What could be more important than putting a smile on the face of a hardworking, loving and deserving dad? This Father's Day find ways to get your kids to make Dad smile, laugh and grin and show his teeth. Dads like to smile and laugh but sometimes it takes a little bit more to get Dad smiling. Here are five ideas on how kids can get Dad smiling this Father's Day: Surprise Him Dads love surprises from their children and family. Do something unexpected that makes dad think, how did you know to do that? Usually, dads are expecting traditional Father's Day gifts, like ties, handkerchiefs and maybe a meal. Try something new and different to catch him off guard, like putting on his favorite song instead of yours, or have young kids volunteer to read dad a bedtime story. Joke and Act Silly with Him Some days can be silly days. Other days you have to work a little harder to help Dad loosen up. Tell Dad an unexpected joke (animals crossing the road and knock-knock jokes are always funny!). He might not realize you are telling jokes at first, which will surprise him and make him laugh! Organize Dad's Ties Ties are a traditional Father's Day gift. If your Dad wears ties, volunteer to put them in color order. He might ask why. It is a helpful way to save time in the morning, which could mean seeing each other a little more at breakfast. If Dad does not wear ties, help him put his t-shirts or shoes in order. Make Something for Him Take time to make Dad something for Father's Day. It could be a card or a coffee, but showing you care through making something special is a sure way to get Dad smiling! You could make Dad breakfast, lunch or dinner any day, not just Father's Day. This is something children of all ages can enjoy doing together (you can even get Mom in on the fun too). Plan a Big Night Out Even if You Cannot Go Think about what you would like to do with Dad if money was no object. The most expensive restaurant in town that you think Dad would really like, or a weekend trip to a far-away beach because you know he loves the ocean. Share with Dad what you would give him to make him smile if you could. Showing that you are thinking about things that you can share fun times with Dad will make him smile! Show Dad that you are taking time to think about what makes him happy and that you want to spend time together and you will definitely get him smiling! 520 Park
May 5th is Cinco de Mayo. This holiday commemorates a military victory that took place during the Franco-Mexican War in which the outnumbered Mexican troops halted France's army. Festivities in U.S. communities with high Mexican-American populations tend to be bigger than those in Mexico (Cinco de Mayo is a minor holiday in its native country) and are often full of parades and historic reenactments of the battle. In fact, the prevalence of Cinco de Mayo in the U.S. just goes to show how much of an influence Mexican culture has had on its neighboring country. If you're observing the holiday, here are four ways to honor it: 1. Color your home Mexico celebrates Cinco de Mayo with colors galore, including, of course, red, green and white. Bring the joy of the holiday to your home by sporting bright and saturated tones. While the colors of the Mexican flag are a good place to start, yellow, pink, orange and blue are also up for grabs. One way to bring the brilliant hues into your home and also enjoy spring, is to decorate with fresh Cinco de Mayo flowers. Any brightly colored bouquet will make a beautiful addition to the festivities. 2. Prepare an authentic meal The conflict that took place on Cinco de Mayo in 1862 is also known as the Battle of Puebla, named after the town where the event occurred. Many celebrations of Mexico's victory include dishes native to the area, such as mole poblano. After all, according to Business Insider, Puebla is the foodie capital of Mexico, so whipping up traditional cuisine is both a tasty and appropriate way enjoy the day. Chicken tinga, chalupas and molotes are all other iconic foods to try on Cinco de Mayo. Do some research into ingredients that are native to Puebla to plan your menu. 3. Go to a museum To truly understand the history of Cinco de Mayo, or to better appreciate Mexican culture, consider seeking out a Mexican-American museum or cultural center in your community. See if the locale is holding any festivities or hosting special exhibits. If not, you can still learn a lot from the material already available. This is also a great celebration option for families with kids, as your little ones will have the opportunity to explore a new culture. Call the museum ahead of time to see if it has programs for kids. You can also create a worksheet before going to the museum for your children to fill out while you're there. 4. Enjoy local festivities In addition to observing Mexican culture by visiting a museum, you can experience Mexican-American traditions by checking out festivities where you live. Whether it's attending a parade or watching a re-enactment of the Battle of Puebla, you're sure to find something new and exciting if you live in a diverse community. If your town doesn't observe Cinco de Mayo with as much flair, you can watch parades on TV or online to enjoy the celebrations. 5. Attend a concert Discover another part of Mexican culture by attending a concert. Not only will seeing live mariachi give you more insight into Mexican culture, but it also supports the artists and can be a fun time - few things are more energizing than live music.
In many industries, working remotely from home has become quite common. Many of the advantages are undeniable, especially when living in a big city. You don't have to get up early to face a long commute to the office via congested interstates, or embark on the hustle and bustle of mass transit. You don't have to worry about skipping breakfast or packing a lunch. You don't even have to get dressed! All you have to do is walk a few steps across your apartment. However, a major challenge of working from home is the ability to focus and prioritize. We've put together five tips to improve your productivity while working at home:
Claim Your Workspace
Dedicate an area of your apartment as your sole workspace. No more wandering off to look for important work documents and getting sidetracked by television. A dedicated workspace helps establish boundaries for a better work/life balance. Storing your work supplies in one area - as opposed to spread throughout the apartment - will help keep you organized and focused. Many apartments are too small for a separate home office, but you can always find ways to separate a work area from the rest of the apartment. It may be a drawer devoted to your work supplies, or even a tucked away small desk and work chair. Whatever it is, do your best to make sure those areas are dedicated to work - and work only! If you reside with a roommate or spouse, let them know that when you're sitting in your workspace, you are officially at work. Anyone sharing a residence with you should respect your work life and understand that you are at a job each day, just like if you had left your apartment and gone into the office.
Set Professional Standards.
You might be tempted to leave those pajamas on every day, but getting dressed helps define the workday and fosters productivity. When working remotely, your mindset is important. If you're in the correct frame of mind about being at work, it won't matter as much whether you're in an office or your own apartment. The snooze button is a remote worker's best friend and worst enemy. The time you save on commuting can be spent catching a few extra winks, but you should still aim to be focused and ready to work by the start of the regular work day.
Limit Distractions.
There's no doubt that having an apartment in the hub of the city has many benefits, but one major problem is noise. People going about their daily lives in the apartment complex may distract you from work. Invest in a pair of good headphones to reduce the noise that invades your home office space. You can work in a virtual bubble with a pair of headphones and only let in the noise you want, such as computer alerts or phone calls.
Stick to a Schedule.
Schedule your work day to be as productive as possible. Keeping a schedule might seem silly when you work from your rental, but it has been shown that strict scheduling each day will keep you on top of your A game. Remember that part of your schedule is taking time for yourself. Don't let your apartment serve as an office exclusively. Make sure you take a break for lunch, or take a 15-minute break to walk the dog and deactivate your work brain. You would do this if you were out of your apartment at an office, so make sure you translate this to your work space. It's tempting to stay late at the office if you need to complete a project, but don't make it a habit. Quitting time applies to home offices as well.
Applications and Programs.
Computer and mobile apps have come a long way to help you stay in contact with business associates from around the globe. You might want to consider using Skype, join.me, Grasshopper, Basecamp, Trello, and Google apps for business when working from a home office. These great tools foster collaboration and give you the ability to seamlessly connect from anywhere. 520 Park
Foam rolling - where you literally roll your muscles on a piece of foam to help loosen them up - might not be the most "showy" exercise on the planet (hello weightlifting), but it can play an important role in keeping your muscles loose, thereby reducing soreness and helping avoid injury. If you're searching for a way to help yourself stretch, you should consider adding foam rolling to your routine. Regularly rolling your muscles out can help you maintain flexibility and your range of motion too. Certified trainer Robbie Davis, who started his career 20 years ago working with the Los Angeles Clippers basketball team, has created these four exercises that apartment renters who live in small spaces can perform. If you do these exercises a few times per week, expect to notice a significant difference in the way you move, says Davis. Consider rolling before or after exercise. What you'll need: a soft, carpeted area or a yoga mat, and a foam roller. General tips: You'll want to ensure you have proper positioning before you start rolling. It's also important to roll slowly to allow your muscles to release.
Calves Sit upright on the floor with your legs out in front of you so your body makes an "L" shape. Slide the foam roller underneath your legs so it rests right below your calves near your ankles. Place your hands flat on the ground on either side of you, and lift your weight off the ground. Slowly push yourself forward and backward, rolling up and down both your calf muscles. Tip: For added intensity, cross your feet and focus on each leg individually.
Quads Lie on the floor face down and place the foam roller between the ground and the area right above your knees. Be careful not to roll directly on the knee. Plant your hands in a push-up position, lifting yourself up so only your hands touch the ground. Use your upper-body strength to move your body back and forth, rolling across your quads. Tip: For added intensity, cross one foot behind the opposite knee so your legs make the number "4" and focus on one leg at a time.
IT Bands Before we get into the specifics of this exercise, we want to give you some background information on your IT bands. Your iliotibial band, or IT band, is a ligament that starts at the side of your hip and ends at your shin. Tight IT bands can contribute to injuries and can be painful too. Turn so you're lying on your left side, then push your upper body up with your left hand so you're resting on your left elbow. Bend your right knee and plant your foot on the ground in front of your left knee. Lift up off your hip and place the foam roller at the top of your IT band, or just below your hip. Push your body forward and backward, slowly rolling along your IT band. Repeat on the right side. Tip: For added intensity, press firmly against the roller, inching along any tight spots.
Feet Stand up straight and place the foam roller under one bare foot. Push into the roller as your foot rolls up and down, working the heel, arch and sole. Repeat on the opposite foot. It's best to stand near a wall if both feet are on the roller so you can catch yourself should you fall. Keep one foot on the ground if balancing is something you struggle with. Tip: For added intensity, angle the foot to roll along your instep or the arched middle part of your foot. 520 Park
Crossing the threshold into adulthood is signified by many telling things. Paying off a constant bombardment of bills, for instance - and reckoning with forces like quickly decelerating metabolisms and heartburn (after just two slices of pizza, at that). It's also marked by a slow-but-sure learning process where habits shift where you begin to optimize your routines, learn what to invest time and money on, and generally how to live better. Figuring out all that stuff takes time, though, and it's much easier to just ask other people who've been there, done that. So, from someone who's been adulting for a few whole years now (and with plenty of advice from much more experienced adults), here are some of the things that are always worth the money.
Eating Well
I've never really found the " Think about what you put in your body! " admonishment compelling, since I often think that my body just wants a greasy cheeseburger. Instead, it's more effective to remind myself that stateside healthcare is extremely costly, and maintaining long-term wellness will mitigate those expenses.
More Wholesome Foods
Spend more on meat raised without antibiotics, and use this guide to find seafood that's raised or caught with minimal chemical use and damage to habitats. When it comes to produce, buying fresh, local, and in season will provide various benefits: Not only is it cost effective, but fruits and veggies are also at peak taste and vitamin content when they're picked while ripe and consumed quickly, rather than being trundled cross-country on a truck.
Better-For-You Snacks
Vending machine confections have passed their heyday: 40% of the snacks consumers carry these days are classified as healthy, and better-for-you snacks are readily available on supermarket shelves. If you're craving something savory, reach for nutritious picks like seaweed snacks or dry-roasted edamame. For sweet treats, indulge in Nature Valley Granola Cups, which strike the perfect balance between creamy and crunchy, decadent (chocolate and nut butter!) and wholesome (whole-grain oats and nuts).
Basic Kitchenwares
Cooking is a skill that's worth investing time in, since it's conducive both to saving money and eating healthier meals. Even if your cooking savvy is questionable, investing in a few good knives - or even just one chef's knife, which are extremely versatile - will make a significant difference in the kitchen. Here's a great guide to essential knives. A cast-iron skillet is another must-have; with proper care, the thing will last a lifetime, and it will only set you back about 20 bucks.
Stuff You Spend Your Nights On
Nights! They happens every 24 hours , and it's in our best interest to spend most of them sleeping. According to The Handbook of Clinical Neurology , we spend a third of our lives sleeping, or trying to do so - all the more reason to invest in things that'll make our beds more comfortable. Good mattresses will make a difference in your sleep quality, but they can be prohibitively expensive. Try retailers like Casper and Tuft & Needle , which offer 100-day trial periods before you decide whether or not to commit. Another alternative is buying a mattress topper, which can elevate a sad bed without breaking your bank. The same philosophy applies when buying pillows, comforters, and sheets - quality products will make the difference between the feel of a cheap motel and a snug, serene sleep sanctuary. (A friend of mine even "has a guy" for quality sheets.) Another thing to consider: If you're sharing a bed with a blanket-hogging partner, picking up an extra flat sheet and comforter might save your relationship.
Tools Thatll Make Your Home More Livable
There's a reason that apartment maintenance, be it cleanliness or even interior decor, can cause so much strife between roommates and partners. Upkeep of a living space is important, and it's psychologically beneficial to retreat to a place of comfort and belonging.
A Vacuum That Works
My roommates and I went through a series of cheap vacuums, which all disintegrated in a matter of weeks and ended up on the curb. We've since invested in a $200 vacuum that not only works better, but has already lasted us several years with no loss in efficacy - extra important, since I'm the mother to a furry pet.
Home Audio
A fancy surround-sound system isn't necessary unless you're a serious audiophile - but if you find yourself engaging in any type of passive listening (putting on podcasts or music while you perform chores, for instance), decent speakers are worth investing in. If you're not sure where to start looking, a good portable bluetooth speaker is a breeze to use and will serve all of your basic audio needs.
Bathroom Bells 'n' Whistles
Buy a heavy-duty toilet plunger before you need one. Have you ever lived with a serial toilet-and-drain-clogger? I have, and none of us were ready until it was too late. And while we're on the topic of lavatorial habits - if you haven't stocked your bathroom with strong, two-ply toilet paper, you're not living your best life. 520 Park
We haven't much of a white winter, but don't let that deter you from making the most of your skiing experience! The resorts listed below have had their mountain tops covered with powder for weeks now, so the snow is good and packed from active users. Plus the mild temperatures and sunshine mean you won't freeze! Not everyone in your family wants to ski? No problem, these places offer other amenities and activities for both kids and adults; like snow tubing, exercise rooms, restaurants and more. Liberty Mountain Resort 78 Country Club Trail, Carroll Valley, PA, 717-642-8282, libertymountainresort.com . Ski area: Elevation is 1,190 feet high with a vertical drop of 600 feet and 100 acres of ski-able terrain. It has 16 trails and three terrain parks, serviced by nine lifts, with complete snow-making coverage. Hours: 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Mon.-Fri. and non-holidays; 8 a.m.-10 p.m. weekends and holidays. Snow tubing is 4-10 p.m. Mon.-Thurs. and non-peak times, 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Fri., 8 a.m.-10 p.m. weekends and holidays. Cost: Lift tickets are $55 midweek, $67 weekends and holidays. First-time skiers and snowboarders can get a lift ticket, lesson, and equipment rental for $78 midweek, $92 weekend/holidays. Other amenities: Tubing, lessons, equipment rental, child-care center, and restaurants and bars. An exercise room, wireless Internet, and a hot breakfast buffet are included with hotel rates. Driving distance: One hour, 24 minutes. Roundtop Mountain Resort 925 Roundtop Rd., Lewisberry, PA, 717-432-9631, skiroundtop.com . Ski area: Ten lifts take downhill enthusiasts to 16 trails, plus a terrain park with a super pipe and half pipe. Elevation is 1,400 feet with a vertical drop of 600 feet and about 103 ski-able acres. Hours: 9 a.m.-10 p.m. weekdays and non-holidays, 8 a.m.-10 p.m. weekends and holidays. Cost: An eight-hour lift ticket is $55 midweek and non-holidays, $64 on weekends and holidays. Other amenities: Fireside Pub and Grill, sports shop, ski and snowboard schools, and tubing. Driving distance: One hour, 30 minutes. Whitetail 13805 Blairs Valley Rd., Mercersburg, PA, 717-328-9400, skiwhitetail.com . Ski area: Elevation is 1,800 feet with a vertical drop of 935 feet. Nine lifts take skiers and boarders to 23 trails and two terrain parks, with 100 percent snow-making coverage. Hours: 8:30 a.m.-10 p.m. daily. Cost: Eight-hour lift ticket is $58 midweek, $69 weekends and holidays. Other amenities: Tubing, child care, ski and snowboard lessons, food court, slope-side Windows Restaurant, and adaptive snow-sports program for children and adults with mental and physical challenges. Driving distance: Two hours. 520 Park
