3/14/2008

Milwaukee Really Is A Hidden Vacation Treasure

By: Stefi Branston

Are you making vacation plans? If so, you are probably taking a look at common destinations like Las Vegas, Disneryworld, and California. These are typical choices because you have pretty good idea ahead of time of what you are getting yourself into. The only problem with chosing these vacation spots is that everyone else does as well. Therefore you will be spending your time in crowded areas.

You have more important things to do during your vacation then losing your time and energy struggling with the crowds. Why be around thousands of other loud and hungry tourists? When there is a greater demand from tourists, the costs of the hotel and rental car increase and can become quite expensive.

Why not save you and your family from dealing with the large crowds? Why not spend your vacation days relaxing by on a nice beach overlooking a pristin lake? You can have all the services that a big city has to offer without any set backs. Does this place exist? Yes! Head to Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin for a vacation? Yes, absolutely. Milwaukee is Wisconsin's biggest city. It is on the beautiful shoreline of Lake Michigan. There are festivals in the summer that bring in tourists, great food, and loads of fun activities.

One highlight of the festival activities is Cathedral Square. This square is close to Lake Michigan. There are several tasty, fun restauarants to dine in around this area. There is active night life and great shopping as well. You can take in the local culture by attending a free concert in the summer and eat out for a reasonable price. There is plenty to do in the winter, such as witness the breathtaking lights in Cathedral Square.

Do you like animals? Check out the Milwaukee County Zoo. Upwards of 3,000 animals call the zoo their home. It is a spectacular adventure for children and the entire family. There is a petting zoo and educational activities. Adults can partake in the cross-country skiing trail.

The Milwaukee Art Museum is a favorite for people with even the most discerning of tastes. Situated near the lakefront, the museum offers a wonderful collection of paintings, sculptures, and photography for visitors to admire. There is a lower level cafe so you need not go anywhere to find great food at reasonable prices. The museum also allows a number of dancers and performers to display their talents on weekends and some week days.

Milwaukee may not seem like the most exciting destination for your vacation. But isn't a vacation supposed to be relaxing? Too many times we find ourselves lured in by the glitz and glamour of some of the other more popular destinations simply because they have larger advertising budgets. But when we get there, we are confronted with hassle after hassle to the point that we cannot wait to get home. Milwaukee offers a great alternative to all of the bells and whistles of the other hot vacation spots and may just be the place to go if you actually want to sit back and unwind from a hectic year at work.

Article Source: http://www.articlecritic.net

3/13/2008

Many People Love Coffee In The Morning

By: DMF
People who have gone out and purchased a coffee maker on price alone and thought the higher the price the better the machine would be, this is not the case, there are many systems out there that are very good and the price tag is not astronomical. Ask yourself some questions where will the machine be permanently placed, how many people will be utilizing it, as well as how much space is available for the machine. What kind of machine do you have at the moment?

Portable coffee makers are very adaptable allowing you to move it all around the kitchen and which makes it nice if you have guests or you reorganize your kitchen, make sure there is an outlet where you are moving it. Many modern kitchens have every amenity imaginable; they have the double ovens, the professional cook tops, refrigerators and microwaves it would be foolish to think that these modern kitchens would not have an automatic coffee maker. Most modern kitchens today have professional coffee system built into the counter and they have water piped to them.

There are basically three styles of coffee makers to consider: manual, semi automatic and totally automatic. Many of today’s coffee makers come with grinders built into the machine , there are also others that have a built in computer system that make all every task automated, your coffee can be ready to go in the morning it can re-warm your coffee, make 1 or many cups at a time. There are so many coffee makers out their today, so no matter what coffee tastes you have you should be able to automatic coffee maker that fits your life style.

There are some basic features to look for when choosing a coffee maker and some luxury features that may give you a better tasting cup of coffee. You can brew a pot at a time, rather than just a cup or two. That first cup sets the mood for your entire day. When you stop at the convenience store or at a local coffee shop for your morning cup of coffee have you ever wondered how your cup of coffee came about? Whenever you want to have it, enough time should be set aside just to prepare a good cup of brewed coffee.

There are two types of filter systems cone shaped and basket type; there are some differences between the two. The basket type filter the coffee more evenly while the cone shape is more concentrated. The grounds are placed in the filter and the dripping water extracts the flavor.

To get the best tasting coffee do not use heat directly from a hotplate or a heating element if possible. A sealed or closed container slows the loss of essential aromas that influence coffee flavor.

Article Source: http://www.articlecritic.net

3/11/2008

How To Get Finances To Fix Up Your Home

Here's a rundown of options available to those looking to afford home improvements

What's a person to do when faced with the daunting task of getting the funds to renovate a home?

If you are a risk taker and you have decided that you want to start fixing up homes to flip then you need to know where to get the money. Money is a much needed resource that you have to have at your disposal if you want to be able to fix the home up right and make tons of cash on it at closing time. Keep in mind that you need a lot and it needs to be enough to get the whole job done. You do not want to run out halfway through the remodeling. You want to be able to finish and still hopefully have some left over. So where can this magical money come from?

Here are some of the more common ways that people use to fund their fixer upper home project:

Savings and investments
If you have been thinking about taking this step for a long time then perhaps you started saving. If you have you can use any savings and investments that you have to pay for the remodel of this home. If we are talking about your life savings, the money you have socked away for retirement then you should probably move onto a different solution. It is better to not risk your future in such a big way as to spend all of your retirement money.

Bank loan
Most people try to get a bank loan to pay for their new project. If you have good credit and some equity in your home then you will probably not have too much of a problem getting this kind of loan. The interest can be high and it can take a long time for the loan to come through though. It is worth checking out other types of loans as well before you sign anything.

Online loan
Online loans are getting to be more and more popular all of the time. These loans are easier to get than bank loans as the guidelines are much less strict. You can also get these loans quickly, often within three days or less. When shopping for an online loan you can also find many companies willing to offer you instant quotes.

Before you buy the home in question find out how much it is going to cost you in terms of repairs. Get an expert in if you have to. This way you will know just how much you can afford to spend on the purchase of the house. Planning your finances carefully like this is going to mean the difference between getting an amazing return on your money and getting diddly squat. So prepare and make sure that you have all of your bases covered.
Article Source: Articuli.com - Articles and Content

3/10/2008

Thumb Sucking - A Common Problem For Children

Thumb sucking is a very common problem faced by many children. Many infants develop this habit even before they are born. It provides a level of comfort to the child. It helps the child to settle down as sucking denotes the idea of nutrition.

Thumb sucking is a very common problem faced by many children. Many infants develop this habit even before they are born. It provides a level of comfort to the child. It helps the child to settle down as sucking denotes the idea of nutrition. Many a times mother' milk is more than enough to get through this phase of thumb sucking. Thumb sucking can be a very serious problem if not nipped in the butt at the right time. It becomes a habit which continues in your adolescent age. It turns into an addiction which is hard to let go. If this habit continues at the age of five or six it may prove to be very serious. The child can develop problem with teeth as well as fingers.

Thumb sucking is a safety net for the children. Sucking the thumb is very reassuring to the kids. It is being used most of times when the kids are bored, scared, and sick as well as during bed time. Nagging them and scarring them at a tender age of two won't help. When the child reaches an understandable age, the parents should use all the tactics to avoid the escalation of this habit. A toy or a finger puppet can be used to keep the child engaged. By involving the child in various activities you can keep the child focused and busy. Watching TV cannot be termed as an activity.

Due to the continuous thumb sucking the front teeth level is raised. This has to be treated by putting on the braces. This behavior can be easily changed by the initiative taken by the parents and doctors. Keeping the child active is a very important process of discarding this habit. It becomes very important to use and imply different methods and techniques to get rid of this habit. This act is usually given up when they do something interesting and comfortable.

Home Remedy

Applying lemon juice on your child’s finger may help to discard this habit once and for all.

You can also apply bitter gourd on the thumb which is not likeable by many adults.

A Band-Aid wrapped in castor oil and baking soda may also help to get rid of this habit.

Tying socks on your child's hand may also work.

Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.
Article Source: Articuli.com - Articles and Content
Kevin Pederson can guide you through the importance about home remedies through his website. Home Remedies for Thumb Sucking. Read here

3/08/2008

How to Teach Children Right From Wrong

By: Dr. Noel Swanson
A common situation that many parents face is dealing with their children's behaviors. For example, let's say you had a five year old child that has just entered school. She was a polite, considerate, and helpful young lady at home and in front of her teachers. However, her behavior has recently changed at home and it involves talking back, swearing, and discussing sex in general terms. She learned these behaviors from other kids at school.

You might not sure how I should teach her to make the right choices about right vs. wrong. She has already missed school at the insistence of her 5 year old friend. HOw can you help her when she is not under your watchful eye at school? How do I ensure she will make the right choice on her own?

That is a great question. First we should discuss the fundamentals regarding this issue.

Kids, like you and me, are doing their best to succeed in life. So their behaviors are their attempts to get good results for themselves, as they themselves would define them. Those "good results" might be to satisfy basic urges such as hunger and warmth, they might be to get approval and love - from their parents, or from their friends, or they might be simply to have fun and excitement.

Whatever their priority need at the time, the behavior they use is their best attempt to meet the need.

They will find that their behaviors don't always result in success. They learn from this and experiment with other behaviors until they find the ones that yield the desired result. When deciding what behavior to have we rely on experience, direction for our parents, and our skills and abilities. We create a group of behaviors that we hope will serve our needs effectively.

After experimenting we will find the behaviors that meet our needs. We will use these behaviors to get what we want. The more we achieve a good result with a behavior, the more we demonstrate that behavior.

Back to your 5 year old daughter. Her behavior signals that she is in the process of trial and error. She is in a new situation at school and this has expanded her world. She is not sure how to react and is excited and nervous at the same time. She is testing different behaviors to determine which behaviors will yield a successful result.

Your daughter will most likely try a range of behaviors. Many of which will not occur ever again as they didn't work. Some behaviors will become a part of her usual behavior. Which behaviors will your daughter stick to? It really depends on the results of each experience. She is at an age where having your approval and love is very important to her. She needs to see your reaction to her behaviors. Outside reactions from others also play a role. For example, punishments and rewards can be a big influence on her behavior. She will seek the approval of you, her teachers, and her friends.

You have a significant affect on her as her parent. She young so she will listen to you. When she is a teenager things will change. Your influence can show in two ways.

1. Your emotional response - your approval or otherwise of her behaviors.

2. Your manipulation of her environment. You have the power to choose her school, neighbors, and people she will be in contact with. You are the one who can give her punishments and rewards.

Integrating what he discussed together and looking at this logically, you need to answer the following questions:

Do you think your daughter is just experimenting with her behaviors and that it will pass? If you do, then don't worry about it at all as she will move on to better behavior. Kids tend to do mischievous things at this age and still end up to be productive adults.

Bear in mind that if you over-react to things like her swearing that may, in itself, actually make the behavior seems MORE exciting rather than less. Generally, "chilling out" is the better way to go.

If you think that her bad behavior is escalating too much then you need to do something to thwart it.

At this point you will need to rely on your judgement of the situation. Are you doing all the things you can as a parent? Make sure that you are a positive role model. Remember, you have a significant influence on her.

Check out the school and your neighborhood. How have the children who were raised in this neighborhood do when they grew up? Do they become productive adults or do most of the kids spend their days being in trouble for most of their teenage years?

Take the time to talk with parents and teachers at school. Each school has a culture and perhaps your daughter is trying to fit into this culture. How concerned are the teachers? Does the behavior of most kids at the school improve as they grow up out their phases?

You cannot control every factor in their lives. You cannot guarantee that they will learn right from wrong. But you can increase the chances. And, as ever, you do that by being as good, and strategic, a parent as you can.

Article Source: Free Articles - http://www.articlesworldonline.com


Read more of Dr. Noel Swanson's excellent free parenting articles on his website. Make sure you also subscribe to his free newsletter: www.good-child-guide.com/

3/06/2008

Candlemaking for Everyone

By: Jenniffer Jensen

(Please note, some web sites and candle companies offer starter kits that include all of the supplies listed below. )

To begin, melt wax at 200 degrees Fahrenheit in a double boiler. Stir the wax while it is heating. Add color and/or fragrance if you'd like. Add two teaspoons of translucent crystals per one pound of melted wax, if you want the candle to be slightly translucent. Remember, since this is your candle, you can change these steps as you wish.

Tie wick to a metal rod or a pencil lying on top of the mold. The wick should be long enough to reach the bottom of the candle. Thread the wick through the mold, pulling it through the hole in the bottom of the mold (this will be the top of the candle, so make the wick long). Make sure the wick is taut the entire time. A mold sealer will assist with this.

Once the wax and the crystals are melted, pour wax into the mold you desire (round, square, heart). Note: before pouring the wax into the mold, a small amount of vegetable oil on the mold walls will help with removal. Next, tap the sides of the mold to release air bubbles from the wax. Lower the mold into cool (not ice cold) water.

Leave the mold in the water for about six minutes. Takeout the insert and make sure the wick doesn't fall into the wax. Remove the mold from the water and leave it at room temperature for at least two hours (placing it in the refrigerator will speed the process). Once the wax is completely cooled, slide the wax out from the mold. Refill wax around the wick if needed and let it cool.

These steps can be altered by using different colors, fragrances, and molds. Follow the same steps if you'd like to fill a glass container (jar, martini glass) or a pottery piece (coffee mug, bowl) to make a candle.

Candles make creative gifts, especially when you make them on your own. Customize them for friends and family by using their favorite colors, scents, and containers. Consider mixing flowers or shells into the wax for a more personal touch.

Article Source: http://ArticleCrux.com -- Free Articles, Free Web Content

Jenniffer Jensen is an owner of At Wix End, a candle making and soap making supplies company.

3/05/2008

Shopping with Kids

By: ChaFish
Did you read the title of this article correctly? You might want to go back and double check to make sure you understand what this article is going to be about. The most significant word in this title is the word with. Had we used the word for in the title instead this would be a completely different article but the use of the word with indicates this article will be about shopping while your children accompany you to the stores which is a totally different subject. An article on shopping for children would cover subjects such as buying age appropriate toys and choosing toys which will meet the parent’s approval. This article, however, will focus on how to have a successful shopping trip with children in tow.

While it is certainly true that shopping with kids can be difficult at times, it is also possible to have an effective, efficient and fun shopping expedition with children. It does take a little advanced planning and cooperation on the children’s?behalf but it can be done. This article will cover a few of the basic tips for having a successful Christmas shopping trip with kids. Some of these tips include ensuring the children are well rested, taking frequent breaks, incorporating activities appropriate for children into the adventure and being prepared for any situation.

Depending on the age of the children, it might be critical to ensure the children are well rested at the start of the shopping trip and that the trip does not last so long that the child will be tired out before the end of the trip. This is very important especially in the case of young children who still take daily naps. If you plan on Christmas shopping with a child who still takes daily naps, it might be worthwhile to plan your shopping trip after the child’s nap. This will ensure the child has had sufficient rest and will not run out of energy or become cranky during the shopping trip as a result of exhaustion. It might be possible to plan a shopping trip for the time before a child’s nap if the child takes an afternoon late in the day but in this case care should be taken to end the Christmas shopping trip well before the regularly schedule nap time.

It is also important to take frequent breaks when Christmas shopping with a child. This is important because children categorically have short attention spans and are not likely to be able to be able to shop for hours on end without short diversions. A few examples of breaks which may be appropriate may include stopping for a small snack, taking a lunch break or visiting a play area in the mall or shopping center. Each of these breaks will give the child an opportunity to enjoy a break from the monotony of shopping and will also help to distract the child if they become frustrated with the shopping.

Christmas shopping with children can also be made easier by incorporating activities appropriate for children into the schedule of the shopping trip. This may include visiting stores which may be of interest to the child. For example a trip to a toy store or a store which offers the opportunity to test out gadgets might be interesting for a child. It might even be worthwhile to promise the child a small toy as a reward for cooperating during the trip. This would be most effective if you schedule this trip for late in the shopping trip. This will help to ensure the child behaves for the majority of the trip. It will also help to make the remainder of the trip easier because the child will be interested in his new toy and too distracted to complain about visiting more stores.

Finally, it is important to be prepared for a variety of situations when Christmas shopping with kids. If your children are not yet potty trained, be sure to bring a supply of diapers and a change of clothes. Bringing along small toys and snacks is also helpful. The toys can be used to distract the child while standing in lines. Snacks will be helpful if the child complains of hunger or as a distraction if the child starts to become bored with the shopping trip.

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com