Bend and Stretch

Have you ever noticed how good a bit of a stretch can feel?

Perhaps that’s why we automatically find ourselves inhaling deeply and fully extending from our fingers to our toes, as our first movement when we wake in the morning.

We also tend to naturally stretch our bodies after a long spell at our desk, or behind the wheel, or any other sedentary activity.

While any decent personal trainer will include some stretching to help you warm up, and then wind down after a workout, what many people don’t realise is that stretching is a great exercise in its own right!

Perhaps you remember this song from the popular children’s program, Romper Room, back in the 70s and 80s:  

“Bend and stretch, reach for the stars, there goes Jupiter, here comes Mars …”

The kids on TV – along with their counterparts at home – would bend and stretch, swaying from side to side, standing on their tippy toes, and other gentle movements, all while singing along and having fun.

If you do remember it, chances are you could benefit from a bit of bend and stretch more than ever these days – even if you do find the movements a little more challenging!

The Benefits of Bend and Stretch

A bit of a bend and stretch every day will bring you a host of benefits physically, mentally and emotionally. For example, stretching is good for:

• posture – helping you to stand tall, and promoting self-confidence;
• strength, flexibility and mobility – warding off the stiffness, aches and pains that tend to accompany growing older. Without regular stretching, your muscles shorten and become tight, which limits their range of movement. It really is true – if you don’t use it, you lose it;
• stress busting – as your muscles relax, your blood flow increases, and endorphins are released;  
• boosting energy levels – and we could all do with more of that!

While yoga and Pilates are formal exercises designed to help you stretch your way to wellbeing, there’s no need to race out and buy a gym membership (especially in these COVID times).

With this simple children’s song, you can easily incorporate some stretching into your daily routine. Bonus points if you do it with your children or grandchildren!

Don’t be fooled into thinking that small, gentle movements aren’t as valuable as intense workouts. They are just as beneficial, in different ways – particularly because you will be more likely to actually do them.

We all know that it can be all too tempting to make excuses, staying in bed or on the couch, rather than heading out for a yoga session or spin class! Whereas you can “bend and stretch” your way to wellbeing in just a couple of minutes, right where you are.

Mindfulness for an easier Home Life

Have you ever considered mindfulness for your home life? What exactly is mindfulness and what do I mean by home life? Let me explain.

What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is a practice that you can use to reduce stress and to relax the mind and body. Where do we experience a lot of stress? In the home.

By learning how to be more mindful we will learn to be more calm in our homes. When it comes to household chores, reducing clutter, worrying about money to pay for the bills and buying food, parenting, home maintenance etc we can become overwhelmed.

Add that onto other stressors we have in our already busy lives, practicing mindfulness will help us through these difficult times and allow thoughts to come more freely to us.

Allows us to take time out

It’s important it is to take time out in your day, at least a couple times a day.

Our grandmothers and their grandmothers probably had a method to their madness all those years ago with the tradition of morning and afternoon tea. Just like in the UK, I grew up with it (and still practice it to a certain extent).

Our colonial mothers were very hard workers. They didn’t have the mod cons that we enjoy today but they always stopped for morning and afternoon tea. Tradespeople always stop for smoko (Aussie slang for morning tea/lunch).

Why do we as mothers or women, either working in the home or outside of the home not take a quick 10 to 20 minutes out for ourselves? It doesn’t have to be a silver service, formal event. A nice hot cup of coffee or pot of tea in your favourite cup, a healthy snack, reading a book or magazine, watching a TV program or scrolling through FB or whatever it is you do to relax THEN pick up where you left off.

Whether that’s doing working, household chores, looking after your family or doing a craft. It’s important to have a complete break from what it is you are doing to have a reset. Whether it’s morning tea, afternoon tea or both, enjoy this break for yourself. (Don’t forget about the beauty treatments you can do in this time.)

Treat yourself like your best friend

Why are we so hard on ourselves? I’m sure a lot of us, especially those of us who are a bit older, were probably raised to not to be boastful or to gloat about what we can and can’t do.

This is especially true when it comes to giving ourselves advice. Imagine your very best friend going through a hard time. Whether that’s a lot on her plate with family and work, feeling like she’s getting nowhere and no help from anyone in the house or they feel run down and tired all the time.

What would you say to them? Would you comfort them and say it’s going to be okay? Would you offer them advice on what they could try to make things easier? Would you show compassion and empathy to them?

The same applies to YOU. Start treating yourself with the same compassion and kindness. Remember, as the “captain of the ship”, things will start to fall down around you if you’re not in the best head space.

Treat yourself kindly and look after yourself. Take breaks, pamper yourself and don’t allow small things to upset you. You have the power within you to not ‘sweat the small stuff’ and treat yourself well.

PIN FOR LATER

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Cost Comparison: Make your own muesli bars from scratch

This is a cost comparison on how to make your own muesli bars from scratch to save money and know exactly what ingredients are going into them.

Muesli bars are something that are worth making from scratch compared to if you buy them from the supermarket.

Using very basic ingredients you keep on hand all the time, you can make these muesli bars in no time and you’ll know exactly what ingredients are in them.

MUESLI BARS & OTHER LUNCH BOX SNACKS

Don’t worry. I get it. We’re all very busy and grabbing a $5 box of 12 muesli bars to throw in your child’s lunch box is super convenient.

I’ve tasted those store bought muesli bars and I don’t think they compare in taste to anything you can bake at home. Muesli bars (or oat bars, flapjacks, etc etc) are such an easy thing to throw together while you’re getting dinner ready.

They’re so easy for the kids to make as well. It’s just melt and mix. All you need is rolled oats, a few other very basic pantry staples and then you can let your hair down and throw in whatever your child’s favourite things are.

Things like:

• chocolate chips
• nuts
• dried fruit
• or check out the supermarket aisle for recipe combination inspiration

My biggest problem is what’s in the supermarket muesli bars. Check this out for a popular brand of Chocolate Chip Muesli Bars.

INGREDIENTS:

Rolled Oats (34%), Glucose ( Wheat ), Whole Grain Wheat (11%), Compound Chocolate Chips (9%) [Sugar, Vegetable Oil, Milk Solids, Cocoa, Cocoa Mass, Emulsifiers (492, Soy Lecithin), Salt], Breakfast Cereal (Wholemeal Wheat Flour (5%), Wheat Starch, Sugar, Vitamin E), Chicory Root Fibre, Sunflower Oil ( Soy ), Sugar, Humectant (Glycerine), Modified Wheat Starch (1412), Invert Sugar, Coconut ( Sulphites ), Honey, Milk Powder, Emulsifier ( Soy Lecithin), Flavour, Salt, Preservative (223) ( Sulphites ) Contains Gluten Containing Ingredients, Milk, Soy and Sulphites. May Contain Lupin., Uncle Tobys Rolled Oats (34%), Glucose ( Wheat ), Whole Grain Wheat (11%), Compound Chocolate Chips (9%) [Sugar, Vegetable Oil, Milk Solids, Cocoa, Cocoa Mass, Emulsifiers (492, Soy Lecithin), Salt], Breakfast Cereal (Wholemeal Wheat Flour (5%), Wheat Starch, Sugar, Vitamin E), Chicory Root Fibre, Sunflower Oil ( Soy ), Sugar, Humectant (Glycerine), Modified Wheat Starch (1412), Invert Sugar, Coconut ( Sulphites ), Honey, Milk Powder, Emulsifier ( Soy Lecithin), Flavour, Salt, Preservative (223) ( Sulphites ) Contains Gluten Containing Ingredients, Milk, Soy and Sulphites. May Contain Lupin.

Seriously? You need a science degree to know what half of those things are!

THE RECIPE I USE FOR MAKING MUESLI BARS FROM SCRATCH

My recipe for Honey Oat Bars (from my high school Home Economics cook book “Day to Day Cookery” which I use as a base for my muesli bars) has these ingredients:

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup plain flour
• 1/2 cup coconut
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/8 cup honey
• 90gm butter
• 1/4 tsp bicarb soda
• 1/4 chocolate chips (optional)

That’s it! Other than the bicarb soda, everything is natural, they aren’t too sweet and this recipe produces about 18 ‘bars’.

COST COMPARISON OF MAKING THEM FROM SCRATCH

I did the exercise and costed out this recipe.

Compared to the 12 pack box of branded Chocolate Chips Muesli Bars at $5.00 ($0.60 each), the cost to make these yourself as above works out at a total of $1.46 for 18 bars or 9 cents each!

A SAVING OF $3.64 per BOX or $0.51 cents each.

If you bought a box per week, that would cost $260 for 624 bars in 12 months.

If you made a batch per week of 18 (or made a double batch and stored them in the freezer) at a cost of $1.46, it would cost you $75.92 for 936 bars!

That would be a saving of $184.08 over the course of the year.

Not only that, you’ll know exactly what’s going into the bars compared to that massive list of ingredients above.

THE COST COMPARISON & THE RECIPE

I’ve based the cost of the ingredients on current Coles Supermarket prices (as at October 2020) and used the homebrand ingredients and, in this case, I opted to use syrup instead of honey in this recipe because syrup is cheaper.

https://www.domesblissity.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/RecipeCostCalculation.pdf

If you ever want to calculate what it costs to make a recipe, this handy calculator is great.

It’s a bit fiddly because you need to find the cost of the total ingredient, how much a serving weighs (just Google it) and then enter into the calculator above. A good exercise and you’ll soon see how much you can actually save from making your food from scratch.

The Power Of Sleep: Why Sleep Is So Important

Having a good night’s sleep contributes significantly to your general health. It carries the same weight as eating healthy foods and physical exercise. To live a healthy life, you must appreciate the power of sleep to your well-being. Read further to find out why. 

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Poor Sleep Can Cause Higher Body Weight

A poor sleeping pattern is strongly believed to cause weight gain. People who have fewer hours than required tend to weigh more than people who have enough.

Studies have also revealed that children and adults who didn’t get enough are likely to be obese. Therefore, if you are trying to lose weight, consider getting enough rest.

Good Sleep Improves Concentration and Productivity

It plays a significant role in the proper functioning of the brain. Some of the functions of the brain affected include: cognition, performance, productivity, and concentration.

If you’re deprived of enough rest, all these functions will be negatively affected. Some studies have suggested that deprivation usually has the same effects on your brain as alcohol intoxication. On the other hand, when you have enough, it helps improve your problem-solving skills and memory performance.

Sufficient Sleep Enhances Athletic Performance

Good rest has been found to improve athletic performance. Studies on basketball players’ performance reveal that getting enough improved their speed, reaction time, accuracy, and general mental well-being.

For older women, sleeping fewer hours negatively affected the performance in exercise. It also leads to slower walking and greater difficulty in doing independent activities. 

Poor Sleep Could Lead To Depression

Poor quality slumber and other related disorders are associated with mental issues such as depression. Studies have revealed that the majority of people suffering from depression usually complain about poor sleep quality.

It is also believed that a lack of proper sleep can lead to an increased risk of suicidal tendencies. 

Sleep Boosts Your Immune System

Researchers suggest that your immune system finds it hard to function when you don’t get enough sleep. When you’re asleep, your immune system communicates with your brain about what is happening with your health.

This is known as the interactive brain-cytokine system. For the proper functioning of this system, you should get enough sleep. 

Lack of Sleep Affects Your Social Interactions

When you don’t get enough sleep, it reduces your ability to interact with others socially. Studies conducted in this area revealed that people with deprived sleep had difficulty recognizing facial expressions of anger and happiness.

According to researchers, the lack of enough sleep negatively affects a person’s ability to read critical social cues and process emotional data. 

Poor Sleeping Habits Can Lead To Greater Risks of Heart Disease and Stroke

The quality of slumber and its duration usually have an effect on several health risk factors. Heart disease and stroke are some of the chronic illnesses believed to be caused by poor rest.

According to the experts, individuals who don’t rest well are at a higher risk of developing heart disease or stroke. 

Bottom Line

It would help if you incorporated good rest into your healthy living routine. As you exercise and eat healthy foods, please make sure that you are getting enough rest.

Signs of Battery Corrosion in Toys to Watch Out For

Most toys still need alkaline batteries to function. Toys are generally safe for kids, but the instance their batteries get corroded, it already poses a health hazard. Are you aware of the signs of battery corrosion in toys to watch out for?

You don’t want your kids to be next to a toy that can potentially harm them and cause the injuries from battery corrosion like the following:

• Chemical Burns

Chemicalsin corroded batteries can cause mild to severe chemical burns if it comes incontact with bare skin. Thus, you should clean the corroded batteries with aclean cloth and avoid handling them with your bare hands. If you’re unsure howto handle corroded batteries, this guide tocorrosion cleaning will help mitigate further accidents.

Traceamounts of the chemicals from battery leakage may result in skin itching andirritation. If your skin comes in contact with a leaking battery, wash the areawith water. Eye exposure to the chemicals in a battery leak is serious andrequires thoroughly washing the area and visiting a physician. Some people mayalso have coughing fits when exposed to corroded batteries.

Visit your doctor or an emergency room in case these issues arise.

• Poisoning

Ifingested or inhaled, corroded batteries can also cause poisoning. Experiencingabdominal pain, difficulty breathing, and diarrhea is a symptom of poisoning.If battery chemicals are ingested, go to an emergency room immediately.

Battery Corrosion in Toys to WatchOut For

Beforeany of this happens, this guide to battery corrosion in toys can give you anidea on what to watch out for:

1.                 Slow Start of The Toy

Astime goes by, the components of the battery may wear out and become lesseffective, especially if the toy is not being used. When this happens, it takesslower for a battery to operate the machinery of the toy, and you may have towait several minutes or seconds for it to start.

Aslow start is usually indicative that a battery is failing or corroded.

2.                 Bad Smell

Damageto the battery or an internal short can cause the battery to leak fumes. If yousmell something metallic mixed with the smell of rotten eggs, you should openthe toy and see if the battery has any sign of corrosion.

Removethe battery immediately and replace it as soon as possible.

3.                  Misshapened Battery

Usually, if the battery is very old and has been left in the toy for too long, it gets misshapened. A battery only has a certain lifespan, and exposure to extreme heat and cold affect the battery, causing it to swell, crack, and get corroded.

If you notice that the batteries are already misshapened with a powdery substance on it, it may not work for your toy any longer.

4.                 An Old Battery

Asmentioned, a battery that’s left on a toy for too long gets corroded. Youshould ask yourself when was the last time your kids have used their toys andwhen was the last time they replaced the batteries.

Abattery will last depending on how much you use it. Climate, electronic demandsof the toy, and usage, all play a role in the lifespan of your battery. If yourbattery is very old and the toy is seldom in use, the battery may have leaked,and it’s good to check the battery compartment before using your toy anew.

5.                 Water Damage

Corrosionscan also happen after water damage, so if your electronic toy has beenaccidentally thrown in the water, it may cause the batteries to leak and getcorroded over time. Water and electronics usually don’t mix, so if there’swater in your toy, carefully remove the batteries.

Electronicdevices deteriorate in water, so if you have any doubts, talk to a professionaland see what they can do for your device.

6.                 Signs of Leakage

Abattery is obviously corroded when you already see signs of leakage. When analkaline battery works and releases power, the chemicals inside create a gas.If this happens too often, the battery cell ruptures, and leakage occurs.Usually, the battery seal prevents this.

Normaluse shouldn’t cause a battery to leak since the cells should be sturdy enoughto hold the gases inside.

Leakagehappens when a battery is left in a device for a long period of time. A devicethat’s still left unused periodically gauges its remaining power. This puts acertain amount of stress on the battery, putting it at a greater risk forleakage.

7.                 White Powder

Sometimes you’ll see a powdery substance forming on your batteries, and this substance is called potassium carbonate, which is an electrolyte (potassium hydroxide) that reacted with O2.

Whenyou see this substance on your battery, it’s already totally unsuitable. Youshould note that Potassium carbonate is a very strong alkaline. If there’s skincontact, there’s a chance of chemical burns.

Final Thoughts

Toys are fun to playwith,but they have parts that can be health hazards if not taken care of properly.There comes an age when children will outgrow their toys and will just let themlinger in the storage. Remove batteries promptly after long term disuse becausethere’s a big chance that the batteries inside will corrode and leak.

7 Life Hacks for Busy Parents

Whether you’re a stay at home parent or a working one, getting everyone on the same page and out the door on time in the morning is half the battle. Here are 7 life hacks for busy parents who are juggling home, work and kids. 

Crumpled Clothes

Put crumpled work clothes in the dryer with a damp face cloth for 3-5 minutes while you do your makeup. The steam will flatten out any creases. If your collars are crooked, quickly run your hair iron down them to stiffen them up. A quick tip if you are already straightening your hair anyway.

If your child hasn’t got a pristine clean uniform, don’t worry. Pre-teen children don’t have body odour and a paint stain or bit of dirt isn’t going to hurt for one day. Give it good shake, wipe off any really obvious dirty marks and get the children dressed.

Getting your children changed every afternoon into play clothes will help keep their school clothes or uniforms in great condition.

No Lunch Life Hacks

We all have the benefit of hindsight when it comes to thinking about being organised when school lunches haven’t been made.

Weekly or monthly baking days of muffins, cookies and slices all popped into the freezer can really help on these busy mornings. Even better is baking savoury options like muffins, fritters, etc with grated vegetables, ham, bacon and/or cheese. These are a great alternative to sandwiches.

Here is a handy FREE guide to stick on the fridge to give you ideas for school lunches so you can always keep a supply of everything you need.

Freezing sandwiches ahead of time is another way to be prepared in the morning.

If your school has a canteen, once a month, write up a couple of brown paper bags per child with the correct money to grab on those rushed days you know might happen.  If your school doesn’t have tuckshop open every day or only online ordering, pre-fill some paper bags with packaged snacks (for example muesli bar, chips, boxed fruit juice, muffin, dried fruit etc) and hide them in the back of the pantry.

When all else fails and you have nothing prepared or a back up in the freezer, make yourself aware of what the local stores have available on the way to school drop off. Not that I’ve ever had to do it (but know it’s available if I need to) but our local corner store has a lunch pack you can buy with a sandwich, cheese/cracker snack, muesli bar and boxed fruit juice for less than $10. A lifesaver on those busy mornings.

Create a Drop Zone

One of the best habits I got into, right from the moment my children started Kindergarten, was to create an area close to where they walk into the house after school that had a hook for their backpack, a basket for their school notes plus a noticeboard for a chore chart and step by step process in the mornings.

Getting your child used to a morning routine and helping them to know this is where all of that daily school stuff goes, helps you and everyone else to grab it all from there in the mornings.

This can include umbrellas, swim bags, music equipment, sports uniforms or other essentials that might need for the school week.

Dressing Toddlers

Put toddlers and children who’ll be staying home with you to bed in the clothes they are wearing the next day. An absolute lifesaver for those who have toddlers that tantrum about wardrobe changes. 

A toddler dressed in their pyjamas at school drop isn’t going to mean the end of the world either.

Lost Shoes

If mornings are always hard, try to remember to put children’s socks and shoes in the car the night before and they can put them on during the drive to school.

Makeup Life Hacks

Invest in tinted moisturiser, coloured lip gloss and mascara. This will take you only 1 to 2 minutes to apply and will make your face look fresh and natural. 

This quick makeup routine can be applied on the bus or train on the way to work or in the car before you get out. A lip gloss or lipstick in your bag, when all else fails, can sometimes be enough to get you through the day.

Quick Breakfast Ideas

Buy a bottle of fresh juice or squeeze your own and make ice blocks and freeze on the weekend.  One orange fills one mold. The kids will love having ice blocks before school and you will know they are getting their Vitamin C every day.  

A muffin or muesli bar, toast or even a sandwich in the car on the way to school is better than nothing. Use leftover or uneaten cereal in your next baking day to create homemade breakfast treats.

Breakfast style bacon and egg muffins or burritos can also be pre-made and frozen then re-heated in the microwave or sandwich toaster while you’re waiting on everyone to get ready.

These are the things that used to work for me, so I hope this helps you. At the very least it may help you to know that you are not the only one struggling.  Being prepared as much as you can the night before is a life saver. You’ll thank yourself in the morning and it will be your contingency plan when your precious cargo are being at their most difficult.

7 Life Hacks for Busy Parents

How to have fun as an adult & the benefits

If you’re a parent, you’ll probably have said to your children, a million times things like “when I was a child…”, “we played outside until dark…”, “our parents never saw us…” etc etc. Am I right? What happened? As an adult or grown up, we’ve lost that ability to have fun or incorporate more play into our adult lives. Here’s a few ways how to have fun as an adult and the benefits for your health and your home.

We’ve taken life too serious

I can remember as a teenager, I couldn’t wait until I grew up. Getting into bars, driving, doing my own grocery shop, living on my own. All those things that make us think what a grown up life looks like.

We neglect to think about or even know about the responsibilities of working for a living, new and broken relationships, money stress, moving house stress, marriage, kids of our own etc etc. Life has become way more serious than we would’ve ever expected as a teen.

When life gets real

Is it any wonder we’ve forgotten how to have fun. Sure, my early 20’s were fun, partying hard, looking for love and my career but there should’ve been more play to protect my mental health for what was to come.

There was the passing of my father in my late 20’s, depression, failed relationships etc in my early 30’s and then marriage, children and a divorce plus the passing of my mother in my 40’s. A lot for anyone to go through. I wonder if I’d incorporated a bit more fun into my life some of those life events might’ve been a bit easier to bare?

The benefits of play for adults for your health

Just like for children, play should be an important part of our lives. Here are some of the benefits.

Relieves stress

Play can trigger the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals. Endorphins promote an overall sense of well-being and can even temporarily relieve pain.

Improves brain function

Playing games, completing puzzles, or other fun activities that challenge the brain can help prevent memory problems and improve brain function. The social interaction of playing with family and friends can also help ward off stress and depression.

Stimulates the mind and boosts creativity

Children learn through play and this principle can apply to adults, as well. You’ll learn new tasks better when it’s fun and you’re in a relaxed and playful mood. Play can also stimulate your imagination, helping you adapt and solve problems.

It will help you with your energy levels and make you want to get stuck into those household chores and decluttering jobs with vigour especially if you’ve got the music blaring and you’re dancing while you’re doing it.

Improves relationships and interpersonal connections

Having fun with other adults can foster empathy, compassion, trust, and intimacy with others. Play doesn’t have to include a specific activity; it can also be a state of mind. Developing a playful nature can help you loosen up in stressful situations, break the ice with strangers, make new friends, and form new business relationships.

It helps with keeping calm if you’re driving, dealing with a difficult colleage or boss or going through tough times with your own family members.

Keep you feeling young and energetic

“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.”

George Bernard Shaw

Play can boost your energy and vitality and even improve your resistance to disease, helping you function at your best.

Since meeting my new husband back in 2014, we do nothing but. Life is fun. We goof around. He still skateboards and surfs in his 40’s. We love going to the beach, kicking water at each other. There’s no better way to cool down after a hard day at work on a hot summer’s day than a water fight, which we do regularly and we dance and joke around all the time.

My children, now teenagers, might look at us a bit strangely but hopefully they’ll take away the importance of having fun well into their adult years.

Ways to have fun as an adult

There are so many ways to have fun as an adult and you don’t have to look far than your own children to learn from them. Here’s a few other things to try.

• play a team sport
• join a games group at your local library or club
• play your favourite sport in the backyard or at your local park
• play hide and seek with your partner and children (we do this all the time)
• say silly things in a silly voice
• make up your own language of silly words (we do this and laugh about it all the time)
• host a themed party like fancy dress or come as your favourite super hero
• invest in a table tennis table or other table game
• play board games or card games
• colour in
• do jigsaw puzzles or play with Lego (everyone’s doing it)
• buy a $2 bubble blower and blow bubbles
• dance
• take dance classes
• learn a musical instrument
• start a band for fun
• join a drama or theatre group
• volunteer at the school and get dressed up on theme days (yes, I went dressed as Darth Vader when on duty at the school canteen one day and my young son was not impressed at all but I had fun)
• play charades
• play Twister
• run a bubble bath and have a good soak
• sing out loud to your favourite songs with your headphones in
• take up a long forgotten or never tried craft
• learn a new sport and take classes
• get on the floor and play with your children, taking their lead (they have the best imaginations)
• introduce fun at work by playing cards or going to the nearest park in your break to shoot a few hoops (talk to your employer about introducing other fun activities to do on your break)
• get a pet and interact with them
• try your kid’s video games (they’ll love it)
• learn magic tricks
• try out crazy Snapchat filters on your phone
• download a Word game app or similar on your phone
• take goofy selfies instead of trying to look 100% perfect
• keep telling stories of your childhood to your children to keep the memories alive
• have a tickle fight
• tell each other jokes
• have a comedy night
• watch a crazy funny movie or stand up comedian DVD
• watch those funniest home video type shows
• watch funny videos on YouTube
• have a crazy hair day
• take a bike ride
• go roller skating ice skating
• try ten pin bowling
• go trampolining
• learn to ride a skateboard or try surfing

Whatever it is that gives you a good belly laugh until it hurts or brings a smile to your face, do it and do it regularly. You are never too old to have fun. Incorporate it regularly into your day and week. You’ll feel so much better for it.

How to have fun as an adult & the benefits

7 ways to learn to love doing the laundry

Doing the laundry is another one of those chores that we need to do. Same as cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping, making beds etc. Unless we learn to love some of these mundane chores we have to do, we’re always going to hate doing them and it becomes more of a burden. Here are 7 ways to learn to love doing the laundry.

Be grateful and love the laundry

I can’t stress this enough. Focusing on being grateful for what we do have in our lives has been scientifically proven to have a positive effect on our lives.

Be grateful that you do have clothes to wear and wash.

Be grateful that you have running water to wash your clothes.

Be grateful that you have electricity to run your washing machine.

Be grateful that you have a washing machine. Many women before us had to wash clothes by hand and no running water.

Be grateful that you have children whose clothes need washing. Sometimes being able to fall pregnant and give birth to a child is a privilege denied to many.

Be grateful that you have natural resources like sunshine and wind to naturally dry your laundry.

So many more examples but this is just an idea. (We practice daily gratitude in the Domestic Goddesses in Training Facebook group by being grateful for at least one thing everyday. Are you a member? Join here.)

Once you look at doing the laundry (and other chores for that matter) with gratitude for what you do have, you’ll soon see it’s not that much of a chore after all.

Are you doing too much laundry?

When I was a child back in the 1960s and 1970s, we wore one set of clothes after school for the whole week. (Unless it was covered in mud which happened a fair bit.)

Other than our school uniforms, my mother didn’t have a lot of clothes to wash. She was fastidious with her laundry and always seemed to be washing but she never grumbled. She never had an automatic washing machine either.

My mother swore by the twin tub washing machine and had one up until she passed away in 2012. My grandmother swore by the old wringer style washing machine up until she passed away in her 90s back in 1999.

Save time on doing the laundry by doing less. Wear your clothes more than once. Get the children out of their school clothes straight after school so they’re still clean to wear another day and get them into the routine of wearing one set of play clothes after school.

Take pride in your clothes and linen

We’ve become such a throw away society. As soon as something wears or breaks, we are quick to throw it away and get a new one.

Washing your clothes less actually keeps them in better condition. Mend and repair any holes, frayed hems or lost buttons etc.

Wash woolens in special wool only detergent and lay flat to dry.

Hand wash any delicate items or wash on a delicate cycle.

Hang clothes on clothes hangers to dry to reduce ironing. I hang all of the adult tshirts, dresses, jumpers etc on hangers so they get packed away into the closet straight away after being dried. Same applies to the school uniforms. No ironing either.

Treat stains as soon as they appear. Remember the better you clean your laundry, the longer it will last. Having a sense of pride in your clothes and linen might encourage you to love doing it more.

Love the smell of clean laundry

I don’t know about you but I just love the smell of clean laundry. Not the strong smell of chemically enhanced laundry powders and liquids but the smell of sun dried washing. (I use a homebrand laundry powder that doesn’t have any smell.)

When it smells nice you look forward to folding it and packing it away and wearing it, nice and clean.

It doesn’t really take long

When you think about it, laundry doesn’t take that long.

What I love about it is that you put the washing machine on and walk away. A typical cycle on my washing machine takes 56 minutes. I can do so much in that time.

I can relax, do other chores, work in my business, watch TV or go out. I can even put it on at night and hang it out first thing in the morning.

How long does it take you to hang it out? Me? Realistically about 10 to 15 minutes depending on the size of the load. That’s not too much time out of your day. Even quicker if you use the clothes dryer.

Folding and packing away is part of the process

I like to look at doing the laundry from the moment it goes into the washing machine until the moment it’s folded and packed away.

That’s why I try and do the laundry on just one day. I know that’s different for people with big families (and babies or toddlers who have more dirty clothes) but I look at devoting just one day out of my week for the whole process.

I don’t plan too much else on my laundry days because I know I want it folded and packed away on the same day.

It can be hard to look at that big basket of laundry to be folded but again, realistically how long does it take to fold and pack away? For me, again 10 to 15 minutes.

My teenagers are getting better at doing their own. I put their things in a basket to fold and pack away on their own or sometimes I just get stuck in and do it.

Learn to love doing the laundry

Often the time we think it’s going to take us to do mundane chores like the laundry is longer than it actually does take to do it.

Don’t look at laundry with disdain. Look at it as just another important part of living and looking after yourself and your family. Clean clothes worn with pride makes you feel great as does having fresh sheets on the bed and clean, fluffy towels ready to dry yourself out of the shower.

Give yourself credit for a job well done!

How Can A Large Room Humidifier Help Your Home

If you live in a four-seasoned country, you know how dry the air can get during the cold, winter months. As for those of you coming from a tropical country, when it gets too hot, the rooms in your house may have your air conditioners on full blast. In these times, you know how dry the air in the room can be, which can be harmful, especially for family members with asthma and respiratory illnesses. So, how can a large room humidifier help your home?

With technology, this problem is answered through room humidifiers.Particularly for bigger rooms and houses, it is through a large roomhumidifier. I was skeptical about this, too, but eventually, I bought one afterreading these reviews.To convince you even more, here’s a list of benefits as to how a humidifier isadvantageous to your home:

Large room humidifiers release moisture in the air

Ever remember that sick and icky feeling you experienceafter being on an airplane? Your face is suddenly so dry, your lips arechapped, you might start sneezing, and you generally tend to feeluncomfortable. That’s because of the temperature that, in turn, has the effectof decreasing moisture in the air. The same situation can happen in your homesduring frigid temperatures. A large room humidifier releases moisture in theair, dehumidifying and making the air circulationaround the house better and more balanced.

Large room humidifiers cut back the risk of mold and mildew from growing in your room

Did you know that no matter how hard you clean your houseevery day, simply because of the dry air circulating, there is still the possibilityof mold and mildew forming? Yes, you heard that right. Not only can molds harmyour health, but they can also cause damage to your home.

Now you may ask, how do molds form if my house is squeakyclean? When the air in your home is too humid, this alone encourages the growthof these microorganisms. As for your house, how do mold and mildew damage it?If you’ve got lots of wood in your design, your cupboards, your bed, andwherever, the build-up of mildew can easily damage wood as well. Therefore, youneed to balance the humid air with the help of a humidifier. I’m glad I did formy home!

Large room humidifiers allow for dust and other allergens to fall out of the air

As I have already mentioned earlier, just because your housemay look physically clean doesn’t mean that it is not without dust andallergens. The moment your humidifier is switched on, as it balances out thecirculation of air around your house, it kicks dust and allergens out of theair. With this, colds and other viruses brought about by these microorganismscan no longer “swim” or “float” enough to infect you! Therefore, you are makingyour home a cleaner, better, and safer haven for your family, away from thepollution and negative air surrounding the outside world.

Large room humidifiers make your home a comfortable place to be in, particularly in the freezing winter cold

Take the time to walk your way back to the winter months,and remember how your health was. One of the most common illnesses during thistime is nasal congestion. In warmer countries, the same also holds true forair-conditioned rooms and houses. When you are sleeping in these conditions,you are sure to wake up to a congested feeling in the morning. The dry air cancause mucus to thicken, which results in clogged nasal areas.

How was I able to combat this at home? Through our largeroom humidifiers! After installing this, everyone at home seemed to breathe alot better, and I knew by then that I was successful in making my home morecomfortable to be in.

Large room humidifiers also reduce the chances of colds from spreading around the house

Flu, the cold, a stuffy nose—you know the drill. When theseaffect one member of the family, it is almost a hundred percent sure thateveryone else will eventually have it as well. Health experts suggest that the humidity of your home should be around 30 to 50 percentto be considered healthy, and I knew that I had to comply with this. Homes witha humidity level of 40 percent showed lesser instances of these viralinfections from spreading around the house.

Remember, in your home, you are sharing pillows, couches,glasses, and anything else with the sick family member. If you want to reducethe chances of spreading and catching these viral infections, purchasing alarge room humidifier is the key.

Conclusion

Apart from maintaining a physically clean home, I knew I had to do more in my house to keep my family healthy. The house, after all, is the foundation of good health, and I didn’t want people coming to my house to feel sick later. After hearing about the benefits of humidifiers, I finally made my purchase, and since then, I haven’t looked back. Definitely no regrets with my purchase for my home.

8 steps to take when life is crazy at home

You don’t need to tell me you that at any time in your day, all those well laid plans get can thrown out the window and life can get a bit crazy. We’re all so busy these days and it seems to happen more often than not. Here are 8 steps to take when life is crazy at home.

Go with the flow

The best thing to do is forget about what else you’ve got to do and just go with the flow.

Imagine you’re in a boat on wild seas. Know that it will end. Just ride it out.

There is always an end. Just know that it will pass and you’ll have time to refocus on what needs doing. Focus on the most important and urgent thing at hand. The biggest priority is of course the health and safety of yourself or your family members. Focus on that first.

Delegate

If you’re lucky enough to have a partner or older family members at home, delegate other things that need doing.

If you’ve got to run to the hospital or go to an appointment, ask your partner to start dinner, pick up the children from school or their dance class.

Have a village of people around you to call on when you need to. I was lucky when I was a single parent that I had a lot of other women in my circle of friends who would take one child while the other was sick or pick them up from school, which I’m eternally grateful. Don’t be too proud to ask for help. You know you can always offer to return the favour.

Stop and breathe

Realise that this is just a moment and it will end. You’re going to get through this so stop and breathe.

Deep breathing helps you to relax nearly instantly. Even if takes 3 to 5 deep breaths, just stop for that minute or so and you’ll be able to focus more on what needs to be done. Don’t panic.

Practice regular deep breathing techniques and other exercises that will help you be more calm and at ease when these moments do arise.

Once the dust settles

Once it’s all over, take the time to journal about what happened. Write down every detail of what happened. Not only to diarise the event but reaffirm that you can get through anything. That there is always and end to the chaos.

You’ll also be able to look back at these moments and have a little chuckle to yourself about just how chaotic life can be sometimes but you’ll always know that you can get through it. Use the time to enjoy a cup of tea and take out a couple minutes for yourself.

Plan, plan, plan

It’s good to have plans in place but we know that children are so unpredictable. The best way to plan is to have simple, nonrestrictive plans in place so you feel like you’re on top of most of what needs to be done in your day.

Have a simple morning routine of your most basic household chores that take no longer than 15 to 30 minutes.

Clean as you go (CAYG). Put things back after you’ve used them. Declutter and organise as you go.

Live in the moment

Be like a dog and live in the moment. My family are huge dog lovers and when we watch our pet dog Willy, we often laugh at how he has such a wonderful life. He never wants for anything, never plans anything too far in advance (except dinner time) and goes with the flow.

Don’t look too far into the future. Sure, have your appointments and routines. Catch up with friends and visit playgroups and take your kids to after school activities but live more in the moment.

There’s always room for improvement

After one of these moments of chaos occur in your home, besides journalling, it’s always good to review how you might’ve been able to handle it differently.

Look at what worked like older children helping with dinner prep, calling on a friend to help with after school pickup or deciding to have a really easy meal for dinner instead of what was planned. (No one ever died from having a sandwich for dinner.)

Make a mental note or journal about it so you’re better prepared next time.

Take regular time out for self care

And this is the biggest takeaway from this post! Always, always, always take regular time out for self care. You could be in the middle of a crisis and you could be reminding yourself that tomorrow is your day and you’ll have plenty of time for rest and relaxation.

Even if you don’t have enough time or resources with young children at home to take a whole day out, take out 15 minutes or half an hour here and there to put your feet up and do what you want to do. Even if it’s something as simple as having a hot cup of tea and reading a magazine.

This helps you recover and be ready to tackle anything life throws at your in the future.

Always remember that these things happen to anyone. You’re not alone. You’ve shown that you’ve got through it in the past. You can do it again.

8 steps to take when life is crazy at home

5 ways to be more organised in the kitchen for dinner time

They don’t call it the ‘witching hour’ for nothing. That time from when the sun goes down to when food is placed on the table. It can be a nightmare for anyone. There are no hard or fast rules for how you get dinner on the table. You want less stress and fuss. There are some ways to be more organised in the kitchen for dinner time. Here’s how.

Now, don’t worry. I’m not going to suggest you spend the whole weekend cooking up a storm. Putting all that delicious food into a plastic container so that it can be warmed in the microwave. I’m not about that at all but if it works for you, that’s great.

I’d much rather you spend as little time in the preparation of your meal so that when it does come time for dinner, all you have to do is serve it. The more time you spend preparing it earlier in the day, the better and the less cooking processes involved.

1. Prepare it in the morning

I’m a big lover of the slow cooker. I don’t use it for every meal but I try to create meals that do use it. The slow cooker is great in the warmer months too because you’re not heating up your kitchen.

It doesn’t even really have to be done first thing in the morning. Most dishes will cook on high for 4 hours or less. If you’ve got the opportunity to put it on when you’re preparing your lunch, great. If you do leave the house every day, putting on in low for 8 hours is a better bet for you.

If you’re not using the slow cooker, what components of your evening meal could you prepare in the morning? So it’s ready for dinner?

• Chop vegetables ready for a stir fry
• Boil eggs, vegetables for a salad (eg potato salad), bake jacket potatoes for a stuffed potato meal or bake pumpkin or sweet potato for a warm salad
• Cook rice or pasta, or soak noodles
• Marinate meat for the barbecue
• Cook the roast so it only needs to be warmed up at dinner time
• Make dips or sauces to accompany the meal
• Make the stock for a soup that only needs vegetables and/or meat added at the last minute and warmed up.

2. Find meals that need little preparation

One of the best ways I’ve found is to discover meals, that your family loves, that need little preparation at all.

A big platter of salad vegetables and barbecued meat served with a variety of condiments is as easy as it can get. Everyone can help themselves to what they like. All you need to do is add meat. A barbecue is great in the warmer months. Tinned fish, eg tuna, is perfect for sprinkling over the top.

One of my favourite easy meals is Salade Nicoise. This French classic is so easy and so tasty to prepare in little time.

Ingredients like vermicelli noodles or couscous only need to be soaked in hot water before serving. (I add a little orange juice and/or zest to my couscous for a great flavour.)

3. Stock your pantry well

What I mean by this is if you have a well stocked pantry, you won’t be running to the store for that one ingredient you need to finish your meal. When you have the basics, you can make anything.

For example, I was going to have aCaesar Saladfor dinner one night. I didn’t have any ready made Caesar dressing (not that I have a lot of ready made ingredients).

I had all of the ingredients to make it from scratch. I did this in the morning and just cook the bacon before serving. Then I boiled the eggs during the day. The croutons as well so it was just a matter of tossing it all together. (Having anchovies in the fridge, that keep for ages, made it really authentic.)

Think about the meals you and your family like to eat and keep those basic ingredients on hand all the time. If you’d like to know more about how I do that, check out my Shop Smart, Eat Well Program and how I only spend $150 per fortnight on all groceries.

It also pays to have a good variety of dried herbs and spices in your pantry to add instant flavour without a lot of effort. A dry rub of say paprika, oregano, cumin, dried coriander, salt and pepper spread onto fish before frying takes a simple piece of fish, or chicken, to a whole new level.

4. Be prepared for an emergency to avoid buying takeaway

I’m don’t usually buy ready made sauces or packet meal mixes but sometimes, especially with young children or if you’re working full time, it doesn’t hurt to have a few emergency pantry items on hand.

I sometimes have a good quality pasta sauce in the cupboard that can be warmed up and served with pasta than waste my money on takeaway. Another one of my favourite meals is Spaghetti Aglio e Olio. It’s just plain pasta served with fried garlic in olive oil, optional red chilli flakes and parmesan cheese and it’s delicious!

Keep bread rolls in the freezer for burgers, pita, tortilla or Lebanese bread for wraps, ready crumbed chicken or fish, pizza bases, or whatever else your family loves to eat in an easy to heat and serve form so you can avoid takeaway and save money and still enjoy a good, home cooked meal.

4. Keep it simple

Meals don’t have to be complex or gourmet to be filling and tasty. In fact, the more simple you can keep the ingredients and the preparation the more nutritious and tasty they will be. You’ll rely on the actual flavour of the ingredients to make the meal tasty.

Limit your ingredients to as few as possible. Search for new recipes by adding the words easy or simple to your Google or Pinterest search. Speaking of Pinterest. Do you follow me on Pinterest? I have many food boards that cover just about every food group possible. Most of the recipes are simple and I don’t usually pin them unless I’m going to try them.

Baked vegetables drizzled with olive oil and served with crusty bread make a delicious meal. Soups, where you throw everything in the pot (especially vegetables that are looking a bit sad) are perfect for an easy meal. I get my family involved in the prep and make their own pizzas, for example. Make a bit of fun out of the whole meal experience. My kids love burger night at my place because I put the word McMurphy in front of the name of the burger. They love it!

5. When all else fails

Not that I’m hoping it does. That’s the least of what I want for you when it comes to meal prep and eating your meal. Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, things just don’t work out as planned. I know first hand what it’s like. Babies, toddlers, illness, trips to the hospital or you’re not well yourself can all contribute to how your evening meal pans out.

In times like these there’s no harm whatsoever in toasted sandwiches, baked beans on toast, brinner (breakfast for dinner) or a bowl of cereal. It’s all still food at the end of the day. Don’t be hard on yourself if you don’t get that meal out as planned. I’ve given my children a toasted sandwich and ice cream with fruit for dinner. It was one of their favourite things when they were little if I was either really sick with the flu or a single mother just trying to cope with the every day.

It’s only food at the end of the day and don’t be stressed at this important part of the day. Meal times should be a great time of the day to all come together, talk about your day and eating food should be an enjoyable part of the whole process.

How to get organised in your home no matter what stage of life you're at

When I say who I mean whether you’re a mother, single, married no kids, married empty nesters, with babies or toddlers, with older children, working out of the home, female or male. There is a way to get things done in your home so you can enjoy more freedom doing what you love. Here’s how to get things done in your home no matter who you are.

As humans, we’re always evolving. From the moment we’re born and growing up in our parent’s home, to the time we move into our own place, our home life is always changing.

We study, we work, we move in with someone, we have children, the children grow through various stages, they leave home, etc, etc.

As does everything about who is living in our home changes, so should our expectations and standards of home organisation.

Establish a daily routine

Right from the start, you should establish a daily routine. This will set you up for a lifetime of success in staying on top of your home and keeping it tidy.

Just like brushing your teeth, having a shower or having breakfast, establishing a daily housework routine of no more than 5 chores that take no longer than 30 minutes will allow you to have a tidy home that you’re happy with.

These chores can be anything you find irritating or frustrated if they’re not done like making the bed, clearing the breakfast dishes, getting a load of laundry on or whatever. I call this the Roadmap to Routine.

First time living out of home

It’s our first time out of our parental home. We’ve got the opportunity to set up house exactly the way we want. We can choose to live in a mess or keep it tidy.

I know when I first left home, I had everything set up just the way I wanted it. I respected Mum’s and Dad’s home and kept things where they wanted it but once I got my own place, I had the opportunity to play house and kept things really neat and tidy.

Your first flat mate

This could be your first share accommodation or when you first move in with someone. it’s going to be a learning curve and you’re going to have to respect each other’s property and space.

One person might be really organised and the other may not. From the start is a great opportunity to set up ground rules on what each other’s expectations are.

When baby arrives

You may have already experienced living with your partner, getting married or just deciding to start a family. When baby comes along it’s time to lower all of your expectations.

Even before baby comes is a great time to really give your home a good declutter. Even if you don’t get rid of stuff but put it into storage it will mean that you won’t have as much dusting or tidying to do.

Keep your possessions to a minimum. From my first hand experience in raising 2 children, they are going to take up the majority of your time.

Even if you do have help from friends or family, getting into a regular routine right from the start with your baby will help you.

Establish regular nap and feeding times. When the baby sleeps, you sleep. While the baby is having some tummy time, grab a coffee and practice some deep breathing or other forms of self care. Get out of the house and go for a walk. Whatever it is, this is the time when your child needs you the most so concentrate on the essentials of homemaking like eating, doing the laundry and self care, along with caring for the baby of course.

The toddler years

You can’t wait for your baby to sit up, start solids, crawl, walk etc but once the toddler years start, you wonder what happened to that fully dependent little baby. A toddler has just found their independence and will be in to everything. You’ll be run off your feet.

Still keep everything to a minimum in your home. Don’t worry about buying too many toys. You’ll only have more to tidy up and to find storage for. A couple toys in a toy box, rotated regularly is more than enough.

Encourage your child to seek out nature, play in the mud, run barefoot on the grass and splash in the water. It will develop a sense of creativity in your child.

Again, keep to the bare minimum of housework. Worry only about food, laundry and self care. Fit self care in whenever you can.

The school years

You can’t wait for your child to start school because you’re going to get so much done. This might be the case but you’ll probably find you’ll be asked to volunteer for so many things at your child’s school, that free time is still elusive.

You will, however, have a bit more time on your hands during the day, depending on if you still have younger children at home and this is the time when you can take a bit of extra time around the home to factor in more chores into your day.

Maybe take up an old hobby or pursue a new one. Join the local gym or tennis club. Make some new friends with other school parents and catch up for regular coffees.

Working out of the home

When your children start school you might want to return to part time or full time work, if not before they start school. I’ve tried this a couple times and it’s just too hard. I did manage though but it’s a hard slog just to do the basics.

Try to get the whole household on board with taking part in the upkeep of the home. Try to get up early or stay up that bit later to do a few chores and make meal times easy with tray bakes, easy to throw together salads or other quick and easy meals.

Use the commute to and from work or your lunch break to practice self care.

When the children have gone

I can’t write this from a parent’s perspective but thinking about my own mother (my father passed away before he was of retirement age), she wanted to start enjoying life. She was passionate about her hobbies and travel so didn’t want to be tied to the house doing housework all the time.

Keep your possessions to a minimum, keep up your daily routine and enjoy plenty of time pursuing your dreams. It is definitely your time if you haven’t already made those previous years a priority for yourself.

Conclusion

I’m currently at the teenage years so still have a few more years to go until they leave home but the point is, no matter what stage you’re at in your personal life, you adapt your home life to suit.

What you used to do before baby arrived is hard to upkeep unless you pay for or get help from family and friends. Adjust your standards and level of expectations. The time will come again when you can have your home exactly the way you want. The house will be a lot quieter and you’ll wonder where the years went.

Remember, it’s not about what is in your home but who.