Try these nine family activities for an exciting end to your summer:

1. Make a memory book. Have everyone in the family get together and make a memory book or scrapbook. Collect photos from your summer or other scraps and artwork that would fit into a book of memories. This will give you a lasting memento of the good times you had over the summer.

2. Have a splashing good time. The summer usually means a good time around water. Throw a pool party or play around in the sprinklers. Have a water balloon fight with your family. Involve water while you still can, before the cold days of winter arrive.

3. Make summertime recipes. Pick out your favorite summertime recipes and make food and drinks with your family. Start with drinks like iced tea and lemonade, or pick another family favorite that you associate with summer. Then, make summer treats or throw a barbeque.

4. Throw a summer party. Get together with your family and throw an end of the summer bash for all of your friends. Your family can plan the party together, cook the food and make decorations. Take lots of photos of your party so you can remember the good time you had.

5. Go to the zoo. Summer is a great time to enjoy the zoo during your free time. Go to the zoo with your family one last time before school takes away much of that free time. It’s also a great way to learn about many different kinds of animals.

6. Play video games. Video games can be fun for the whole family. Some game consoles even have games that’ll get the whole family active. Choose a sports game, a family board game or a racing game and compete against your family for an exciting time together.

7. Go to the beach. The end of the summer might be one of your last opportunities to hit the beach this year. Wear sunscreen to protect your skin. Bring plenty of towels and beach toys. Build a sand castle with your kids. Bury one of your family members in the sand.

8. Get ready for school. Enjoy getting ready for the school year with your family. Find the fun in shopping for clothing and school supplies. Get the whole family involved. Allow your kids to make some of the clothing decisions and to pick out some of their favorite school supplies.

9. Relax at home. Enjoy some quiet time at home before the craziness of the school year starts. Order takeout and talk around the dinner table. Rent some family friendly movies to enjoy while you beat the heat together.

Pick one of these, or come up with your own end of summer activity ideas. The most important thing is that you take the time to enjoy your family. The end of summer can be an exciting time for your family to bond and experience priceless memories.

1. You’ve taken ample time to grieve the loss of your past relationship. This means you’ve worked through the emotional aspects of the loss as well as understanding that putting yourself into circulation is opening yourself up to be hurt again.

2. You’re no longer in contact with your ex unless you share children. There’s no wishful thinking that the relationship can still work, and you’re ready to move on.

3. You’ve looked at the circumstances of your break-up, realize you both made mistakes, and own responsibility for yours. Since you know what you did wrong, you’re able to avoid those mistakes in any future relationships.

4. You’re not looking for a rebound relationship or someone to replace your old partner. You’ve given being on your own some serious thought but aren’t ready to get tied down to one person again very soon.

5. Even though you’re lonely without a partner, you’re comfortable being on your own again. You’ve learned about new strengths, developed new habits, and are growing as a person. You like who you’ve become and don’t “need” a relationship to make you whole.

6. If you haven’t dated in quite a while, you’ve learned about what’s now considered appropriate or not. You’ve heard about speed dating, online dating, and other forms enough to know what to expect. You also remember what old-fashioned dating was like and think you can go through with it.

7. You have a support group whom you can call on to go out on a group date to meet new people rather than jumping right into the one-on-one dating scene again with both feet and eyes closed. Having people you trust around you when you first start dating again can be a great comfort and a way to avoid bad situations.

8. You’re comfortable with getting to know several people at a time instead of going right for the “relationship” again. It’s alright to play the field for a while when you first start dating again. There’s no hurry to rush into another long-term relationship.

Going through a break-up isn’t fun for anyone but it does happen, unfortunately. Knowing if you are ready to start dating again isn’t always an easy thing to determine. You can use some of the ideas above; ultimately you’ll know deep in your heart that you’ve moved on and are willing to take another chance. Sure, you may be hurt again, but in the game of love, that’s one of the chances you take.

If your child has never been to summer camp, now is the time to begin thinking about it. Give yourself plenty of time to do research – this will ensure your choice is good for your child. Ask friends and relatives whose children have gone to summer camp for their suggestions. You can also look online at websites such as kidscamp.com, ccca.org, and acacamps.org for listings of summer camps.

There are a number of types of camp to consider. Resident camp is for children ages 7 and older who will stay in cabins or tents. Day camp is for children 4 to 7 who aren’t ready to stay overnight. Specialty camps concentrate on a particular activity. Special needs camps are for children with mental, medical, or physical limitations. There is usually a higher counselor/camper ratio to ensure the child is safe. Length of sessions can vary from between a few days to as long as the entire summer.

What do you need to consider when searching for a summer camp?

* Cost – If the camp costs more than you can afford, it may not be a good choice this year.

* Location – Local camps may be the best choice if your child has never been away from home. They are often less expensive, too.

* Staff – This is probably the one of the most important things to consider. Is the camp director trained? How many staff members are there to campers? How do they hire counselors and what type of training are they required to take? How do the camp counselors interact with the campers?

* Activities – Be sure to get your child’s input. Since they are the ones who will be attending the camp, you want to choose one which has activities your child will enjoy. Some camps emphasize horseback riding, water sports, or outdoor survival skills. If you find one offering activities your child enjoys, and it’s in your budget, write down the information to compare it with others.

* Facility – If possible, go to the camp before you make your decision to check out the facilities. Are they well maintained? How many children will be in each dormitory or cabin?

If you aren’t able to visit the facility, you may want to scour their website, if they have one. Quite often a website will answer any question you might have, contain photographs, menus, and schedules. Some will also have a virtual tour and map so you can get a mental image.

The above tips on how to choose the right summer camp for your child are the minimum to consider. Take your time comparing camps and you’re sure to find one that meets your child’s needs. Once you have the summer camp chosen, get the necessary paperwork so you can secure your child’s spot.

People often think that when they’re trying to drop extra pounds they’re limited to what they can eat, and that’s true to a degree. But, there’s no need to starve yourself or eat nothing but rice cakes. You can have snacks which are healthy and taste great so you won’t have to suffer while you’re slimming down.

Advertisements on television and in magazines state each person needs a certain number of dairy servings a day. The ads claim you can actually lose weight by consuming dairy products. Well, why not eat low-fat yogurt as a snack. Add fresh fruit to the yogurt and you’ve taken care of one serving of dairy and one serving of fruit for the day. You’ll also have the benefit of the vitamins and minerals from both foods which are necessary for health.

What do you do if you don’t like yogurt that much? You can get dairy servings in other ways, too; try a low-fat milkshake or smoothie. Using skim or low-fat milk, ice, and either fresh or frozen fruit, you can make a great milkshake to enjoy for breakfast or at any other time of the day.

If you’d like to try something different, why not simply try a green smoothie? You use water, 100% fruit juice, water, fruit, and then add raw spinach or another green leafy vegetable. It may take a bit to get used to, but once you’ve had this type of drink you’ll soon learn to love them. This will be very low fat, as you’re not adding anything to the fruit, vegetables and water, and will be full of health-giving vitamins and minerals.

Make muffins using applesauce in place of the fat (margarine or butter). This will make the muffins lower fat than traditional recipes and you may not even recognize the difference as far as taste. Add shredded carrots to the muffins to give you more nutrients. Use other fruits or vegetables such as bananas and zucchini to make the muffins moist and delicious.

Popcorn is a great healthy snack idea as long as you don’t smother it in butter. Air-popped popcorn has no fat, is healthy, and can be filling. Instead of using salt and melted butter to flavor the popcorn, try adding onion powder, garlic powder, or nutritional yeast instead. Be adventurous and try to find a combination that you’ll enjoy. If you feel you must use fat to help flavor the popcorn, use a spray of olive oil which is a good fat.

When choosing healthy snacks that help you lose weight, remember to choose foods which are low-fat. You also want to limit the amount you eat at one sitting. Even snacks which are healthy can cause you to gain weight rather than lose it if you eat too much.

A critical key of anti-aging is to stay active and content. Here are some simple strategies you can use to combat the aging process:

1. Engage your mind. It’s important to keep your mind active. When you exercise your mind, you’ll stay sharp and keep your memory intact. Avoid falling into predictable patterns and always strive to challenge yourself. Take time to do puzzles each day and seek out new experiences.

• Your exciting years are never over as long as you’re still out there seeking thrills.

2. Exercise. Just like the mind, it’s important to exercise your body. The saying, “If you don’t use it, you lose it” is so true! Follow an exercise routine that makes use of all your muscle groups.

• If you make the effort to stay active, you’ll look and feel younger. This is one of the main reasons why some people in their 70’s can do yoga, while others are walking with assistance.

3. Eat a balanced diet. A balanced diet is simply the best thing you can do for your health. An unhealthy indulgence here and there shouldn’t hurt you, but your overall goal should be to have a well balanced diet.

• Having a poor diet can lead to obesity and other health problems. These health issues could end up shaving years off of your life or cause your golden years to be fraught with pain and distress.

4. Reduce stress. Stress is often ignored as a necessary part of life, but it’s a huge problem in the world today. Stress is a major cause of illness, including heart disease and weakened immune systems. When you’re overly stressed, it’ll interfere with your health.

• Do what you can to combat stress by finding activities that you find relaxing at the end of each day.

5. Take care of your skin. Even if you feel okay with the fact that you’re getting older, you may still be concerned about wrinkles or sagging skin showing your age. Proper skin care is a must.

• Drink 8 glasses of water every day to keep your skin well hydrated.
• Use a good moisturizer.
• Keep your body well stocked with Vitamin C. Eat citrus fruits and berries or take a supplement.

6. Adopt a healthy lifestyle. Shoot for having an overall healthy lifestyle, including eating right, exercising, and avoiding unhealthy habits. Things like alcohol and smoking should be cut out or left for rare occasions.

7. Consider hormone therapy. Hormone therapy can be considered under the care of a licensed physician. While it might not be an option for everyone, some feel that hormone replacements can help people fight aging, because hormone levels are important to healthy function and some of them can decrease as you age.

8. Remember to get your antioxidants. Antioxidants from food or vitamins are always a good idea. They tend to reduce the amount of free radicals, which may contribute to cancer, in the body. Healthy cell function enables you to lead a longer and healthier life.

Just remember to treat yourself right and you’ll help your body combat

Personal time is a right of being a person. Each of us has the capacity to nurture others but that type of care takes its toll.

A car is filled with gas to make it run. Eventually the gas runs out and your car won’t move unless the car is replenished with fuel. The same goes for you. Emotional issues can develop when you don’t take the time to take care of your emotional well-being, not to mention the physical results of emotional neglect.

Mom time refuels the tank so that you can give to your family as well as yourself in equal measure. Don’t be ashamed to sit for fifteen minutes doing nothing. In the springtime, relaxing in a hammock under a tree is the perfect getaway from the pressures of the day. Reading a book for 30 minutes can also seem like heaven to many moms.

Here are a few tips to help you fit in much needed “mom” time:

1. Get up early if you have to. When you have kids, the day begins at a hurried pace. Once you hit the ground running, there is no stopping you. Waking 30 minutes to an hour ahead of time means quiet solitude to drink your coffee, read a book, meditate or listen to music.

2. Turn ordinary experiences into major events. When you take a bath, add candles, bubble bath, quiet music and/or an inflatable bath pillow. Your regular bath has now become a spa level experience. If you watch a movie, turn out the lights, pop a bag of microwave popcorn and curl up on the couch.

3. Ask your significant other for help. Kids love their mothers but time spent with dad is important too. Let them bond with dad while you go shopping for a new outfit or root around in the garden. Since the time is yours, do whatever you like.

4. Use the Boy Scout motto. Always be prepared and you can spend more time in a relaxed mode. Fix lunches the night before. Iron clothes for the next day and place backpacks by the front door so kids can grab them on their way out. The fewer things you have to do throughout the day, the calmer you will be with your family and not experience burnout.

5. Take exercise breaks. When you get a few minutes the last thing you want to do is exercise but getting a little physical activity in your day has far-reaching implications. Exercise helps you to think clearly and stretches the muscles. Also, stress will drain away as powerful endorphins are released into your system. Do jumping jacks during a television commercial or jog to the bus stop to pick up the kids.

6. Laugh at regular intervals. Keep a funny calendar cube on your desk or subscribe to a daily joke site. Laughing releases stress and can lift your spirits significantly. It also keeps the abs tight.

Moms, take care of you. Your family would miss you if you were not around to love and care for them. You owe it to yourself and you deserve a break from the daily hustle and bustle.

There is no specific age at which you are supposed to start your baby on solid food. It is a choice that is made between you and your child. Usually though, most babies begin to eat solid foods at around six to eight months of age.

When you introduce solid foods, don’t be in a rush to give them everything all at once. Introduce one new food at a time. Fresh foods are better than processed because they contain more nutritional value. And, baby can hold them in their hand, especially if they are moving around. And, many babies do move around as they munch on their snacks.

1. Soft cooked carrot pieces – Carrots are naturally sweet and make excellent finger food. This food provides potassium and other essential vitamins. Of course, you may have a mess in the kitchen (and everywhere else) when they are done.

2. Pasta noodles – These little guys will be a lot of fun for your little guy. Try to overcook them slightly so that they end up a little bigger. Place a few cooled noodles on their plate without any seasoning or butter. You can consider covering them with a few bread crumbs for easier handling by baby.

3. Cheese – Comes in many flavors. Try each one separately. Cut up sliced cheese and the block variety.

4. Cooked green beans – Baby can pick these up one at a time and snack. Use fresh and cook them just until slightly soft.

5. Potato fries – This includes sweet potatoes as well. Cut the vegetables into French fry strips and bake them. Be sure to remove the skin.

6. Cereal – Cheerios and puffed rice or corn is small enough for tiny hands. They usually melt on the tongue so you don’t have to worry about choking. Buy the unsweetened cereal varieties.

7. Diced pieces of chicken or turkey – Meat provides protein for your child. Take a lean chicken breast (or turkey) and cut it into small squares or strips about an inch long.

8. Toast – Lightly toast a slice of bread and cut it into squares. Buttering the toast makes it softer for baby to handle.

9. Avocado – This firm and tasty fruit can be diced up for baby to try.

10. Banana slices – As baby gets older, he or she can hold the banana themselves and bite it. But, for now, try slicing it into quarter inch pieces for baby to eat.