Mom Needs A Break! Tips, Ideas, Help….For Those Hard Working Moms!

Now is the perfect time for preparing your garden for spring. In order to landscape your yard for less, there are a great many things you can do on your own and methods you can use to spend loss and obtain more.  Here are some tips on how to landscape your yard for less. 

Prepare the yard by weeding, raking the leaves, mowing, and creating a compost pile. Decide if and where you would like to place a vegetable garden; flower beds, and the like. Then it’s time to go shopping! Think big! Instead of purchasing one or two bags; double up on the size. You not only save money, but you will have enough to landscape your entire yard. Scout around for sales. Then get to the stores early in the morning! 

Check out your local lumber yard for railroad ties. Also check home supply stores or areas where you can find unused or cracked bricks. These will come in handy later on.  

If you have a large backyard, there are many ways to utilize the space in a creative way.  One part of the yard can be used for vegetables, the rest can encompass roses of every color and kind; bushes that can be cut into baskets; an apple tree.  You can also find ways to use large blocks of stone and bricks.  Find unused bricks, as well as the large white cement blocks from home builders. They are usually discarded due to cracks or flaws.Then cut the bricks into diamond shapes and placed them around the trees and flower beds.  You can also encased roses with white cement stones to raise the level of the soil and enhanced the look of the roses. 

You can use railroad ties, which can be obtained from lumber yards, to encase the large vegetable garden, and to make a back yard fence as well.  With a little thought and creativity you too can landscape your yard for less. Take heart! It can be done for less and look beautiful too.

Getting ready for summer means you have to clean out your closets. Don’t fret! The best part about cleaning out your closets is that you get to buy new clothes!  In addition, you can donate your old clothes to the Salvation Army, thrift store or a church. Now you’re inspired! 

Here are some tips to help you get started: 

Take everything out of your closets; the heavy wool coats; parkas; suits and pants outfits; then separate what you want to keep and put the rest in a bag for pick-up by the local church or take it to the Salvation Army.  You’ll feel wonderful when you look at your half empty closet.  This means you can go to your favourite department store and shop till you drop – well, almost.  You can also take out your summer clothes and separate them as well.  More items to add to the shopping list!   

Write down what you need to add to your summer wardrobe; including shoes, accessories, swimsuits, and all the necessary items to enjoy at the beach or on vacation.  Finally store away your winter clothes; bidding them farewell until the fall. 

If there is lack of space, you can take all your winter clothes to the cleaners. There, they will dry clean and wash all of the items, and store them away for a considerable price. But, hey, if you don’t have the space, you have to find alternatives. 

Once you are finished shopping, bring home your new summer wardrobe (complete with new hangars, of course) and fill the closet.  Now you’re all set for any summer occasion that may pop up.  And don’t forget the shoes, sneakers are good for summer and of course sandals are a must.   

Clean out your closets and go shopping!  Isn’t summer just the best time of year? 

Most travel agents will advice you to start planning your summer vacation six months in advance.  That may seem like a long time ahead for many, but it’s the best way to make sure you book an affordable family vacation that’s just right for you.  

Are you getting ready for summer?  Plan your vacation now by following these important tips. 

As you know, booking your reservations early can afford you the opportunity to save, save, save!  Whether you are booking flight reservations; hotel accommodations, packages, or a combination of all three – decide early where you’d like to go and don’t procrastinate. When travel agents were all the rage, all you had to do was call or stop by and the agent would take care of everything.  Today, with online reservations; making your own travel plans has become more popular.  Although there are still travel agents available, it seems planning your trip from the comfort of your own home has become the norm, rather than the exception. 

The first thing you need to do is to check the airlines. You can either call or you can go online and either use the many new travel sites now available or go straight to the preferred airlines’ website. To save some time, stop by a travel agent’s office and pick out some brochures that interest you! You will have to research complete packages, however, to determine which company offers the best rate. In addition, if you are traveling outside the country, you will need to have your passports and proof of identification. Also keep in mind, if you are traveling to areas which require vaccinations, make sure you check with your doctor ahead of time. 

Travel agents can also be a great source of information for a specific area or traveling advice.  Remember, it doesn’t cost anything to use the services of a travel agent; they obtain their commissions from the airline and hotels. 

In the event you are planning a summer vacation, and you are making all of the arrangements yourself, check the terms and conditions of the online consolidators and hotels, to ensure there are no hidden fees. When making air reservations, check different days of the week, as midweek travel is often cheaper. Also, when you are booking your airline reservations, find out what the penalties are for cancellations.  This holds true for the hotels or packages as well. Read all of the airport rules and regulations, and arrive at least three hours before flight time. Also, think about trip insurance; just in case. 

Wherever you decide to go; Disney World; Paris; London;

One of the benefits of summer is that you can volunteer your time to help kids of all ages enjoy their summer camp experience. If you are interested, then get ready for summer and volunteer at a summer camp for kids.  Here’s what you need to do. 

If you are sending your child to summer camp, and want to volunteer your time – talk to the camp counsellor and ask for an application. You can also check with your children’s teachers at their school. Many of the teachers volunteer their time at local summer camps, and are always in need of volunteers.  

Finding a camp is easy, there are a myriad of online sites who are asking for volunteers this summer. Check the summer camps in your area to determine which one is the best for you. There is a summer camp registry online, http://www.camppage.com/, in which you can not only check the summer camps within your state, but you will be able to email them as well. In addition, this site also provides the individual camp’s website, where you can apply for the type of camp you are looking for. Or you can utilize their Summer Camp Articles and Resources page at: http://www.camppage.com/summer-camp-resources.htm which includes links for employment as well. 

What is so wonderful about this particular site is that it gives you the type of camp, age range, and a little piece of information about the camp and its activities. You really can’t ask for better than that! Instead of scouring around trying to find a specific camp, this site will direct you to all of the camps within your state so that you can make an informed decision. In some cases, for example, this listing also let’s you know when the camp was established. 

Volunteering for summer camp, for whatever age group you choose, is a selfless act. The benefit in volunteering for summer camp is immeasurable.  Knowing that you took time out of your summer to show and kindness to others is invaluable to the camps and the kids.  Whether you choose girls, boys, co-ed or wilderness – you can be certain it is appreciated, since most of these camps need as many volunteers as possible.

Older kids have much more experience in coming up with Father’s day ideas. Well, just in case you need a few more, here are some Father’s Day ideas for older kids. 

When it comes to Father’s Day, my dad is difficult to buy gifts for. So I look around to see what he is reading, or what movies he is watching or what music he is listening to. Then I go to my best online friend, amazon.com, and pick out books, music and movies he would most enjoy.  Sometimes I am lucky and choose the perfect gift.  Sometimes, especially if the gift is clothing; I wind up returning it.  So now I buy gifts that I know he will definitely like. For example: 

* DVDs of his favourite TV shows or movies* Subscription to his favourite magazine* Gift Certificate to Blockbusters so he can choose the movie * Gift Certificate to a major department store where he can shop for any clothing he likes* Since he loves Beagles, I had an artisan draw a picture of a beagle on a piece of freshly cut wood.* One year, I saw a wonderful painting of a man and his beagle, walking in the woods.  (Both of these are still hanging in his bedroom to this day)!* Another year, I purchased tickets to a baseball game for him.* Since he also collects coins, I purchase newly minted coins from Franklin Mint. 

Now your dad may enjoy different things. What matters, and what is most appreciated, is spending the time to find the perfect gift. So here is a great project for you: study your dad’s reading, music, and movie habits and you can either take him to see a movie with lunch afterward; take him to a baseball game; buy his favourite TV shows now on DVD;get him a box of golf balls or new golf mitts; or spend the day on a putting green. Maybe your dad collects baseball cards.  If so, you can go on eBay and buy a few boxes of the latest hobby baseball boxes available. If you have saved enough or wish to pull money together with your siblings, you may prefer to purchase an autographed card of his favourite player! 

There are so many things, other than a tie, that you can buy or plan for and with your dad.Look upon this as a