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Sometimes families can get so caught up in the routine of driving the family vehicle to every little event, it’s easy to forget there are other methods. You can incorporate more fitness into your family’s schedule simply by not driving as often as usual. If nearly everything’s close by, you may even be able to forgo using the vehicle very much at all.

The daily trips to school, daycare, or extracurricular activities are done via the family vehicle for a good number of people. But if those places are nearby, do your family a favor and walk instead. Just out of walking distance? Try a bike ride. Switching from riding in a vehicle to biking or walking for these simple trips can provide some great family exercise.

Is the grocery store nearby? If so, when you aren’t picking up a vehicle full of groceries, try walking instead. The family can gain an extra workout by not only walking to the store but carrying the items home in eco-friendly grocery bags. If each person carries a bag, you can actually get quite a few groceries on a walking trip, depending on how many are in your family and what they can carry.

When going on family outings, such as zoos, museums, libraries, and parks, how does your family usually get there? If you answered with your vehicle and these places are close by, your family is missing out on some extra fitness. Besides, if you leave the car behind, you don’t have to fight traffic or bicker over parking spaces. Sidewalk traffic is usually much lighter than street traffic.

Visiting grandma or Aunt Thelma? If they live within walking distance, why would you need to drive? Driving those short distance is an unnecessary cost in gas. Save that gas money for the next family road trip. Of course, if you’re feeling extra ambitious and everyone’s in good health, you just might want to hike that trip too. Did you say no to that one? Well, you can’t say I didn’t at least try. It’s the thought that counts right?

Fall is the best time to start transplanting garden plants to the indoors or in a greenhouse for the winter. The kids can help too. A great preparation project the family can enjoy together is painting clay pots. Even if you don’t have a garden, your family can still do this fun outdoor project. The clay pots can be gifted to someone who can make use of them or you can buy plants for them and create an indoor garden.

Materials
Unglazed clay pots, sized according to your plants
Outdoor-safe ceramic paints
Paintbrushes
Clear acrylic coat spray
Old newspaper

Instructions
First, get started by determining what size clay pots you will need. The family can do this together by inventorying flowers and other plants that will be transplanted. Clay pots can be purchased at garden shops, home improvement centers and craft stores. When choosing them, be sure they have no cracks before heading out of the store. Also be sure to select pots that have not been coated or painted.

Once you have all the sizes you will need for transplanting, spread out some newspaper on an outdoor table or patio. This will be the work area. Split up the clay pots between everyone old enough to handle them and dole out paintbrushes. For easy access, paints can be squirted directly onto the newspaper like you would with a palette.

Each family member can paint a design on each of their clay pots. The designs can be planned for coordination or can be varied among individuals. Some may wish to use stencils. Once the painting is done, allow the pots to dry. Parents can then spray on a clear acrylic coat for added protection. Allow that to air dry outside as well.

The clay pots are now ready for some family planting ! To avoid contaminating the soil, avoid getting any paint on the inside of the clay pots where the plants will touch. Also, remember not to paint on any drainage holes in the clay pots. Those will be important to your plants when getting watered. For added fun, clay pot painting can be enjoyed along with friends and extended family as well.

While it may be tempting to spend your pregnancy days in drawstring pants, yoga pants and lounge wear, the time will come when you want to dress up a little or enjoy a weekend getaway with an eye-catching outfit. When you’re expecting, you can choose from several different maternity pant styles that will flatter your figure and make you feel great day and night.

Rollover pants are your best bet when you’re dealing with long days of feeling bloated and swollen. These pants fit snugly around your baby bump but have a little extra ‘give’ around the hips and waist so you feel super comfortable all day long. You also don’t have to worry about tugging or straightening these at the waist, because the elastic fit will conform to your body.

Belly leggings are another great match for the mom-to-be. These will accommodate for your growing belly, and can still flatter your body with their body-hugging fit . Leggings are a necessary backup piece for your maternity closet and can be coordinated with dozens of different tops including tunic tops, oversized sweaters, wraparound shirts and button down blouses.

If you need a pair of more formal pants for the office, look for a pair of twill pocket pants or bootcut pants from the maternity department. These will create the most figure-flattering silhouette for you throughout pregnancy, and can be matched with a number of tops and sweaters for your eye-catching ensemble.

For those days of rest and relaxation on the weekends, step things up a bit with a pair of cargo pants. Maternity cargo pants designed with an elastic waistband will fit snugly over your baby bump, and the wide-leg cut is ideal for lounging in. Pair these up with some cute flats or gladiator sandals for a cool, comfortable and fuss-free look on any day off.

Finding the right pair of pants during pregnancy can be a challenge, but you don’t have to settle for baggy jeans and oversized lounge pants through each trimester. Add any of these stylish pants to your maternity closet so you can be comfortable and fashionable season after season.

It’s always fun to do craft projects when you have younger children. After all, they won’t be little forever and soon they’ll be too cool to spend time with their parents. With Thanksgiving coming up soon, why not get the family involved in making simple decorations? Not only can they be used to make the house look festive, but you’ll have memories that will last a lifetime. This week, let’s gather the kids around the craft table for some family night fun.

Construction paper turkeys are so easy to make and loads of fun to decorate. Each family member can trace their hand onto a piece of brown construction paper and then cut the shape out and decorate it. Make sure to spread your fingers apart! The thumb will be the turkey’s head and the fingers are its feathers. You can then use crayons, makers, glitter, or whatever other craft supplies you have laying around to decorate the turkey. Not only is this a fun project, but it looks so cute to have both parents’ and childrens’ handprints displayed together. Also, this project can be stored away and kept for many years in a memory chest.

Another fun idea is to create a welcoming scene for the front porch using pumpkins and squashes. Instead of carving images, use paint to create fun Thanksgiving characters, such as pilgrims and natives. Add bales of hay, cornstalks, and dried leaves to make the display even more festive.

Last, but not least, break out all that leftover candy corn from Halloween and use it to make fun craft projects. You could use it to fill large candle holders and then tie a decorative ribbon around it. You could even use the candy corn as a bed for cupcakes and other delicious treats that can be served on a Thanksgiving buffet.

It’s hard to believe at times, but your children won’t be this young forever. Take the time to do fun projects like these so that you make memories that you’ll both cherish for the rest of your lives.

While growing up, kids typically become fearful of various things, especially the “monsters” that live in their closets. In 2001, Pixar, the computer animation arm of the Walt Disney Studios, revealed the truth behind that fear in Monsters, Inc., a family-family animated adventure.

John Goodman lends his voice to James P. “Sulley” Sullivan, a monster who lives on the other side of the closet door. With his best friend and roommate Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal), Sulley works for Monsters, Inc., a company that converts children’s screams into energy for the city of Monstropolis.

Sulley is a “scarer,” one of the monsters that go through the closet door and cause kids to scream. Mike collects the energy generated by the screams in large storage tanks. Sulley has to be careful, though, not to bring anything back from the human world because children are toxic to monsters. Unfortunately, a sweet little girl named Boo follows Sulley through the closet one night, thinking he’s a big furry kitty.

Fearing that they will be arrested or worse, Mike and Sully hide Boo in their apartment until they can figure out how to get her back home. A jealous chameleon named Randall (Steve Buscemi) finds out what they are up to, though, and tries to steal Boo away from them.

Funny and extremely clever, Monsters, Inc. contains eye-popping computer animation and an even better story. John Goodman and Billy Crystal are a great team as the voices of sarcastic Mike Wazowski and kindly Sulley. Playing a one-eyed monster, Crystal has some truly funny moments, especially when he has to insert a giant contact lens into his huge eye.

Monsters, Inc. also contains some great running gags, especially the constant warnings about children being toxic. When one furry monster comes back through a closet with a child’s sock on his back, the hazardous materials team storms in, shaves him from head to toe and then blows up the sock.

Monsters, Inc., which is rated G, is a perfect blend of sly comedy for the adults and lots of action for the kids. The only scary thing about this movie would be never seeing it with the kids.

Who says carving pumpkins is juat a Halloween activity? Carved pumpkins make great decorations for Thanksgiving as well, not to mention that they make for a wonderful family night activity. And, if you have little ones, painted pumpkins are just as fun. This week, let’s talk about decorating some pumpkins for the wonderful fall season family activity.

While making your own design on a pumpkin can be fun, there are also a number of templates available online for free. And, thanks to the wonderful tools that can be found at your local department stores, you can easily recreate images on your pumpkin. There are many tricks when it comes to decorating pumpkins.

First of all, you don’t have to carve all the way through a pumpkin to get a great look. You can actually use wood carving tools to simply carve away the outer layer of the pumpkin. When a candle is inserted, the flesh of the pumpkin glows giving a fantastic look.

Speaking of candles, you don’t have to cut the top off the pumpkin. It’s much easier to cut the back out of the pumpkin. This makes it much easier, and safer, to insert candles and light them. Of course, don’t forget that you could also use flameless candles, if you prefer.

To keep your pumpkins looking fresh, you can coat them in Vaseline wrap them in plastic wrap and then refrigerate until the big day. This ensures your pumpkin doesn’t look droopy once Halloween or Thanksgiving arrives.

As for painted pumpkins, you can draw the design on using a magic marker and then let kids color the images in with paint, just like a coloring book. Not only is this fun, but the pumpkins last longer as well.

Last, but not least, remember that these tips aren’t just for pumpkins. Squashes can also be decorated for fall. In fact, you could do a whole scene of different pumpkin and squash characters.

Even though you may have gained ten plus pounds during pregnancy, the baby weight will drop off naturally within a few weeks after giving birth. Most women lose about 12 pounds immediately after delivering the baby, and then continue to lose a few pounds each week as the body readjusts itself. However, the former baby bump can become a major problem area, and you’re likely dealing with extra fat and loose skin around your waist, also known as the “Mommy tummy.”

Fortunately, there are some exercises you can do to trim down that Mommy tummy in no time. In addition to an intensive cardio routine that will blast off fat and calories each week, you can tighten and tone your midsection with these stomach-firming exercises:

1. Oblique crunches. Lying flat on your back and placing your feet flat in front of you, slowly lift your torso off the ground and bend to the side, holding it for a few seconds to contract the muscles in your waist. Oblique crunches are great for slimming down your waistline and improving your posture. 50 to 75 reps per session, two to three times per week, may be all you really need to whittle down that waistline.

2. Tummy tucks. You don’t have to head to the plastic surgeon to get the benefits of a tummy tuck. Plus, this easy exercise can be performed while you’re standing, sitting or just waiting in line. All you need to do is inhale and pull your stomach muscles towards your spine. Hold for a few seconds to contract your midsection, then release, pushing your stomach out as far as possible. This strengthens the muscles in your midsection and makes it easier to perform other tummy-tightening exercises throughout the week.

3. Scissor kicks. An effective abdominal exercise for tightening the lower waist and obliques, scissor kicks performed on your back will strengthen that six-pack and help you achieve a more streamlined silhouette. You’ll need to perform these while lying flat on your back and keep your legs as straight as possible when performing the kick. Several sets of these a few times per week can help you get that flat stomach you crave in no time.

You don’t need any special workout gear to perform these exercises, so try and incorporate them into your weekly schedule to start trimming down that Mommy tummy in no time.