May
04
By DIANA MARSZALEK, For The Associated Press
Those of you who wiggle out of family camping trips by claiming you’re just not into roughing it will have to find another excuse.
A range of camping options and innovations have made it far more comfortable to eat, sleep and otherwise spend time in the Great Outdoors.
“’Soft rugged’ is what so many Americans are seeking in their outdoor experience today,” says Jim Rogers, chairman and CEO of Kampgrounds of America, or KOA, which runs about 500 campgrounds around the country. So much so that he now refers to the camping industry as “outdoor hospitality.”
KOA has beefed up some of its campgrounds to include both basic and luxury cabins – the latter being the kind more often...
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May
04
By WENDY WILLIAMS, For The Associated Press
Is your yard going to the dogs?
Muddy lawns and ankle-twisting craters are just two of the problems that frustrate pet owners each spring. But with some simple design steps, you can reclaim your backyard.
Begin by thinking about your dog’s specific behavior and needs. Most dogs will take the shortest route between two points, creating a muddy trail in the yard and along property lines.
Other dogs are canine police, patrolling your yard for possible human or animal intruders. Rushing to the scene of the crime, they tear up grass and anything else in their path.
Owners may try to eliminate the mess by confining pets to a certain area of the yard. If that doesn’t seem practical or...
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May
03
By Traci Arbios, TheFullMoxie.com
Recently, my son and my bad-arse self attended the preview of Judd Apatow’s latest flick, “The Five-Year Engagement.” What follows is my actual review, of an actual film for which I was able to get in FOR FREE, because I am a reviewer of movies.
Have I yet mentioned my bad-arsedness?
As in typical in my world, I push my arrival to the theater until the last possible second, which makes my 16-year old son, Harry, a bit wonky. As this experience has taught me, Harry HATES being late to movies. And when I say hates, I mean the “wish all people who get him there late would DIE” kind-of hates. But see, when you’re the mom of a crazy big old household, you have a tendency to think you can do ALL THE THINGS....
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May
03
By Robert Nickell, McClatchy-Tribune
As a proud daddy to six kids between the ages of 12 months and 26 years old, I’ve learned my fair share about parenting and being a supportive daddy – not only to my children, but to my wife too. After all, she is the mother of my kids, and by supporting her I reinforce the support I give so freely to my children as well.
Here are a few tips I’ve put together for daddies everywhere, so that they understand the importance of supporting their significant other before, during and after pregnancy.
Before: Being supportive begins with keeping an open line of communication. Discuss your plans for the future with your wife, and offer her plenty of opportunity to share her own plans with you. Sharing in what...
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May
02
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
With college finals on the horizon, students across the nation are looking for anything to help give them that extra edge to succeed. Rather than give them the run-of-the-mill care packages, candies or coffee gift cards, why not give them a taste of home to show support from loved ones?
One retailer offering a dose of comfort — and sugar — is Cupcakes by Carousel, home of Oprah’s favorite red velvet cake, decadent cakes, pies, gourmet cupcakes and more, who can deliver their sweet treats to stressed-out students nationwide.
Carousel offers a full line of 40 gourmet cupcakes daily, along with cake pops, decorated occasion cakes, gluten free cupcakes, French macaroons, UpCakes and icing shots.
Here’s what...
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May
02
By Marla Jo Fisher, The Orange County Register
If you have teenagers in your house, you might have heard of the cinnamon challenge, which sadly does not involve any baked goods whatsoever.
Instead, it’s the sort of brilliant scheme embraced by teenagers around the world that makes you feel confident about the future of our planet.
Here’s how it works: You eat a tablespoon of powdered cinnamon. Then you cough, gag and throw up.
That’s it. I’m serious.
Now if this were a Cinnabon challenge, that I could get into. But it’s not.
It’s a contest of human will, to see if you can swallow an entire tablespoon of this slightly caustic spice in one minute, without liquid to wash it down, and without...
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May
01
By nameberry.com
Of course, we all hope our kids will be good as gold, follow the Golden Rule, find the Golden Mean in life, win lots of gold medals and gold stars, and all that other good golden stuff. So why not give them a leg up by bestowing on them one of these golden names?
The most obvious are those with the word front and center. Goldie is an old showgirl name legitimized by and long associated with Goldie Hawn, who was named after a great aunt. The fact that the name Goldie was recently chosen for her baby by Ione Sky sends out signals that it could make a return a la Sadie and Mabel. Golda is one step removed, not heard much since the demise of American-raised Israeli Premier Golda Meir, who was in fact born Goldie. Gilda is sleeker and slimmer, linked...
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May
01
By Priscilla Dunstan, McClatchy-Tribune News Service
End-of-year testing is now upon us and it can be one of the most stressful times of the year for our children. Navigating not only the curriculum but also friends’ and parents’ expectations can be tough, especially as most testing is not set up with your child’s sensory learning style in mind. By being aware yourself, can help make the experience a more pleasant and productive one.
Tactile children can find sitting still for the length of the exam difficult. They often are the children getting into trouble for fidgeting, rocking in their chair or swinging their legs back and fourth. This movement is their way of recalling information, but can be disruptive to other students. Give them a squash ball or...
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Apr
30
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
In China, English is the language of international competition. All state employees younger than 40 are required to master at least 1,000 English phrases, and all schools teach English in kindergarten. Disney Publishing has been heavily involved in this initiative — its Disney English global brand encompasses licensed language learning products sold at retail around the world and 31 language learning centers in China.
On the flip side, teaching Mandarin in the U.S. school system has also become a major movement within the last year.
Now, Disney Publishing will increase its presence in the digital learning space with its first language learning product – a read-along app based on the international teaching method Diglot...
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Apr
30
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
With Mother’s Day fast approaching, finding the perfect gift can sometimes seem like a pressure-filled job (not unlike raising a child). The gift should be thoughtful and show you both appreciate her as a mom and as an adult who has interests outside of child rearing. The following are inexpensive ideas from HomeGoods that are tailored to her interests:
Gardening Mom
Colorful garden tools. These gardening implements are not only useful (and timely for spring planting season) but also much more stylish than the normal shovel and hoe. They are $9.99 each at HomeGoods.
The Not So Tech-savvy Mom
Does your mom hate e-mail and texting? Help her keep in touch with these fancy...
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