If you’re going away it can be an exciting time but it can also be a little worrying in terms of the security of your home and the possessions that you leave behind. While it may be true that your annual vacation can be the time when your property is most under threat, there are some very simple security measures that you can undertake to make things much safer, and the good news is that most of them are completely free! Going on Vacation? Who Really Needs to Know? Keep it on the Hush Hush The age of social media [...] Read more »

If you’re a mom then there’s no doubt about it that you have a lot on your plate. From the minute you wake up, to the minute you fall asleep, the work day doesn’t end. You’re constantly going, doing, and working. One responsibility that falls on a lot of moms is managing finances and keeping the checkbook balanced. For those moms among us who wear the accountant hat, here are a few tips that can make it easier to keep family finances in order despite your hectic schedule. Read more »

One of the nicest things you can do for someone to brighten their day is give them a genuine compliment. It not only makes them feel better, but it teaches us to find the good in people rather than focusing on the bad. It may even help counteract bullying among both children and adults. After all, everyone wants someone to take notice of their accomplishments and say something nice about them. Sometimes, though, it can be difficult to know the right way to give a compliment. As a relatively shy person, I often wonder that my compliment will sound lame, [...] Read more »

Browse more data visualization.   Read more »

I’ve been biting my nails for as long as I can remember. I do it subconsciously most of the time, so it’s been really hard to stop. When my brother’s wedding was getting closer, I tried everything because I couldn’t really afford to put tips on. By the time the wedding rolled around, I still had very short nails, but at least they weren’t bitten down to the quick! Here are a few tips to help you stop biting your nails. Some worked for me, some are tips that others swear by. Hopefully they will help you have gorgeous nails [...] Read more »

I’ve always dreaded election years because it means a year of fighting, bad mouthing each other, and generally acting disrespectful towards people we claim to adore. The process of choosing a figurehead to oversee the running of the country breaks apart more friends and families than just about anything else. I’ve seen it on message boards that I belong to, where people who have been friends for over a decade start sniping at each other and driving each other away. I’ve seen it in my own family, which is very divided when it comes to politics. Read more »

Today is the big day for my baby brother and his gorgeous fiance. As of 5:30 PM tonight, I’ll no longer be calling her my “future sister in law” Right around the time this post goes live,  I’ll be getting ready to go get my hair done for the wedding. In case you missed it the first 501,000 times I mentioned it over the last year, I’m going to be one of the bridesmaids.  Cross your fingers that I don’t trip and fall over my shoes! I’m not used to waring heals, even if they are wedges. I thought something [...] Read more »

Jacob is like me, he’s never been much of a breakfast eater. While we both love breakfast foods, especially pancakes, we just don’t really feel like eating first thing in the morning. Of course, I know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and it’s especially important for children to eat healthy, but I can’t very well force-feed he child, now can I? So I have to get creative and come up with fast and easy breakfast ideas that actually appeal to him. Ideally, breakfast should contain most of the food groups, but when you’re dealing with [...] Read more »