Another Re-Cap Post #WW

Hi - hope you don't mind another post recapping approx. the last 2 weeks.

sons *cough* 19th *cough* birthday was a couple weeks ago. celebrated with Pizza and Hello Kitty (daughter wanted) Ice Cream cake.

Preparing for the Passing of a Parent

Death is one of the few guarantees in life that everybody must prepare for. Sometimes preparing for the death of a parent can be more difficult for people than preparing for their own. While it is a painful thing to think about, there are a number of things that you can do to prepare for their inevitable passing. Here are some tips to help you.

Talk to Your Family

Communicating about the pending death of a parent is an important step. It helps with the grieving process for everyone. It is also important to make sure that your children understand what to expect. The death of a grandparent can be very painful and confusing for them, so helping them adjust to it ahead of time is important.

You will also need to speak with both of your parents (if they are both still alive) to tie up any loose ends. They need to work out the details of the estate and other information that will be left in the will. You also need to take the time to ask any remaining questions that you may have or make peace with any grudges while you still have time. The last thing that you want to watch your parents go to their grave grieving over any misunderstandings they had with you or your siblings.     

Plan the Ceremony and Burial

Planning for a funeral and burial can take a long time. You need to take time to make these plans while you still can. There are several things that you can do:

• You will need to get a general idea of when they will pass away. Speak with your parent’s doctors to get an estimate of the time they have remaining so that you have a general timeframe that you can carve out for the proceedings.
• Find out where your parents want to be buried. They will often want to be buried with their spouse, parents or other late family members. You can work with a company like J. Henry Stuhr Funeral Home for more information.
• If your parent wants a religious ceremony, then you need to reach out to the pastor that will be hosting the ceremony. Make sure that they are given some key points to discuss about their passing.

Making all of these preparations will take time, but it’s much less stressful to make them ahead of time. Don’t procrastinate so that you can get everything done in time.

Come to Terms With Your Own Emotions

Making funeral plans and tying up loose ends can be exhausting, but it is not nearly as emotionally draining as dealing with the emotional toll of the death. You will need to mentally prepare yourself for the fact that your loved one is about to pass. Try to speak with a grievance counselor and anyone in your family for support ahead of time.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a New Community to Live In

There are a lot of different factors that you need to take into consideration when looking for a place to live. If you are moving, then there are probably a number of things that you have already considered, such as:

• Proximity to friends and family
• Weather
• Crime rates
• Traffic congestion
• Activities available

However, there are a number of different things that you may not have given as much thought. You will need to consider the following factors when finding a good community to live, because they can have a major impact on your life.

Employment Opportunities

Chances are that you already have received a job offer in a community that you are considering living in. However, if you haven’t already accepted the offer, then you should consider other available employment in the area.

The unfortunate reality is that job security is very poor in this day and age. If you do lose your job, then you will want a comparable paying position to fall back on. If you have received job offers from employers in different cities, then you may want to prioritize the employer in the area that has more options if things don’t work out. It’s a good idea to live within an hour of a major city, because you will be able to find decent employment opportunities if you need to change jobs.

Probability of a Natural Disaster

You need to also be aware of the risks of natural disasters in any area that you live. Some natural disasters may be a major inconvenience, but won’t cause serious damage to the structure of your house or pose a serious danger to you and your family. Others can be much more serious. You will need to be aware of the risks of natural disasters before choosing a community to live in.

Cost of Living

The cost of living is another major concern that needs to be taken into account, because it varies significantly between different regions. For example, according to The Tax Foundation, in California, consumer purchasing power is 11.43% lower than the national average, while it is a 13.38% higher in South Dakota.

Of course, the cost of living can differ between individual cities as well. In San Francisco, the cost of an average one bedroom apartment is about $3,000 a month, while the cost of a similar apartment an hour north in Sonoma County is about half that. You will need to be fully aware of all costs before you make a decision.

Do Your Research Before Moving

There are many factors that you need to take into consideration before moving to a new community. Make sure that you do your research before making a decision so that you can avoid any unexpected problems such as an unaffordable rent or a natural disaster that can cause a serious hardship for you and your family for months to come.

Summer Car Maintenance Tips

After an unusually cold winter, most people are excited that summer has finally arrived. However, there are some drawbacks that people need to be aware of in the summer. According to Esurance, there were more fatal accidents during the summer in 2013 than the winter. In fact, there were more car accidents in August than any other month of the year.

One of the issues that they need to be prepared for is the possibility that they will have certain car problems that they don’t need to worry about other times of the year. You need to make sure that your car is prepared for the summer.

Getting Your Car Ready for Summer

Many people think that they only need to worry about getting their car ready for the winter. However, there are a number of things that you need to do differently when it starts to warm up. Here are some tips to get started. Keep in mind that you can always find the parts that you need at U Pull and Pay.

Get the Right Tires

A lot of people choose to drive their vehicle with their winter tires throughout the year. This is a bad decision, because snow tires don’t have poor traction on gravel and other solid surfaces. You need to replace them with regular tires as soon as the ground thaws and the snow melts.

Change Your Oil

Your car is a lot more likely to overheat during the summer, so it’s important to take the right precautions. Since oil plays a very important role in keeping your engine cool, you will need to make sure that it is changed before the weather starts to heat up. If you haven’t changed your oil for at least 5,000 miles, then it is a good idea.

Change the Air Filter

Your air filter serves a number of important functions, so you will need to carefully inspect it before getting your car on the road. It is important if you are going to be running your air conditioner, because you want to make sure that only clean air is circulating through your vehicle. You also need to make sure that it doesn’t get clogged up, because your heating system can stop working properly. If you haven’t changed your air filter for a while, then it is a very good idea to do so this summer.

Inspect Your Serpentine Belt

The serpentine belt is another major component that plays a role in keeping the engine cool. If it doesn’t work optimally, then you run the serious risk of overheating. You will need to inspect the serpentine belt and replace it if it seems to be in bad condition.

The serpentine belt generally needs to be replaced around 100,000 miles, but it can start to fail before that. It is an especially good idea to take a look at it if your car has over 90,000 miles on it.

Blog Tour: Lone Rider {Book Review & #giveaway }

Hey -I've got a book review and giveaway  for you today. I am joining the Blog Tour for the book: "Lone Rider," by B.J. Daniels.

More Recent Happenings #WW

below are pics took recently, some on my recent trip back home, and some around my house too. below are explanations of photos:

Tips for Becoming a Successful Cosmetologist

The cosmetology profession is becoming a popular career field. It is projected to grow about 13% until 2022. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that there are currently about 660,000 licensed cosmetologists in the United States.

Tips for Becoming a Great Cosmetologist

While you face many great career prospects, you also must contend with more competition, which means that you will need to find a way to stand out. Here are some tips to launch your cosmetology career.

Attend the Right School

There are currently over a hundred accredited cosmetology schools in 22 different states. You can get a good education at most of these schools, but some will prepare you better than others. The Montana Academy of Salons is ranked the best beauty school in Montana. You will also need to keep in mind that many schools specialize in specific types of services, so you will want to consider those if you have a specific track in mind.

Become Comfortable Working With People

Becoming a beautician involves a lot more than just knowing how to do people’s hair and nails. You also need to get your customers to like you. This means that you need to be comfortable dealing with people.

If you are naturally a more introverted person, then you may want to consider coming up with some ice breaker topics that you can use with new clients. It may also be a good idea to keep a record of the things that your customers say so that you can pick up where you left off. One of the biggest parts of socializing with your customers is learning to listen to what they are saying. If they aren’t talking to you much, then they are probably the types of clients that aren’t very interested in a conversation to begin with, so there is no need to try to force one!

Look Professional

The unfortunate reality is that nobody would want to get diet advice from a nutritionist that was overweight. Similarly, they aren’t going to want to see a cosmetologist that doesn’t keep themselves looking nice. Keep your hair kempt and dress professionally. This will help you retain clients much more easily.

Try to Stay Positive

People are more confident seeing a hairdresser or other cosmetologist that has an upbeat view on life. They figure that these people are going to be more committed to bringing out their beauty. They will also trust your taste more. Always present yourself in a positive way, so that you can maintain

Tips to Save Money on Expensive Summer Plumbing Problems

There are a lot of great things to look forward to as summer arrives, but plumbing problems aren’t high on the list. Many plumbing problems cost $1,500 or more to resolve, so it’s important to address them beforehand to avoid burning money on costly repairs.

Unfortunately, plumbing issues are more common during other parts of the year, so you will need to be aware of the risks. Here are some ways that you can mitigate the risk. You shouldn’t hesitate to contact a plumbing and heating contractor in Colorado Springs if you have any problems.

Pay Attention to Sewage Backups

Backups are more common during the summer for a couple of reasons. First of all, the summer months tend to bring a lot more rain, which increases the risk that your sewer system will get backed up. The water also expands as it condenses, which can also lead to clogs. Trees and other plants can also penetrate the sewage system as their roots take hold during the summer.

You will need to pay close attention to your sewer system. Excess water may need to be eliminated and any damage will need to be repaired to avoid future problems.

Monitor Kid’s Activities

Your kids are probably going to be spending a lot more time at home during the summer, since they are on vacation for a couple of months. This increases the risk that they will clog the toilets or the sink. You will need to check that everything is working properly and talk to your kids to make sure they recognize the problems associated with clogged plumbing. Make sure that they know what they can and cannot put in the toilet and what types of objects shouldn’t be placed down the trash receptacle.

Don’t Overuse the Trash Receptacle

On the same token, you and other adults in the house need to be careful about using the trash receptacle in your sink. Many sinks get clogged during the summer, because people put corn cobs and other food down them after they have barbeques.

If you are planning on making a lot more food during the summer, then you may need to consider finding a different way to deal with the waste. Your garbage is obviously your first choice, but you may also want to consider creating a compost pile. This can be a good way to put your food waste to good use, while also reducing the risk that you are going to cause damage to your plumbing system.

Check Your Sprinklers

You are probably going to be using your sprinkler system a lot during the summer to keep your grass green and healthy. Unfortunately, if the sprinklers are damaged, then you can end up causing a backup in the rest of your pipes, which can lead to other damage down the road. You will need to inspect your sprinkler system carefully to make sure that it is working effectively.

WW: Portraits of Trip Home

Here's some pics I took of my recent trip home.

sister, daughter, sister 

Avoiding the Risk of High Impact Sports Injuries in Children

Sports injuries are a major problem for young athletes. According to a survey from Safe Kids Worldwide, 1.35 million young athletes need to visit an emergency room or ICU for treatment each year. While most of those injuries are fairly benign, they still illustrate the risks that young adults face. They should be educated about the risks and take the necessary steps to avoid such injuries.

Which Types of Injuries Are Most Common?

According to the survey, sprains and strains are the most common injuries that young athletes face. An estimated 451,480 athletes between the ages of 6 and 19 suffer from one of these minor injuries every year. While these injuries aren’t particularly debilitating, they can still be painful and keep athletes from participating for entire seasons.

More severe injuries aren’t all that uncommon either. Safe Kids Worldwide reports that 249,000 young athletes experience fractures each year as well. These problems can be especially traumatizing for young people. Concussions aren’t as common, but still a cause for concern.

A large number of these injuries occur while participating in high impact sports. The prevalence of injuries among young athletes is higher than it needs to be. Parents, coaches and teens should be aware of the steps that they should take to avoid them.

How Can Impact Injuries Be Prevented?

There are a number of precautions that young athletes can take to minimize the risk of high impact sports injuries. Here are some that they should consider.

Use Dynamic Stretches

A growing volume of research such as this study from Miami University shows that static stretches both impede performance and limit performance. It’s better to do dynamic stretches, which incorporate the full range of body motion. These stretches include doing toy soldiers and high kicks.

Keep Your Body Warmed Up

Raising your body temperature keeps your muscles limber, which reduces tension. This not only  reduces the risk of muscle injuries, but it can also reduce the risk of joint and bone injuries as well, because keeping your muscles loose reduces the pressure on other parts of your body and improves your balance.

Keep a Balanced Center of Gravity

A large number of high impact sports injuries occur when people lose their balance and fall. This is especially common in full-contact sports where people can collide with each other. The risk of injury is a lot lower if you maintain a good center of gravity.

Take the Necessary Precautions

High impact sports injuries are clearly a problem for young athletes. Fortunately, there are a number of ways that they can be prevented if the right steps are taken. If you are a parent or a coach, then you may need to educate athletes in your care to make sure that they don’t get injured while playing these sports. If they do get injured, then they should be taken to Banner Core for attention before the injury progresses.

Summer Reading List

Here are a few book recommendations for you for your Summer Reading list. Some I have read and some I am working on reading this summer too.





1. You

Author: Caroline Kepnes 

When a beautiful, aspiring writer strides into the East Village bookstore where Joe Goldberg works, he does what anyone would do: he Googles the name on her credit card.

There is only one Guinevere Beck in New York City. She has a public Facebook account and Tweets incessantly, telling Joe everything he needs to know: she is simply Beck to her friends, she went to Brown University, she lives on Bank Street, and she’ll be at a bar in Brooklyn tonight—the perfect place for a “chance” meeting.

As Joe invisibly and obsessively takes control of Beck’s life, he orchestrates a series of events to ensure Beck finds herself in his waiting arms. Moving from stalker to boyfriend, Joe transforms himself into Beck’s perfect man, all while quietly removing the obstacles that stand in their way—even if it means murder.
Amazon Book Description