I don't know about you, but this summer only started a week ago and it's already a crazy one! I need a second weekend to recover from my first. How am I making my manic Monday merry? By searching for fabulous photos of the little ones that make me squeal with delight! Check out these cheeky summer beauties and drool along with me! ;-)
(White Ink Photography)
(Christina Kneer Photography)
(Natasha Beccaria Photography)
(All Seasons Photography)
Don't you just want to be there now? My beach parking sticker is screaming for me to use her today! Check out all of the phenomenal photographers we have for more delicious summer shots!
It doesn't take the recent studies to show that we're messing up a lot of our own tranquility and relaxation time. Stress levels are skyrocketing, as are insomnia, obesity levels, and electronic device sales. Not really related, though, are they? One of these things is not like the other… but in reality it’s our ever growing dependence on up-to-date media and devices that may be sabotaging us in the first place. Here are some common mistakes that you may be making that are cutting into your unwind time.
Relaxing with your blue light emitting friend is the most common. I’m beyond guilty of curling up in bed, all ready to go, and then switching on my cellphone to check out the latest update on Instagram or Vine. Even worse, I'm guilty of deciding, “Oh, I could really go for a little (insert TV show title) catch-up!” and flipping open my iPad to Netflix. This constant attachment is completely sabotaging your (and my) sleep cycle. The longer you’re attached to the glowing screen, the less likely your brain is to turn off.
Another bad habit (which I'm also EXTREMELY guilty of) is curling up to read for a while, but grabbing my tablet or ereader to do so instead of a close-by paperback. Even with the “nighttime” font setting on your ereader, the screen still emits a glow that reduces the melatonin levels that your system should naturally create, telling your body that it’s time to go to sleep. You may be reading to help slow yourself down, but you're not doing yourself any justice.
Instead, try keeping the electronic devices out of your wind-down time. If you're going to catch-up on your favorite shows, do so on your old-school TV and keep it out of your bedroom. This will limit the blue-light inside your “quiet space” that’s keeping your mind going when the rest of your body is craving sleep. Also, do rely on that literature to help tired your brain and get you ready to sleep, but make it a paperback. I have started this habit and have been known to be that freak that buys it in both digital and paperback. That way you can pick up from where you were on your e-reader without detriment to your sleep cycle. Conversely, reading actually does slightly “over-work” an already tired mind, helping your eyelids get heavy a little bit faster. Add a glass of warm milk and I guarantee you’ll be down for the count in no time! Those two steps actually helped me completely break an anxiety attack/insomnia stint in the matter of a few days. My own personal suggestions would be a warm glass of 2% and a couple pages of Peter Pan. ;-)
Now that the summer is finally here, it’s time to make some time to kick back with the family and enjoy the lovely weather! Let’s put together two super important components so that you can enjoy some well-deserved, pest-free outdoor time. First we’ve found a few mocktails that everyone can enjoy (with instructions for an “adult” touch when needed), and then we’ll jump into a little home-made pest protections.
Looking for something sweet to celebrate with? How about a Berry Mimosa:
You'll need: a handful halved strawberries, ½ cup cranberry juice, 1 cup raspberry flavored seltzer (or flavored ginger ale), and sprigs of mint. (For the adult version add a splash of vodka to the grownups’ cups)
Combine liquids in a small pitcher, and then pour evenly into champagne glasses. Top with half of a strawberry and a mint sprig.
How about a Cucumber Melon Agua Fresca?
You'll need: 1 8lb watermelon, 2 large cucumbers, 2-4 tablespoons of lime juice, 1-2 cups granulated sugar, 2 cups of water. (Add an ounce or two of your favorite liquor)
Remove the rind and seeds from your watermelon and cut it up into cubes. Peel and cut your cucumber into chunks. Puree both in a blender, in batches if needed, and then mix in your water. Add lime juice and sugar to taste. Chill your delicious concoction for up to 4 hours (or until very, very cold) before serving over ice.
Lastly, here’s a perfect fruit punch to sit back and cool down with.
You’ll need: 2 cups cranberry juice, 1 cup pineapple juice, 1 cup orange juice, ¼ cup grenadine, ¼ cup lime juice, 1 thinly sliced lemon, 1 thinly sliced lime, 3 ½ cups of cold club soda. (For an adult twist add 2 ounces of vodka or rum to 3 ounces of punch)
Mix all of your juices together in a big pitcher and chill for an hour. Add your lemons, limes and club soda right before serving.
Once you've chosen your mocktail (or cocktail) of choice, next you need to make sure that everyone will be relaxing in peace. Here’s a super simple and natural insect repellent that will help you enjoy the outdoors.
You'll need the following:
List of oils that repel insects:
Combine your oil of choice and witch hazel in bottle first. Mix in your preferred combination of essential oils (you can choose 1, 2, 3, or all!) and shake well. Spray directly onto skin or clothing every hour or so. Unused repellent can be kept in a dark, cool place (even the refrigerator) until it’s needed again. It can be kept for a long period of time, but shake before each use.
We have a minor victory in effect today for puppy-mill battlers and pet advocates throughout Long Island. Today the “puppy mill” bill will be in effect: Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone is set to sign the bill this afternoon, which bans the sale of puppy mill puppies. All sellers and dealers will then be required to provide background information on all of the puppies that they sell or face hefty fines for each animal that violates the law.
Retailers will not be able to obtain animal from any breeder whom the U.S. Department of Agriculture has been issued violations, due mainly to the health or condition of their animals, within the last 2 years. This bill also mandates that all kittens and puppies remain in the care of their mothers until at LEAST 8 weeks to be fully healthy and weaned.
Although this is far from an overall victory that will end all puppy mills, it is a step in the right direction: a huge step for local animal activists, showing that their representatives are listening and acting.
As always, when picking a pup, check out your local shelters or breed specific rescues (if you have a particular breed in mind). If you are looking to purchase a pet make sure to do all of your research to ensure that you're selecting a reputable breeder.
I’m looking forward to another sun shiny Saturday coming up, and also looking ahead to all of the special events I have approaching in a very short period of time! I have at least one birthday a month for the next four months for the special people in my life, Father’s Day, a baby shower for my sister and long-awaited nephew (not to mention his literal birth-day in July or August!), birthday parties for baby cousins, and so much more! It’s all so eventful, and exciting…and expensive! I was looking for something simple and beautiful for the sunshine in my life (my glowing sister), and I've officially that decided I’m going to make her a special present this year. I happened upon a favorite Etsy find of painted mason jars are wedding favors or centerpieces. I decided I’m going to try my hand at a similar idea to add a personal touch (and to hopefully save a dollar or two while I’m at it).
To start we'll need to grab:
So this project is supposed to be so simple that I'll be mad at myself for ever buying a set of jars (which you know I have, I’m an etsy-aholic). Make sure that your jars are very clean and very dry. Flip them so that the mouths of your jars are on the newspaper and its bottom is up, and then spray them until your hearts content. Just FYI: this project is definitely best performed outside, or at least in a very, very well ventilated area. Let the jars stand to dry, at least 10 minutes, and you’re finished! If you’re feeling fancy I’ve seen some instruct you to rub the paint off of the lettering and chosen spots with a nail file for an “antiqued appeal.” Others suggest a crystal clear topcoat to keep your paint from scratching. I think I’m going to leave them as it. I am going to grab a bag of potting soil, though, and fill them ¾ of the way full. I’m going to add a couple houseplants that don't need a lot of attention, but you can add any variety of indoor flowers. Just remember, with a plant in them (that will inevitably need watering) you’ll likely see the paint start to ware after a while. Easy-peezy: transplant your houseplant (if it’s still alive) into a temporary home and restart the simple process.
(Pictures are the jar I BOUGHT ;-) from this wonderful shop)
I love buying eyeshadow makeup palettes. At this point it's almost a sickness (especially considering how seldom I wear makeup), and we're not talking Wet n Wild: I'm probably single handedly keeping our local Sephora in business. I wouldn't have a problem...with my problem...if all of the colors were being well used and loved. Let's face it, though, there are always used colors in every palette, and just as many that sit by thoroughly neglected. For me, more often than not, it's because the colors are just too dark for my taste. What do you do with those colors, then? I found the perfect remedy for your otherwise wasted colors: expand your nailpolish collection, instead!
All you need is a short sharp blade (think razor blade, box cutter, exacto knife, etc), a toothpick, bottles of clear nail polish (one per color), a piece of paper, and your unused eyeshadows.
On the sheet of paper you're going to use your blade to scrape off, dig out, crunch up and crush your eyeshadow into as fine a powder as you can get it. You can also fold the paper in half over it and crush it that way, as well. You then fold the paper to funnel/slide the shadow dust into your clear nail polish. Use a toothpick to help thoroughly stir all of the powder into your polish, recover and shake it well. Vuala! You have a new nail polish. It should only take about the usual 2 coats to get it to it's true color. Remember to give your bottles a good shake before each use to ensure the pigment is completely dispersed!
I know that it’s getting harder and harder to just go out and enjoy yourself at a restaurant, but I thought these new finders were too important not to share (even if it pops that tiny remaining bubble of blissful ignorance). We want to protect ourselves as much as possible, especially against something as heinous as the norovirus (or stomach flu as we most often “fondly” refer to it). When heading to a restaurant be careful what you’re choosing and from where.
The CDC released a new report stating that at least 1 in 5 food service employees admits to having worked with the stomach flu/norovirus still in their system last year. This means they reported to work with the symptoms of either diarrhea or vomiting within the last day or so. The main issue with this finding is the norovirus itself: it’s not enough to simply wash your hands to stop it from spreading, it takes so few germs to get you sick that washing your hands isn't effective enough on its own.
The norovirus lends itself particularly well to raw, uncooked, and pre-prepared foods, such as fruits and vegetable. So when you're choosing to eat healthy by picking the salad bar over a burger you could be putting yourself at risk.
The rules and regulations that can be put in place to protect consumers are really simple: wear glove and use plasti/blog/c/disposable utensils when preparing food and always wait at least 48 hours after symptoms are gone before returning to work. Most reputable establishments already do/will do so/will continue to follow these simple regulations.
Okay, so you know me: I'm a big, big nerd and love creating lists for the best summer reads each year. Yes, I posted a blog a couple weeks ago of Amazon’s Top 100 Books to Read, but that was their list (not mine!) and it was for a lifetime, not this summer on the beach. Here are some interesting reads that I’ve found and am looking forward to. Have you found anything that you’d want to add to the list? Let me know!
The Vacationers by Emma Staub is a contemporary piece of the ups and downs of even a close-knit family, no matter the setting. The Post family in on a two week vacation in Mallorca, Spain, but that certainly doesn’t stop their problems from surfacing or dictate their story-plot in any way (in that this isn’t some faked-happy, A-typical family vacation). As you’re riding the emotional rollercoaster of their family dynamics you’ll be happy for the cool drink you your hand and the slumbering SO by your side!
The Lemon Grove by Helen Walsh is a compelling story (also developing during a pleasant family vacation) that crosses controversial boundaries from happily married to sorted Mrs. Robinson-esque affairs. When a happily married Jenn goes from innocently flirting with her stepdaughter’s new beau to dangerously more during their Majorca getaway the story definitely steams up! Walsh creates an alluring and addictive read that may warrant an extra layer of sunscreen (since you won’t want to put it down to reapply any time soon).
Tiphanie Yanique’s Land of Love and Drowning is another great find that will keep you reading this summer. Whether you’re hopping on a plane for some tropical destination or lounging by the pool in your own backyard, Yanique's novel is going to transport you to the tropical Virgin Islands for this historical fiction tale. It chronologically accounts for 60 years and 3 generations of love, magic, and life for the Bradshaw family as the Virgin Islands transferred from Dutch to American rule and as the cultural shifts follow suit.
And possibly the most intriguing on the list is Summer House With Swimming Pool by Herman Koch. When a well-known actor dies all eyes turn to the prescription-doling physician Marc Schlosser. The book follows the twists and turns of their association and their family summer spent together the previous year: full of flirtation, deception, and tragedy. Although this is the longest (and, supposedly, most long-winded) book on the list, it may be the one that you find more difficult to pull yourself away from.
One of the bloggers I follow regularly (Delighted Momma) had a bad scare a week back where her littlest had a “Secondary drowning” scare. Never heard of secondary drowning? Yeah, neither had she (or I) and that’s possibly the scariest part. Thanks to her sharing the story, though, it made headlines in a lot of news outlets recently to raise awareness. I want to do the same, just in case you hadn’t come across it already. Secondary drowning happens after a drowning scare, when we’d normally be lulled into a false sense of security about the event “being over.” Here’s a little information that you need to be aware of and signs/symptoms to look out for.
When a child (or adult, for that matter) has a drowning scare, we tend to become relieved once they’re safely on dry land and breathing normal again. In reality, though, the water that they inhaled during the scare can still do serious, if not fatal, damage. When a child has a near drowning incident, the water they aspirate collects in the lungs and makes it difficult to breath. The water can also cause chemical pneumonia if the incident happened in a chemically-treated water source (pools or spas). A dry drowning can even occur, where the larynx can close up to stop more water from entering the lung, but also cutting off air.
All children who experience a near-drowning incident should be brought to the hospital immediately to be checked out, and observed at home for at least 24 hours. Here is a list, however, of signs and symptoms of secondary drowning:
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