleasing everyone, I put 13 dessert recipes in there so the sugar-lovers like myself are happy. I think there's a recipe or two with some fruit, so that's healthy, right?

Oh, and I put in a meal planning chapter. Wa-hoo!

These are the Heavenly Sinful Bars and I guarantee there is zero fruit in them. Prepare for your Sugar Coma.

Check out the reviews when you go see the book page! The only downside is that I could not include color photos of recipes because of the cost it would pass on to you. So make your meals, take your pictures and share them with me here on my Facebook page!

Here's the PRINT LINK! Only $6.49 and shipping is free if you have Prime!

My sales page is all done. Now you can get back to your life. AFTER you order a copy of the book. And yes, I am still working on this one ... got a new cover made and everything! Stay tuned! Follow me on my Amazon author page so you get the update when it comes out!

Fun Ways to Keep the Kids Entertained This Holiday Season

As the holiday season ramps up towards Christmas, kids’ excitement reaches a boiling point with their anticipation of the gifts they’ll receive and all the fun they’ll get to have. For parents, the challenges are just beginning because when kids have too much time on their hands, they often get bored and restless. When they’re restless, bad things can happen. Therefore, as a parent, you must plan out the activities in an organized manner to avoid this scenario and have a happy holiday season.

Here are a few fun ways to ensure that kids stay entertained and occupied during their vacation time.

Get the Decorations Up

Some children look forward to the trip to go out and buy the Christmas tree. Just picking out the tree is the beginning of Christmas for many kids. Take out the box of decorations that haven't seen the light of day since last year and assign tasks to your son(s) and daughter(s) based on their age and sense of responsibility. Let the kids untangle the Christmas tree lights that will be in knots by now. Another kid can carefully extract the hanging decorations that will string along the walls. The Christmas tree ornaments are also in the box somewhere and a star or Angel for the top of the tree too.

When messing with the Christmas lights, make sure the kids don’t plug them into the power outlet unsupervised. Be gentle when untangling the lights because they’re fragile and easily broken. Also, if you assign a kid to hang up the decorations on the wall, make sure they’re not climbing dangerously on the furniture to do so.

Choosing a Face

Smaller kids may enjoy trying out the RageMaker.net site which has many types of drawn faces based on different emotions from happy to angry to sad or enthusiastic. They can take the faces on the site and try to hand draw them with the parents judging the winner and awarding a prize.

Playing in the Snow

If you’re lucky enough to live in an area that gets plenty of snow each year, then make sure you take advantage of it. Sledding down the hill, building a snowman with a carrot for a nose, or having a snowball fight is all part of the chilly experience.

Make sure the kids are wrapped up warm before they go out. You don’t want any cold fingers and toes leading to them getting a cold, which would really spoil the fun of the holidays.

Cooking a Christmas Meal Together

Learning to cook is a skill that too few adults know by the time they’ve grown up and left home. Getting everyone involved in preparing the Christmas meal is a good time to work as a family unit with the whole family pitching in. Whether that means someone is peeling the potatoes and another older kid is cleaning the vegetables, assign tasks that they can learn from and aim to add new more advanced tasks every year, so older teenagers will eventually be taking the lead. If you add in some of their favorite foods, you’re more likely to get their cooperation too.

Keeping the kids happy and busy during the holiday season avoids them getting up to no good when they’re too idle. Join in with the games they invent or want to try for the first time to encourage their experimentation under your careful supervision. 

Freedom Debt Relief Reveals How One Couple Managed to Save $20,000 For Their Dream Retirement Adventure- and How You Can Too

For most people, the word "retirement" brings to mind feelings of relaxation and rest ... days spent lounging by the pool or playing bingo in a hall of other senior citizens may come to the imagination. However, Freedom Debt Relief has found that some retired couples are looking for more when they finally leave the corporate world. Enter Shirley and Dan Frye, a retired couple that managed to save up $20,000 to take on the ultimate retirement adventure: biking across South America. According to an interview with the Frye couple published by USA Today, their biking tour (which lasted about 5 and a half months and covered over 8,000 miles) took a lifetime of good financial decisions to culminate in a long trip that wouldn't put their financial future or their retirement style in jeopardy. Freedom Debt Relief wants you to be able to save for the future that you want, so we've found the best financial lessons from the Fryes that you can use to start saving for your dreams as well! Whether you want to retire to a tropical island or you're looking to save up to buy a boat or motorcycle, try applying some of these tips to your own life ... and watch your money grow!

Take advantage of company match programs. For years, the Fryes were able to grow their 401(k) plans at rates that they wouldn't be able to on their own by taking advantage of their employer's company match program. Freedom Debt Relief has found that most major employers offer some kind of company matching program for making contributions up to a certain percentage of your income. Consult with your company's human resources department and see how much, if any, your employer is willing to match contributions to your retirement account contributions- and take advantage of it up to the maximum percentage for what's essentially free money!

Devote your money to free yourself from debts. The Fryes paid off their mortgage early by devoting all of their excess cash towards their mortgage payments. Whenever they got a raise or holiday bonus, they would take that money at pay an extra $500 to $1,000 toward their mortgage to pay off their home exceptionally early. While not everyone can put away that much money towards their outstanding debts, Freedom Debt Relief recommends that you prioritize putting as much away as you can to reduce your interest payments, which can help you save money in the long-term.

Travel smarter. If your dream is to see the world like the Frye couple did, Freedom Debt Relief recommends getting on the trail faster by employing smart travel strategies that will help you save along the way. Consider researching the off-season for the country or state that you would like to visit, as accommodation and flights are usually much cheaper than peak rates. Instead of staying in hotels, smart travelers also are now choosing to stay in hostels or AirBnb home shares to reduce the financial burden of their travels. For world travelers, open-jaw flights (in which you fly to multiple countries on a single trip) is also a great way to save if you're interested in visiting the entirety of a single continent.

The best lesson that you can learn from the Fryes? If you want to achieve your dreams, you need to feed your passions and starve the distractions in your life. By taking time to create a reasonable budget, planning ahead to pay down debt, and living modestly, anyone can work towards achieving their dreams- while also building a financially responsible future.