How to Have a Fun-filled Princess Birthday Bash

If you are a first time mom, the first and all birthdays of your child will be the most important thing to you and you need all things done before the big day! There are a lot of things that is needed for you to prepare especially if you want to do it on your own to make it more personalized for your child.  

Most parties for little girls are princess themed. A princess party is always a dream party for every little girl in the world and being able to give to your offspring will be such a joy to all parents out there.  

Here is a guide on what you have to prepare before the big princess party: 

  1. Set a budget – you need to restrain yourself from breaking your bank and your pockets. You should make a budget that is suitable for your money and savings. Do not go over budget and stick to what you have set. By doing this, you will be assured that you will sacrifice other parts of your living just for one party. And if you really want a big princess party for your little girl, you should save money beforehand and this will give you more room to move in terms of the budget.  
  1. Book a venue ahead of time – you need to choose a venue that is suitable for the theme of the party and it is important to book it ahead of time to prevent not having a venue a week before the party. You should pick a venue that is accessible to everybody and is not difficult to locate. Remember to choose a venue that is under your budget. Booking ahead of time can also save you some money because venues can be cheaper if you book it months before the big day.  
  1. Decorations – one of your tasks is to design the venue through decorations of your choice. You should pre-plan this and stick to one vision so that the overall look of your princess party will be uniform and easy on the eyes. It is also important for you to ask the venue of your choice on what kinds of decorations will they allow and what kinds of decoration will they ban from the venue to avoid extra charges. You can save money because you can DIY some decorations especially if you plan ahead of time. But, if you choose a professional decorating service, this will also save you stress and time.  
  1. Food – a party can never be called a party when there is no food for your guests. Prepare a venue that can be enjoyed by little children and by adults. Make sure that your food is also in with your theme; you can do this by choosing cupcakes that are also designed with princesses on top of them or choose a cake that has the favorite princess of your child as a decoration or topper. 
  1. Guest list – limit the number of people you invite to the party to avoid the horror of not having enough food or the fear of the venue being too small for the crowd. Ask your venue about the capacity of their place so you know where to start. Keep the crowd small but close to your hearts.  

Follow this guide and you will surely have a fun night to remember for the rest of your princess life!  

5 Basic Tree Maintenance

The benefits of plants and trees in your lot are endless. Trees do not just give off oxygen and provide food on our tables, they also add more aesthetic value in our houses, whether in our backyard or lawns.  

There are many ways to care for your trees. While it is better to hire an expert Tree Service company for professional-like maintenance and care, there are also maintenance tips you can do at home.  

Here are the 5 basic care tips to make your trees happy 

1. Keep them Fertilized 

Compared with the trees in wild forests, the trees in our yards have a lesser nutrient intake, not to mention they are more stressed. Wild trees have a rich source nutrient coming from fallen leaves, decayed animals and insects, their feces, and the list goes on. The trees on our yards are exposed to high-stress conditions like physical injuries or damages caused by human activities, lesser moisture and water intake, and low source of nutrients due to daily cleaning like raking away the fallen twigs, leaves, and/or the dead insects which are a potential nutrient source. Because of these stresses, plants in residential areas are more susceptible to insect invasion and other plant diseases.  

To avoid this, keep your plants and trees healthy by providing them food and nutrients through fertilizers. Organic fertilizers are the best option which includes manufactured composts, dried feces, and others, which are available in your local market.  

2. Keep regular pruning and trimming 

When trees have many dead twigs and branches, diseases and infection could spread quickly. Pruning and trimming help prevent the spread of decay from these branches and keep your trees in good shape.  

Shaded trees with a lot of dead branches cover and block sunlight for other smaller plants in the area, which results in dead grasses. 

3.Mulching 

Mulching is one of the most used practices in gardening, and also, one of the most effective gardening techniques. It is a process of covering the soil with mulch such as wood chips, barks, leaves, and other organic materials. This effectively cools down the plant and helps preserve moisture in the soil as it blocks sunlight and potentially reduces the chances of water evaporation.  

The benefits of mulching include controlled germination and weed growth, controlled heat temperature, prevention of soil compaction, fertilization (when you use organic materials for cover), and others.  

It is quick, doable and cost-effective. 

4.Cabling your trees 

Tree damages and injuries are inevitable. These are caused by storms, strong winds, and/or construction errors. Cabling is an act of putting cables to stabilize your trees especially when they can no longer support themselves. Although it is often used for injured trees, it can also be used for healthy trees to maintain a good structure.  

5. Remove trees if necessary 

While it is difficult to finally decide to remove a tree, it might be a practical choice to do. Sometimes trees impose a safety risk on your other plants, your house, or even to your family and neighbors. Unfortunately, tree removal is a part of tree maintenance that you might need to do when the situation calls for it. 

Benefits of Swimming

Swimming is generally done for recreational activities. It is fun and you get to enjoy it alone or with other people in parties or family/friends bonding. Aside from being a good recreational activity, it is also one of the famous sports all around the globe. It is a perfect way to stay healthy and fit in a fun and relaxing way.  

It is not a fancy sport. It just needs you and some water, and all it demands is a well-maintained pool which can be achieved with the help of professionals from a Pool Company

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Swimming provides many benefits in different aspects; physical, social and even emotional. Here are some of the benefits swimming provides. 

Physical benefits 

1. It builds muscle and bone mass. Runners use their legs, boxers use their arms, and swimmers use not just these two body parts but their entire body. When you swim, you are using all your body parts. Their legs kick, their arms pull and reach, their stomach tightens, their back rotates. All these are muscle exercises and potentially build muscle mass.  

2. Running is known for the effective building of bone mass. However, new research findings also link swimming to increased Bone Mineral Density (BMD) especially in the femur.  

3. It makes you flexible. Swimmers twist, stretch and reach. Consistent stretching makes them flexible. 

4. It burns down calories. Sweating is known for calorie burning. However, like jogging and other sports that require you to sweat, swimming is also a good way to burn calories. You do not need to hit the treadmill or run from one place to another; all you need is to swim your pool. For instance, a 30-min butterfly speed swimming can burn 150 more calories compared to 30-min running.  

5.Recommended to people with asthma 

Swimming links to healthy lungs is basic knowledge, thus it is a good exercise for people with asthma. Aside from this, the humid and cool environment of indoor pools is ideal for asthmatic people. They do not need to sweat. And because swimming entails holding your breath, it is an ideal exercise for their lungs. 

Mental benefits 

1. It helps you manage stress and boost your mood 

Exercise, in general, effectively helps you manage your stress leading to healthier mental health, and swimming is not an exemption. 

People are becoming busier in this fast-paced world today. A survey was done to 101 swimmers at a YMCA in Taiwan before and after a swimming session. 44 of which are mildly depressed caused by everyday stress. After the swimming session, the number of depressed individuals lowered to 8. 

2. It lowers the risk of depression 

This activity is meditative, relaxing and calming. This is brought by the focus you achieve in listening to your breathing and the water as you swim. When focused on these sounds, you are blocking other noises and distractions, providing meditative benefits.  

3. It makes you smarter 

Like other exercises, swimming is a good way to keep mentally fit. 

A research was done to children from Australia. It was found out that kids who took swimming lessons and attend regular swimming exercises are more advanced in language development, motor skills, and physical development leading to good confidence compare to non-swimmer kids.  

Kitchen Tile Trends You Need to Try

When remodeling your kitchen, the idea of good design tiles will never be out of the topic. Stylish and long-lasting floor creates more aesthetics to your home specifically your kitchen. In fact, tiled floors, in general, have been at the forefront of what we call “Flooring Revolution.”  

Many house owners are hiring tile flooring near me contractor for tile installation and remodeling. They opt to tiles rather than other floor materials because they are generally known for its durability and its beauty that can equal the classic natural stone in the past. It has become a staple not just for kitchen floors, but also for bathrooms and other water-sensitive parts of your home.  

Here we have gathered some of the newest and hottest tile trends that you can try for your home and kitchen 

1.Tiles with trendy colors and patterns 

Simple patterns and coloration like what real marbles have are trendy nowadays. However, these patterns are not limited to what most people are applying to their kitchen. In fact, according to Edyta Czajkowska, an interior designer, you can have your pattern and color concepts for your tiles. Have the freedom to customize your tiles that would reflect your artist’s side.  

Marbles are classic. A kitchen with a marble counter and backsplash will stand-out to anyone who would look at it. There are many marble styled tiles ranging from traditional to ultra-modern that you can try for your home. 

2.Tiles with a mirror-like surface 

For a minimalist kitchen style, people are opting to install mirrored subway style backsplash. This type of tile has a glossy reflective surface that reflects and gives off dramatic lighting when hit by any light. This effect is more appreciated in the morning when the sunlight hits the tile.  

3.Honeycomb tiles 

Your tiles can have variations of colors and even shapes. Honeycomb has a beautiful geometrical shape and hexagon tiles are becoming trendy for today’s kitchen and house’ floors. 

4.Concrete-look tiles 

While others are still attracted to the classic stone-like tiles, concrete-like are also paving its way to the trend. Concrete looks are simple yet contemporary. They also provide an industrial feel to anyone.  

5.Metallic tiles 

Because of the rise of technology, metallic surfaces have also become trendy in the interior design world. And metallic tiles are not an exemption! These tiles are perfect not just on your floor but even to your walls. 

6.Fabric-looking tiles 

Unlike the ever-famous marble, silk fabric texture provides a rich, luxurious feel. They also look very soft which is very revolutionary to the old, reflective tiles in the past.  

For colors, warm-toned tiles are often preferred by many, like the warmer honey wood tone.  

7.Wooden-like tiles 

Ceramic tiles are typically sharp. Now, the trend in tiles has also moved to the soft and rough texture that the wood surface provides. Tile manufacturers are now able to perfectly imitate famous wood flooring textures with no flaws.  

You can choose from (1) a distressed wood-like tile, (2) wire-brushed wood-like tile, and (3) rustic, hand-scraped wood-like tile 

Leading Causes of Road Accidents

Every day, road accidents are happening around the globe. According to the World Health Organization, there are roughly 1.25 million deaths, while 20 to 50 million suffer from vehicle-related injuries every year. In California alone, there are over 10 motor vehicle-related deaths a day.  Statistics do not lie. What makes it regretful is these accidents are oftentimes preventable.  

Towing services are a great help for emergencies like the Tri-State Towing service. There are many potential threats on the road today and it is an edge to know what to do when times like this occurs.  

Sure, automakers have largely improved the safety of your vehicle, but accidents are inevitable. There are a lot of factors involved in motor vehicle accidents, but the following are the leading causes of car accidents that you need to be aware of: 

1.Driving after consuming alcohol/liquor 

Driving while drunk is a serious offense. In 2016, 28 percent of deaths in the United States are linked to individuals who were driving while being intoxicated with alcohol.  

Driving needs focus, concentration and needs an ability to respond quickly to situations. When intoxicated by alcohol, a person loses these abilities. Some individuals believe that consuming a small amount of alcohol does not impose a risk in their driving performance especially when they are not showing any signs of intoxication. However, even a small amount of alcohol may affect your driving ability, leading to the possibility of accidents. 

It is better to let someone drive or grab a cab when you’re aware you have drunk some liquor. On the road, you need to be cautious with your actions. 

2.Driving and being distracted by something 

Drivers nowadays, or people, in general, have many distractors. People might get distracted by the things they do while on the road. For instance, eating, reading, putting make-up on, and listening loudly to music are just a few of the potential distractors while driving.  

Technology also plays a pivotal role as a distractor. People cannot resist checking their phones for a text or a social media notification. Some are even getting used to texting calling, or net surfing while driving. Phones are considered to be the main culprit of distracted driving. Despite being warned, 85 % of drivers still use their phones while driving on the road.  

When driving, it is better to turn off your notifications or silence your phones. When you are using technology while driving, it slows down your reaction time by 38 %. You understand the significance of putting concentration on your wheels because it just takes seconds for accidents to happen. 

3. Not following driving and traffic laws 

This includes ignoring the speed limits, quickly changing lanes, not following road signs, not stopping at red lights, and tailgating. While natural and road-related defects might be some of the reasons for accidents, not following the rules and laws are still cause most deaths on the road.  

The above-mentioned causes are just a few reasons why accidents always keep happening wherever we go. Other leading causes include unsuitable weather conditions, crossing animals, tire blowouts, potholes, night driving, vehicle-related design defects, and other types of reckless driving behaviors.