One of the most exciting things about being pregnant is thinking about what your newborn will look like.??? Will she be long???? Tall???? Or will he have hair?

But remember, not all newborns arrive looking pink and chubby.??? Newborns are born with several variations in appearance, from moulding to stork bites and even port wine stains.??? Knowing what your baby might look??? like will help to ensure your confidence in his or her health.??? Your pediatrician or OB/GYN is always available to answer questions you might have about your baby.

When your baby is born, he or she may be purple to dark red in color.??? Newborn hands and feet can appear bluish for the first day or two due to immature blood circulation.??? But blue in any other part of the body is not normal and should be seen by a doctor immediately.??? If your baby is yellow in color, your pediatrician will check him or her for jaundice.

Your baby may be born with an elongated head, called moulding.??? This is a normal overlap of movable bones during the birth, and should resolve itself in a day or two.??? This head shape is often referred to as ??cone head.??

Vernix is a white substance that is seen on many babies after they are born.??? The vernix protects the baby from amniotic fluid while he or she is in the womb.??? It is secreted by the oil glands and is absorbed by the baby??s skin after delivery. After a day or two, the vernix will be reabsorbed by your baby??s skin.

Babies born somewhat early can have lanugo, or a soft hair covering parts of their bodies.??? This is not usually seen in babies born full or past term.??? Many premature infants have some form of lanugo.

Does your newborn have white spots on the nose, forehead or chin???? This is called milia, and is formed from the baby??s oil glands.??? If these are in the baby??s mouth, they are called Epstein pearls.??? These are usually gone within a few days after birth.

Your baby did not really arrive by a stork, but he or she may actually have stork bites or salmon patches.??? This is a concentration of immature blood vessels, which usually fade completely.??? Because they are seen on the eyelids, upper lip, between the eyes or on the back of they neck, they are called stork bites ?? somewhat resembling marks that a stork might have left after picking up a newborn.

Babies can be born with port wine stains.??? These are birthmarks covered in red, pink or purple, and are known to be flat.??? This is a concentration of small capillaries, and are more than likely on the head or neck.????????? If your baby has a port wine stain, you will probably be referred to a plastic surgery specialist who can perform laser treatment when your child is older.

Knowing how your baby may appear after birth will give you confidence that he or she is healthy.??? Your baby will be beautiful, whether he has milia, lanugo or moulding.??? Most features will fade over the course of a few days ?? but your baby will certainly be the apple of your eye, no matter what he or she looks like!

Dictionaries
say that home is: ‘the place in which one’s domestic affections are
centered’, ‘a place where a person, family, or group of people live
or spend much of their time, or where a person feels safe or
comfortable’. According to these definitions home is not only a
building where we spend our time but a special space that we are
bounded with. It is our private spot where we can hide, a shelter
where we leave our troubles behind. We take care about its privacy,
unique and comfortable image just to say: ‘there’s no place like
home’! It takes a lot of work and it’s a big effort to change a house
into home. Decorations might be very helpful in this process. And
as everything, home decorating lies in details.

Remembering about those truths, two
sisters Heather Harris and Hazel Ball established Velvet Brown. A
direct inspiration to create Velvet Brown was a passion for stylish
and elegant home
accessories. Prior to launching online shop,Velvet
Brown, the sisters owned two independent shops in Buckinghamshire and
over the last 10 years they developed into highly respected and
successful retail businesses. So if you are also a home-lover, like
beautiful small things that change your house into a real home, and
as Harris and Ball sisters have a great passion for a stylish
home accessories read about few of their articles
and see their website! Your home deserves that!

Velvet Brown offers a variety of
products that can ideally serve as a beautiful gifts or be the great
element of home
decor. If you just bought a new house or removing,
found all furniture you will probably still need some accessories
for homes , details important as much as bed (it
would be nothing without cushions
) or a table. Aspecially when you are throwing opening
house-warming you will need a dinner
serve and why not having it with style and fashion.
For example, instead of normal spoon buy yoursef delightful little
spoons which are silver plated with a hammered finish, in place of
horrible plastic cakestand choose elegant one that has a solid brass
base with an antique-nickel silver finish, topped with an etched
glass cloche and decorative finial. Your napkins and tablecloth can
be natural, lovely linen in taupe, cream or stylish mocha-colour with
cotton lace trim. If it’s a garden party few of garden
accessories will give you so much fun and make the
party easier to throw. Your friends will love your set of barbecue
tools, neatly stored in a wicker carry case. The set comprises a
long-handled fork, a turning spatula and a set of tongs, all tools
are stainless steel with wooden handles. And it will make them smile
to look at the set of ‘GROW’ rusted zinc letters just growing from
your grass. The mood maker might be deliciously fragranced cassis
candles that burn efficiently and cleanly for up to
60 hours. Its smell will bring you sunshine even in a cloudy day.

And have you already thought about
Christmas and your Christmas
decorations ? Don’t worry, Velvet Brown will help
you in this case as well. They have a wide range of seasonal products
and specialize in hand-crafted Christmas
Door Wreaths with fragrant blue-pine, winter
foliages, fruits and berries. Those door wreaths will satisfy even
the most sophisticated taste! And what about Chistmas presents for
your kids? You make your daughter a wonderful surprise if you give
her one of the beautiful hanbags from ‘Me Me Me’ collection. And for
the smallest members of your family Velvet Brown prepared some new
baby gifts as
squidgy rabbits and plush teddies, the best cuddling
companions.

All of those various articles you can
find at: http://www.velvetbrown.co.uk
. Just take a look at this website and find something unique and
special made just for you.

Traveling has always been one of the most fun-filled, exciting, entertaining and most of the time informative activity that you can totally enjoy by yourself or with your family and friends. With the help on the internet you can easily find travel agents online that can assist you in getting affordable discount air travels or any other budget travel promos and travel packages that their online travel agency offers. It doesn’t matter if you already have pre-arranged travel deals or just last minute travel arrangements because there are a lot of best travel websites to choose from that can accommodate your needs. As a traveler, you should also need to make preparations yourself and not purely rely on your travel agent. These are some basic travel tips for you to take into account to experience a hassle free travel and vacation. As much as possible, plan your trip early. If you’re traveling during holidays, it is best to look for online travel deals at least a couple of months before the season starts. This way you can even have a chance to book under discount travel promos which travel agencies usually offer in advance. Another good tip is to maximize your budget. Make a list of your proposed budget in advance and try to follow your budget list at least up to the degree that you can. Make food your number priority followed by your lodging necessities. Take also into consideration the age bracket of your group. If you’re going to travel with kids, their needs and safety should be on the top list of priorities. Next of the travel tips you need to take into account is to familiarize yourself with your travel destinations. If you still don’t have a place in mind you can easily choose from the top ten travel destinations online. If you and your company want to have a beach get-away then you might want to check websites about the famous and wonderful South Miami Beach or the magnificent coast of Acapulco and Puerto Vallarta Mexico. If your budget and time permits it, you can even try checking out the wonders of Asian beaches like the renowned Boracay in the Philippines. Ultimately, wherever you plan to go, you must have an overview of the place and its surroundings to avoid difficulties and disturbances. Another important tip, and a very sound advice, is to take care of your belongings. You read this tip online, see the sign at every airport and subconsciously know that this is significant, however, with all the fuss there is during travel plus the excitement you feel, there will be moments that your belongings will slip into your mind. And this moment of yours becomes the shining time for thieves to take advantage and stole your possessions. And aside from your budget list, make one checklist that enumerates everything you need to do and to accomplish before, during and after your vacation. You may be teased by your family and friends as having an obsessive-compulsive disorder but shrugged it off. Remember, being prepared is a lot better that being sorry. And lastly, enjoy every minute of your travel preparation. It is as important as the actual vacation so take your time and have a blast.

Painting is the most common home improvement project that people take on themselves. Many seem to think that painting is not difficult when in reality there is a very defined set of steps that you need to follow to make sure that your paint job looks like it was done by a professional. However, by following these simple set of steps your paint job will look great every time.

First, it is always a good idea to plan out how you would like the end results to look when planning a paint job. You may also save yourself a lot of headaches if you plan ahead. By repainting a room, your are adding character as well as a new coat of paint so there are certain things to keep in mind when painting. If you want to repaint a smaller room you will want to use lighter colors as darker colors will make the room look smaller unless that is the look you are going for. Same with a larger size room, darker colors will make the room look as though it is smaller than what it really is.

Also remember that paints come in different finishes and the finish you choose will greatly affect how the room is going to look. Paint finishes come in flat which doesn’t have a shine, egg shell, which is slightly shinier, semi gloss which is shinier yet and then gloss which is very shinny. Using paint with a shinier finish will be much easier to keep clean. A semi gloss to a gloss finish would be best for rooms that are lived in quite a bit like the living room and kitchen or for kids rooms.

You should always sand down your walls before painting to smooth them out. If you have never done this before you may think it is just a waste of time and want to get right to painting. However, you really should continue to read this article before you go running off to paint that room. You will make certain that your paint job job will look smooth and free of rough spots by sanding down the walls before painting. Sanding the walls before you begin to paint will give them a nice smooth finish.

Your next step would be to prime the walls after they have been sanded down and dusted off of all the sanding particles. Many people decide to skip this step in order to save them time and money but it is important to do this just like it is sanding because the results will show when you are finished. Your paint job will look so much better if the walls were primed before the painting was done. Primers come in white, but your local paint store can always change the color of the primer you choose based on your choice of paint colors.

Once you have the walls primed, you can begin painting by cutting in the ceiling. By this I mean you will want to outline the area in which you are going to paint with a border of the paint you are using. To do this you will need a chiseled paintbrush that is about two to three inches. A chiseled brush is not the same as a regular brush because it is not cut straight instead the bristles on one side of the brush are longer than those on the other side of the brush. Make about a three inch border around the area you want to paint.

Now would be the best time to begin painting the ceiling. To begin painting you will need to use a painting tray or have a 5 gallon bucket. It will be easier to use a paint tray rather than a bucket when painting a smaller room or area. The bucket is best when you are painting a large area. If you are using the tray just add a bit of paint to the deeper side and dip your roller into it. After dipping your roller into the paint you will want to roll it against the slanted side of the tray, if you are using a bucket make sure you have a paint screen to roll the roller on to remove the excess paint from the roller. You want your roller to be completely saturated with paint but not to the point where it is dripping.

After completing the ceiling you can paint the walls. You want to start with cutting in the edges of the walls just like you did for the ceiling. Then one at a time just fill in the open areas. Once the ceiling and walls are complete you will want to take care of the doors and the woodwork. Start by applying painter tape around the area you are going to paint, this will allow you to make straight lines and keep the paint off your newly painted walls and ceiling. Then just apply the paint lightly with long brush strokes.

By following the steps that I have outlined here the job may make take you somewhat longer, but I guarantee that you will be much more satisfied with the result. Have fun and let me know how it turned out.

A large number of contemporary professional designers agree that elegant bath vanities are at the height of interior bathroom design, reflecting style and substance rarely seen in other bathroom installations. Bath vanities can be installed in any bathroom, of any size. Ranging from a small 24″ bathroom vanity to a grand 72″ bathroom vanity, these useful bathroom features are aesthetically impressive yet highly functional ways to improve your bathroom’s beauty and efficiency. Much of your bathroom’s overall look hinges on the theme and style determined by your bath vanity, so finding a bathroom vanity that both looks great and is appropriately sized is of the utmost importance.

An undersized bathroom is desirable for a number of reasons. They allow more floorspace in your home for other rooms, and they even tend to retain and command heat very well. But if your bathroom is cluttered, it defeats the purpose of the room itself. Therefore, your small-scale interior design should emphasize versatility, flexibility, and space-efficiency. In a bathroom of especially limited dimensions, maintaining control and order is particularly crucial. The amount of comfort your guests will feel in your bathroom is quite crucially dependent on the openness of a bathroom.

A great way to make your bathroom appear larger than it actually is, is to remove your old cabinet sink and install a small bathroom vanity instead. These small vanities cover a range between 24″ bathroom vanities and approximately 33″ bathroom vanities. Their small size makes them unobtrusive; in fact, you will barely even notice many of these vanities in your room. But keep in mind that there are so many unique designs and styles available that, if you preferred, you could absolutely find an attention grabbing bath vanity that will surely elicit admiration.

Just because these vanities are small, does not mean that they are not as useful as their larger counterparts. Quite the contrary: these small-sized vanities provide plenty of space for you to stow all of your toiletries, etcetera. Many vanities are available with wonderful medicine cabinet options, further enhancing their space efficiency and stowing abilities. Not only are these small vanities useful, but they get rid of a lot of that superfluous baggage and weight that comes with most ordinary bathroom sinks and vanities. For further space efficiency, small corner bathroom vanities are desirable; they fit almost anywhere, and without costing any of its usefulness.

Larger vanities, like 48″ or 72″ bathroom vanities, are perfect for large bathrooms and are especially useful in bathrooms that serve multiple persons. If your bathroom sees a lot of use from several different people, consider investing in large bath vanities to improve the efficiency and beauty of your bathroom.

Most double bath vanities (large bath vanities) feature dual sinks and mirrors, and further improve efficiency with dual storage cabinets. While these large-sized vanities do provide more than enough space for two individuals to use the vanity at the same time, the vanities themselves often take up significantly less space than two single bath vanities. To protect your double bath vanity, try stone or plastic laminate countertops to keep moisture away from the cabinet system. These bath vanities are actually rather easy to take care of; Required cleaning is occasional at most, and this cleaning entails little more than using a non-abrasive cleaning agent and a gentle cloth or rag. It’s really rather easy to keep your bathroom vanity looking beautiful for years to come.

So before you shop, determine which kind of vanity suits your bathroom best. Smaller rooms require smaller vanities, like a 24″ bathroom vanity. Larger rooms require larger vanities, like a 72″ bathroom vanity. With proper considerations regarding design and dimensions, you will surely find the perfect bath vanity for your home.

What is happening to our economy? So many people are worried about their work. Will I have a job next month? Will I loose my home and why are my creditors calling and giving me so much hassle?

Employment is on the rise and so is the number of job openings for bill collectors.

We are responsible for our own debts and we need to accept that, but equally if credit companies sat down and explained the full implications of credit to us, they would have far less customers. After all they were the ones who offered to lend money to all and sundry with little or no checks, and now the big boys are in trouble. The result is often untold misery and anguish for those finding themselves’ unable to cope.

We have been encouraged to spend and we have never really given much thought to tomorrow and the unheard of collapse in the world banks. Consumerism has become such a way of life and most of us have been sucked in.

Every where you look stores and suppliers are offering instore cards and credit. This is causing so much misery to people who simply do not understand money, credit and interest etc. They use tactics which are sometimes totally against the law. There is a way to stop harassment from creditors and put an end to the misery it causes all the family?

Well there is a way to stop creditors dead in their tracks from harassing you. You do not need to live in fear and stress. Stress leads to so much illness and can even be a killer.

Now don’t get me wrong, I am not suggesting for one minute that you should not pay back what you owe, but you cannot pay back what you do not have in the time some creditors demand. When creditors get on the phone to you it is vital that you know your own rights.

Creditors rely on fear and lack of knowledge when it comes to understanding how they work. I know they say ignorance of the law is no excuse, but come on, how can we all be expected to know how organisations work. It is not the sort of thing they want us to find out is it?

You know, most people chasing money are full of wind and making threats they know they cannot carry out. Some creditors are what is known as unsecured. It is often tey who shout the loudest and expect us to buckle at the sound of their call.

What is an unsecured creditor? Well it is one who has to take their turn in line behind secured creditors when it comes to getting money back.

A secured creditor is a lender like a bank who might have a first or second charge on our home or a mortgage lender who has a charge and the title deeds to our property.

HERE ARE SOME OF THE REASONS WHY READING IS SO IMPORTANT FOR CHILDREN.

WHY DO WE TELL CHILDREN TO READ ?

We’re always telling children that books and reading are good for them, but have we ever really thought about why that’s true ? Exactly what do older children get out of reading novels ? What do younger kids get from being read to ? Does reading matter ?

The purpose of this article is to say that, yes, it’s true, reading really is important, and that there are some solid reasons why that is so. Let’s begin with the practical benefits and then move on to the less tangible rewards of a life filled with reading.

BOOKS HELP CHILDREN DEVELOP VITAL LANGUAGE SKILLS.

Reading is an important skill that needs to be developed in children. Not only is it necessary for survival in the world of schools and (later on) universities, but in adult life as well. The ability to learn about new subjects and find helpful information on anything from health problems and consumer protection to more academic research into science or the arts depends on the ability to read.

Futurologists used to predict the death of the printed word but, ironically, Internet has made reading more and more a part of people’s daily lives. The paperless society is a myth. The computer’s ability to process and analyze data means that endless variations on reports and other types of documents can be and are generated. Internet, itself an enormous new source of information and recreation, is based on the humble written word. To effectively utilize the web and judge the authenticity and value of what is found there, both reading and critical thinking skills are of prime importance.

The more children read, the better they become at reading. It’s as simple as that. The more enjoyable the things they read are, the more they’ll stick with them and develop the reading skills that they’ll need for full access to information in their adult lives. Reading should be viewed as a pleasurable activity – as a source of entertaining tales and useful and interesting factual information.

The more young children are read to, the greater their interest in mastering reading. Reading out loud exposes children to proper grammar and phrasing. It enhances the development of their spoken language skills, their ability to express themselves verbally.

Reading, by way of books, magazines or websites, exposes kids to new vocabulary. Even when they don’t understand every new word, they absorb something from the context that may deepen their understanding of it the next time the word is encountered. When parents read aloud to children, the children also hear correct pronunciation as they see the words on the page, even if they can’t yet read the words on their own.

READING CAN OPEN UP NEW WORLDS AND ENRICH CHILDREN’S LIVES.

As mentioned above, reading opens doors – doors to factual information about any subject on earth, practical or theoretical. Given the wealth of available resources such as Internet, libraries, schools and bookstores, if children can read well and if they see reading as a source of information, then for the rest of their lives they will have access to all of the accumulated knowledge of mankind, access to all of the great minds and ideas of the past and present. It truly is magic !

Through books, children can also learn about people and places from other parts of the world, improving their understanding of and concern for all of humanity. This, in turn, contributes towards our sense that we truly live in a “global village” and may help us bring about a more peaceful future for everyone. This can happen through nonfiction but, perhaps even more importantly, reading novels that are set in other places and time periods can give children a deeper understanding of others through identification with individual characters and their plights.

Through stories and novels children can vicariously try out new experiences and test new ideas, with no negative consequences in their real lives. They can meet characters who they’ll enjoy returning to for comforting and satisfying visits when they reread a cherished book or discover a sequel. Books also give kids the opportunity to flex their critical thinking skills in such areas as problem solving, the concepts of cause and effect, conflict resolution, and acceptance of responsibility for one’s actions. Mysteries allow children to follow clues to their logical conclusions and to try to outguess the author. Even for very young children, a simple story with a repetitive refrain or a simple mystery to solve gives a confidence boost. Children can predict the patterns and successfully solve the riddles.

Children are influenced by and imitate the world around them. While a steady diet of violent cartoons may have a detrimental effect on children’s development, carefully chosen stories and books can have a positive influence on children, sensitizing them to the needs of others. For example, books can encourage children to be more cooperative, to share with others, to be kind to animals, or to respect the natural environment.

READING CAN ENHANCE CHILDREN’S SOCIAL SKILLS.

Although reading is thought of as the quintessential solitary activity, in certain circumstances reading can be a socializing activity. For example, a parent or grandparent reading a story aloud, whether from a traditional printed book or from an ebook, can be a great opportunity for adult and child to share some quiet, relaxed quality time together away from the rush and stresses of the business of daily living. They share a few minutes of precious time, plus they share the ideas that are contained in the story. In addition, older children can be encouraged to read aloud to younger ones as a means of enhancing their relationship.

At school or at a library story hour, books can bring children together and can be part of a positive shared experience. For some preschoolers this may be their primary opportunity to socialize and to learn how to behave around other children or how to sit quietly for a group activity. Make the most of this experience by encouraging children to talk about what they’ve read or heard.

READING CAN IMPROVE HAND-EYE COORDINATION.

It may sound funny, but ebooks can be a way for children to improve their fine motor skills and their hand-eye coordination, as they click around a childfriendly website or click the backward and forward buttons of online story pages. They may also be picking up valuable computer skills that they’ll need in school and later in life.

READING CAN PROVIDE CHILDREN WITH PLENTY OF GOOD, CLEAN FUN !

I’ve saved the most important point for last. Reading can provide children with endless hours of fun and entertainment. All of the pragmatic reasons above aren’t at all necessary to justify reading’s place in children’s lives. Stories can free up imaginations and open up exciting new worlds of fantasy or reality. They allow children to dream and may give them a good start on the road to viewing reading as a lifelong source of pleasure; so read to your young children every day.

Inspire your older children to read. Give them access to plenty of reading material that they’ll enjoy and discuss it with them. Sample everything – traditional printed books and ebooks on Internet, classic children’s novels and fairy tales, as well as more modern stories.

If a child wants to hear the same story over and over again, don’t worry about it. Children take comfort from the familiarity and predictability of a beloved story that they know by heart. There’s no harm in that. Reread old favorites and, at the same time, introduce your children to new stories. Your child’s mind and heart have room for both.

SO READING REALLY DOES MATTER AFTER ALL!

There are so many ways in which reading continues to be both a vital skill for children to master, and an important source of knowledge and pleasure that can last a lifetime. Nurture it in your children. Make the
most of all the resources that are available and waiting for you: printed books, online books, magazines and so forth. Encourage follow-up activities involving creative writing skills and the arts, as well, so that your children can reflect upon or expand on what they’ve absorbed and, at the same time, develop their own creativity. As you help your kids appreciate the magic of reading, you’ll find that there’s a whole wonderful world full of children’s literature out there that YOU can enjoy too.

ฉ2004

How I Became Like My Clients For One Month
By: Janet L. Hall

I know exactly when I started falling apart, not mentally but
overloaded with commitments and deadlines I knew I
could make. But then suddenly, surgery was to be
performed again, on Valentine’s Day.

I’ve never hidden the fact that I’m just like you. I’m not
perfect and I’m not super human just because my profession
is as a professional organizer.

We all have things come into our lives, or out of, usually
unexpectedly. We all have emergencies or things that come
up that just have to be completed. We all have someone or
something needing our attention. This is you, this is me, and
this is life!

Many times clients call when their systems have broken
down, if they even had systems. But many call
because their world has fallen off its axis, leaving them and
their world spinning out of control…out of balance.

If they completely ignore the situation or don’t know how to
get their world back into balance – into sync – the way it use
to be, they will become overpowered by all the stuff in their
lives.

The daily errands of driving here and there for:
>>Appointments
>>Children
>>Special events
>>Meetings
>>School functions
>>Banking
>>Food shopping
>>Shopping
>>Work
seem to make you drive like a maniac
down the street, racing and rushing from one place to
another. And even forgetting to stop at some places.

The daily activities one usually finds in a home of:
>>Processing the mail
>>Answering the phone
>>Returning calls
>>Reading email
>>Replying to email
>>Cooking
>>Cleaning
>>Playing with the children or pets
>>Bathing the children or pets
>>Watering the plants
>>Reading
>>Being a buffer
makes you just want to throw up your hands and turn
and run.

And what about the unexpected?
>>Illness
>>Visitors
>>Spouse laid-off from job
>>Someone moving in or out
>>Computer problems
>>A friend needing your ear, shoulder, and comfort
>>A client or boss needing it NOW, instead of next week
>>A child with special needs
>>A child with needs
>>Travel for your job
>>Training for your job
>>An accident
just makes you want to SCREAM that you have no time or
patience for all this!

Your world has just exploded! What can you do about it?

On Valentine’s Day my world exploded when I was told I
would have to endure yet another breast surgery. I was
working on my book, “Secrets of a Professional Organizer
and How-To Become One,” and the deadline was the end of
February. And worse yet, we get short-changed a couple of
days in February! WHO did that? Who thought this up?

Just three days after surgery and between work, clients,
writing, and running a home I had to prepare to leave for
Florida for 13 days to work with a client and attend school at
the beginning of March. WHEW, makes me tired just
thinking back on all this.

In Florida I stayed with a girlfriend, and had the
guest/storage room with some closet space, one drawer,
and a small desk.

My journey into piles began. Things started living in piles:
>>On the floor
>>On top of my suitcases
>>On the bed
>>On the dresser
>>On the chair and desk.

I had all my toilettes sitting out around the sink, carefully
placed (but crowded together) so I wouldn’t break anything
or, God forbid, something fall into the toilet!

While in Florida I was so busy I really didn’t get to work on
any of my “normal” to-dos. I had so many new to-dos’ there!

I went to school from 7 AM until 6 or 7 PM, grabbed
something to eat and started working with my client,
sometimes until midnight, once until 2:30 AM. (I was helping
my friend “client”, where I was staying, redo her whole web
site and teach her computer stuff.)

When I returned home to Maryland, all the mail, all the
errands, all my clients, and all my self-imposed deadlines
and other’s deadlines were waiting for me.

I unpacked (although I still have a couple of files in my
computer case I need to get out and put away) and started
making a pile here and a pile there. Some in the kitchen,
some in the living room, some in the bedroom, and some
really big piles in my office!

I didn’t even touch the mail for the first three days. I didn’t
want to look at or deal with mail or the bills. I wanted to start
spring-cleaning. All my clothes needed washed, dried, and
put away.

As I looked around, all I could think was, “I’m becoming my
clients. No time to think about this now. I have to finish my
book, create CD labels, burn 100 CD’s and put labels on
them. Oh MY GOD! I forgot to order the blank CD’s and
labels before I left for Florida. I need them today. Okay, I’ll
just call and order today and get them shipped overnight. I
still have to write the newsletter, return phone calls, reply to
emails, and oh, I just want some really good sleep!”

The shipment came, as promised, the next day. I ripped
open the boxes, got everything out and started working,
leaving the packing material and boxes lie, wherever… See
Janet’s Messy Office

I’m writing, researching, and tossing books here and there. I
didn’t care at that point. I thought, “I have great systems in
place so when all this is over I can easily get everything back
into shape, put stuff where it belongs, and get my world back
into balance.

And so I have. After finishing the book, labels, CD’s,
returning calls and emails, and still working with clients I
tackled my office. It took me just two hours to get everything
in place and put away because I have a sorting and
de-cluttering system, “The 5 W’s of Organizing, a TEASER,
and a TICKLE”. And it works!
See Janet’s Clean Office.

We all have our own ups and downs in life; life happens. We
each ride the waves from the same Universe.

When everything is going ‘just right,’ we are riding our up
waves; sometimes not even paying attention to our good
‘fortune.’

When things are going wrong we feel we are being slapped
silly by the waves; causing us to tumble, crash, and sink to
the bottom and depths of darkness, and asking ourselves,
“What did I ever do to deserve this?”

But what goes down MUST come back up!

So what can you do to help get your world back into balance,
and make your down waves less powerful?

Start by getting organized.
>>Create or find a common ‘home’ or zone for your things to
live.
>>KNOW what to do with your stuff (do you really need or
when will you use?)
>>Have systems and procedures in place.

Knowing where things “live” and how things are handled can
sure make life a little easier for those ‘off balance’ days that
we all experience.

Now I really must go. I still have to get out the newsletter,
send out products, send out speaking materials, get ready
for two presentations, do my taxes, take a test, read ten new
books, and, oh yeah, plant some pansies in the garden and
pick some asparagus.

Aha! Life is finally back to normal.

Smiles, not Piles,

Copyright (c) 2002 by OverHall Consulting
P.O. Box 263, Port Republic, MD 20676
All Rights Reserved. Permission is granted to reproduce,
copy, or distribute this article so long as article is kept intact,
this copyright notice, and full information about the author is
attached.

Why Do We Tell Children to Read ? We’re always telling children that books and reading are good for them, but have we ever really thought about why that’s true ? Exactly what do older children get out of reading novels ? What do younger kids get from reading children’s stories and being read to ? Does reading matter ? The purpose of this article is to say that, yes, it’s true, reading really is important, and that there are some solid reasons why that is so. Let’s begin with the practical benefits and then move on to the less tangible rewards of a life filled with reading.

Books Help Children Develop Vital Language Skills Reading is an important skill that needs to be developed in children. Not only is it necessary for survival in the world of schools and (later on) universities, but in adult life as well. The ability to learn about new subjects and find helpful information on anything from health problems and consumer protection to more academic research into science or the arts depends on the ability to read. Futurologists used to predict the death of the printed word but, ironically, Internet has made reading more and more a part of people’s daily lives. The paperless society is a myth. The computer’s ability to process and analyze data means that endless variations on reports and other types of documents can be and are generated. Internet, itself an enormous new source of information and recreation, is based on the humble written word. To effectively utilize the web and judge the authenticity and value of what is found there, both reading and critical thinking skills are of prime importance. The more children read, the better they become at reading. It’s as simple as that. The more enjoyable the things they read are, the more they’ll stick with them and develop the reading skills that they’ll need for full access to information in their adult lives. Reading should be viewed as a pleasurable activity – as a source of entertaining tales and useful and interesting factual information. The more young children read stories and are read to, the greater their interest in mastering reading. Reading out loud exposes children to proper grammar and phrasing. It enhances the development of their spoken language skills, their ability to express themselves verbally. Reading, by way of books, children’s stories, magazines or websites, exposes kids to new vocabulary. Even when they don’t understand every new word, they absorb something from the context that may deepen their understanding of it the next time the word is encountered. When parents read aloud to children, the children also hear correct pronunciation as they see the words on the page, even if they can’t yet read the words on their own.

Reading Can Open Up New Worlds and Enrich Children’s Lives As mentioned above, reading opens doors – doors to factual information about any subject on earth, practical or theoretical. Given the wealth of available resources such as Internet, libraries, schools and bookstores, if children can read well and if they see reading as a source of information, then for the rest of their lives they will have access to all of the accumulated knowledge of mankind, access to all of the great minds and ideas of the past and present. It truly is magic ! Through books and stories, children can also learn about people and places from other parts of the world, improving their understanding of and concern for all of humanity. This, in turn, contributes towards our sense that we truly live in a “global village” and may help us bring about a more peaceful future for everyone. This can happen through nonfiction but, perhaps even more importantly, reading stories that are set in other places and time periods can give children a deeper understanding of others through identification with individual characters and their plights. Through stories and novels children can vicariously try out new experiences and test new ideas, with no negative consequences in their real lives. They can meet characters who they’ll enjoy returning to for comforting and satisfying visits when they reread a cherished book or discover a sequel. Books also give kids the opportunity to flex their critical thinking skills in such areas as problem solving, the concepts of cause and effect, conflict resolution, and acceptance of responsibility for one’s actions. Mysteries allow children to follow clues to their logical conclusions and to try to outguess the author. Even for very young children, a simple story with a repetitive refrain or a simple mystery to solve gives a confidence boost. Children can predict the patterns and successfully solve the riddles. Children are influenced by and imitate the world around them. While a steady diet of violent cartoons may have a detrimental effect on children’s development, carefully chosen stories and books can have a positive influence on children, sensitizing them to the needs of others. For example, books can encourage children to be more cooperative, to share with others, to be kind to animals, or to respect the natural environment.

Reading Can Enhance Children’s Social Skills Although reading is thought of as the quintessential solitary activity, in certain circumstances reading can be a socializing activity. For example, a parent or grandparent reading a story aloud, whether from a traditional printed book or from an ebook, can be a great opportunity for adult and child to share some quiet, relaxed quality time together away from the rush and stresses of the business of daily living. They share a few minutes of precious time, plus they share the ideas that are contained in the story. In addition, older children can be encouraged to read aloud to younger ones as a means of enhancing their relationship. At school or at a library story hour, books can bring children together and can be part of a positive shared experience. For some preschoolers this may be their primary opportunity to socialize and to learn how to behave around other children or how to sit quietly for a group activity. Make the most of this experience by encouraging children to talk about what they’ve read or heard. Reading Can Improve Hand-Eye Coordination It may sound funny, but ebooks can be a way for children to improve their fine motor skills and their hand-eye coordination, as they click around a childfriendly website or click the backward and forward buttons of online story pages. They may also be picking up valuable computer skills that they’ll need in school and later in life. Visit Children’s Clothing and Stories from Baby Bird Productions for examples of such stories. Reading Can Provide Children with Plenty of Good, Clean Fun I’ve saved the most important point for last. Reading can provide children with endless hours of fun and entertainment. All of the pragmatic reasons above aren’t at all necessary to justify reading’s place in children’s lives. Stories can free up imaginations and open up exciting new worlds of fantasy or reality. They allow children to dream and may give them a good start on the road to viewing reading as a lifelong source of pleasure; so read to your young children every day. Inspire your older children to read. Give them access to plenty of reading material that they’ll enjoy and discuss it with them. Sample everything – traditional printed books and ebooks on Internet, classic children’s novels and fairy tales, as well as more modern stories. If a child wants to hear the same story over and over again, don’t worry about it. Children take comfort from the familiarity and predictability of a beloved story that they know by heart. There’s no harm in that. Reread old favorites and, at the same time, introduce your children to new stories. Your child’s mind and heart have room for both.

So Reading Really Does Matter After All There are so many ways in which reading continues to be both a vital skill for children to master, and an important source of knowledge and pleasure that can last a lifetime. Nurture it in your children. Make the most of all the resources that are available and waiting for you: printed books, online stories, magazines and so forth. Encourage follow-up activities involving creative writing skills and the arts, as well, so that your children can reflect upon or expand on what they’ve absorbed and, at the same time, develop their own creativity. As you help your kids appreciate the magic of reading, you’ll find that there’s a whole wonderful world full of children’s literature out there that YOU can enjoy too.

Landscaping your home or condominium can bring endless happiness to you, your family and your neighbors. It will also add value and respect to your home and neighborhood. With proper planning it is not as difficult to achieve quality results with even a small budget. Based on you budget this article will detail some interesting ideas that suit your needs and wants.

First you will want to design your landscaping area. Consider the following major items such as a deck, patio, pond, garden, pool, brick pavement, picnic table, and trees. You will first want to place these around the given area prior to placing smaller items.

Unless you are a professional, consider having one install your deck, pool or brick pavement for you. These tasks can often seem easily from generally looking at the construction but it takes someone with experience to complete the project right. Many services will offer several different designs or even allow you to customize your layout. Do research to make sure you are happy with your investment.

The best way to compliment an in ground pool, pond, or garden is a with a redwood bridge. These bridges can be custom built to your specs and are completely fish safe. These bridges will definitely wow your guests and are made to last. They age beautifully with weathering or can be stained based on your setting. A waterfall is also a common addition that is not only very pleasant to view but also provides the soothing sound of water clashing within itself.

Professional landscapers have many so called “tricks of the trade”. Below is a good list to follow when planning your home:

1. Place tall trees in the back of your yard and smaller trees in the front. This increases your yards depth to the human eye.

2. Grow smaller shrubs under windows to prevent blockage and minimal maintenance.

3. If planting near your foundation, make sure you leave enough room for plants to equally root on all sides.

4. Planting trees on the side slightly in behind the front of your house will make your house appear larger.

Although landscaping can be very rewarding, always remember that your work is never finished. It is very common for the weather to adjust yearly and the amount of sunlight your plants get can also change. Your initial plan is nothing more than a blueprint to build on year after year.