Many people like to celebrate Labor Day by having a cookout. But if you’ve done this year after year, you might be looking for some new cookout ideas. Here are a few different ideas, both traditional and a bit different.
Traditional:
hot dogs, hamburgers, steak
BBQ:
Ribs, chicken wings
For the non-beef eaters:
Grilled chicken breast, grilled fish
Sides:
Grilled corn, Sesame parmesan zucchini, baked beans, grilled squash
Non-grilled sides:
Fresh salad, breadsticks, potato salad, coleslaw
Dessert:
Ice cream, ice cream pie, fresh watermelon, lemon bars, Rice Krispy treats
Off the grill and into the crockpot:
Sweet crockpot ribs, beans, crockpot potatoes, cheese dip
What kinds of food do you usually make for Labor Day? Leave us some ideas in the comments below!
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Wrapping Up the Summer
With the end of August coming in just a few days, it looks like summer is wrapping up. September usually (and, in some cases, hopefully) brings with it cooler weather, and people start reaching for jackets. It’s time to put away the swimsuits, shorts, and other summer items. As we wrap up summer, it’s time to start thinking ahead to the fall.
As temperatures start to cool up, one of the first things you’ll want to do to wrap up the summer is put away your summer clothes. Some people move them to the back of the closet or fold them and put them in storage boxes. Either way, you’ll want to make room for your fall and winter clothes. You may need to wash or iron them, especially if they’ve been folded. You might also need to take a few things to the cleaners.
Some people change their décor each season. If you’re one of them, wrapping up the summer means putting away the summer decorations. This might mean changing the quilt on your bed to one that incorporates more brown, orange, red, and yellow (traditional fall colors) or putting a different welcome mat out. Other things you might change include decorative pillows, throws, wreaths, decorative candles, and decorative towels.
Another way of wrapping up the summer is to give the exterior of your home a change. Some chores that you need to do aren’t fun and don’t do much to change your home’s look, such as cleaning out the gutters. However, you can take the time to paint and patch up a few things, too.
The end of summer doesn’t have to mean the end of doing things outdoors, though. You can still get in a few picnics, continue walking or jogging outdoors, and take the kids to the park. In fact, the early fall is often the preferred time to do some outdoor events since it is cooler. If you haven’t been to the zoo this summer, for example, now may be the perfect time.
Spend the next few weeks wrapping up the summer and preparing for the fall. That way, when the cooler temperatures get here, you’ll be ready.
As temperatures start to cool up, one of the first things you’ll want to do to wrap up the summer is put away your summer clothes. Some people move them to the back of the closet or fold them and put them in storage boxes. Either way, you’ll want to make room for your fall and winter clothes. You may need to wash or iron them, especially if they’ve been folded. You might also need to take a few things to the cleaners.
Some people change their décor each season. If you’re one of them, wrapping up the summer means putting away the summer decorations. This might mean changing the quilt on your bed to one that incorporates more brown, orange, red, and yellow (traditional fall colors) or putting a different welcome mat out. Other things you might change include decorative pillows, throws, wreaths, decorative candles, and decorative towels.
Another way of wrapping up the summer is to give the exterior of your home a change. Some chores that you need to do aren’t fun and don’t do much to change your home’s look, such as cleaning out the gutters. However, you can take the time to paint and patch up a few things, too.
The end of summer doesn’t have to mean the end of doing things outdoors, though. You can still get in a few picnics, continue walking or jogging outdoors, and take the kids to the park. In fact, the early fall is often the preferred time to do some outdoor events since it is cooler. If you haven’t been to the zoo this summer, for example, now may be the perfect time.
Spend the next few weeks wrapping up the summer and preparing for the fall. That way, when the cooler temperatures get here, you’ll be ready.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Make Going Back to School Fun
“I don’t wanna go back to school!” If you have kids, you might have heard that recently. It’s time for school to start up again for most kids (some have been back in school on the year-round schedule). But some kids don’t like the idea of giving up their leisurely summer schedule for early mornings, lectures, and homework. It can be hard to change their minds, but there are a few things you can do to make going back to school fun.
1) Turn the back to school shopping trip into an adventure. Some parents get the school supply list and buy everything themselves. While that might be considered less of a hassle, it helps build up the excitement if you let your children pick out their own supplies. Let them decide on their lunchbox, backpack, crayons, etc.
2) Let your kids pick out a new back to school outfit.
3) Plan a special first day of school breakfast. Fix your family’s favorite breakfast foods and make sure there’s plenty of time to get to school or the bus stop. You don’t want to rush on the first day.
4) Set a good mood for the school year. Remind your kids about fun things from the year before, and do your best to minimize talk of negative things. Remind your kids that school can be fun.
5) Plan a “back to school” event the weekend before school starts. Maybe have your kids invite a few of their friends over for a sleep over or go to a water park.
1) Turn the back to school shopping trip into an adventure. Some parents get the school supply list and buy everything themselves. While that might be considered less of a hassle, it helps build up the excitement if you let your children pick out their own supplies. Let them decide on their lunchbox, backpack, crayons, etc.
2) Let your kids pick out a new back to school outfit.
3) Plan a special first day of school breakfast. Fix your family’s favorite breakfast foods and make sure there’s plenty of time to get to school or the bus stop. You don’t want to rush on the first day.
4) Set a good mood for the school year. Remind your kids about fun things from the year before, and do your best to minimize talk of negative things. Remind your kids that school can be fun.
5) Plan a “back to school” event the weekend before school starts. Maybe have your kids invite a few of their friends over for a sleep over or go to a water park.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Summer Love – Keep It Burning!
Summer seems to be a great time to start a new romance. If you’ve discovered love this summer, you may be afraid that it will fade as the temperature drops off. However, there are many ways to keep your summer love burning. Here are a few things to keep in mind when your summer romance seems to start to cool.
Talk to each other. No summer romance can survive a lack of communication. It doesn’t matter how you keep the lines of communication open, just do. If you don’t get the chance to see each other that often, then resort to alternative methods. Call, email, text, leave notes for each other…whatever it takes. Of course, this doesn’t mean you have to be in constant contact with each other—a little space is good, too.
Make time for each other. In today’s busy world, it can be hard to make time to be together. But if you want to keep your summer love going, it’s important to make time. Sure, phone calls and emails are great, but they are no substitute for being together. If necessary, set aside a few days a month as your special date time. Don’t let anything be scheduled on those days. If you want your romance to succeed, you’ve got to commit to it.
Learn the little details about your significant other. What music does he/she like? Food? TV shows? Many summer romances start out as just surface relationships—they’re physical, but often you don’t really get into the little things. Learn about each other and then put that knowledge to use.
These are just three little things you should do to keep your summer love going. If you put a little effort into it and that spark is there, you won’t have any trouble keeping your relationship going.
Talk to each other. No summer romance can survive a lack of communication. It doesn’t matter how you keep the lines of communication open, just do. If you don’t get the chance to see each other that often, then resort to alternative methods. Call, email, text, leave notes for each other…whatever it takes. Of course, this doesn’t mean you have to be in constant contact with each other—a little space is good, too.
Make time for each other. In today’s busy world, it can be hard to make time to be together. But if you want to keep your summer love going, it’s important to make time. Sure, phone calls and emails are great, but they are no substitute for being together. If necessary, set aside a few days a month as your special date time. Don’t let anything be scheduled on those days. If you want your romance to succeed, you’ve got to commit to it.
Learn the little details about your significant other. What music does he/she like? Food? TV shows? Many summer romances start out as just surface relationships—they’re physical, but often you don’t really get into the little things. Learn about each other and then put that knowledge to use.
These are just three little things you should do to keep your summer love going. If you put a little effort into it and that spark is there, you won’t have any trouble keeping your relationship going.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Starting a New Friendship
While some people claim they’re happy with the friends they have, many will actually jump at the chance to form a new friendship with someone. This is because we’re all social creatures at heart, and we do need some form of interaction to be whole. But starting a new friendship isn’t always easy.
Finding new potential friends is, of course, somewhat difficult. Do you try to cultivate friendships at work? That can sometimes backfire. Do you go out and socialize? Sometimes the people you meet in bars and clubs aren’t exactly people you want to be friends with. However, these are sources of potential new friends, as are churches, local events, and even the internet.
Once you’ve met someone you think may be a friend, how do you go forward? Some friendships are formed almost accidentally: you end up at the same business-related functions or events. Maybe you decide to attend a series of lectures at a local university and see the same person each time. You chat with them and eventually exchange contact information and start a correspondence. If you’re a parent, you might meet other parents at school events and realize you have a lot in common. While these types of acquaintances aren’t necessarily friends, they can become friends if you continue to talk and see each other.
But true friends will get together outside of events and meetings like this. You might email back and forth with someone on a topic you both enjoy and, eventually, one of you will suggest meeting for dinner or for coffee to continue the discussion. This is when you start to move into friendship territory.
There are other ways to start friendships, of course. You can join an online pen pal site and chat or email back and forth. Some friendships start while playing online games. Some come from professional associations like writing groups or professional society conferences. No matter where your new friendship begins, by nurturing it, you’ll come to have a new friend in your life.
Finding new potential friends is, of course, somewhat difficult. Do you try to cultivate friendships at work? That can sometimes backfire. Do you go out and socialize? Sometimes the people you meet in bars and clubs aren’t exactly people you want to be friends with. However, these are sources of potential new friends, as are churches, local events, and even the internet.
Once you’ve met someone you think may be a friend, how do you go forward? Some friendships are formed almost accidentally: you end up at the same business-related functions or events. Maybe you decide to attend a series of lectures at a local university and see the same person each time. You chat with them and eventually exchange contact information and start a correspondence. If you’re a parent, you might meet other parents at school events and realize you have a lot in common. While these types of acquaintances aren’t necessarily friends, they can become friends if you continue to talk and see each other.
But true friends will get together outside of events and meetings like this. You might email back and forth with someone on a topic you both enjoy and, eventually, one of you will suggest meeting for dinner or for coffee to continue the discussion. This is when you start to move into friendship territory.
There are other ways to start friendships, of course. You can join an online pen pal site and chat or email back and forth. Some friendships start while playing online games. Some come from professional associations like writing groups or professional society conferences. No matter where your new friendship begins, by nurturing it, you’ll come to have a new friend in your life.
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