Making The Most of Spring

The first signs of spring are finally here! After a long winter, the first glimpses of sunshine and blue skies are a welcome break for the eyes and soul. Spring can be such a beautiful time of year, with new plants shooting up and fresh signs of new life.

Spring is a great time to get out and about, after being stuck indoors over the winter months. With the onset of warmer weather, we naturally enjoy spending more time outdoors enjoying the fresh spring air. It’s a great excuse to take the whole family out for a hearty walk somewhere scenic – through the woods, by the sea or your local park. Remember to throw a couple of disposable cameras into your bag to capture those memories!

On a rainy day, enjoy some family bonding time by creating a photo scrapbook – simply glue in your favorite photos from your days out together, adding a few mementos or funny quotes next to the pictures.

Family days out are certainly fun, but can often get messy – so always take plenty of baby wipes for those sticky fingers and post-mud fight moments. When it comes to wipes, you can never have too many – so it’s worth buying in bulk!

Remember to take care in the sun – people often rush out to take advantage of those first rays of sunshine, but it’s important to always wear sunscreen. Now that the weather is warming up, it’s a good opportunity to take the kids swimming. Little ones can wear Huggies Little Swimmers nappies, which are specially designed to be absorbent without swelling in the water. You don’t need to book formal lessons – young children can be introduced to swimming during fun play sessions at your local pool.

If you don’t enjoy being in water, use your imagination to put an outdoor twist on indoor activities. Try eating breakfast in the garden, enjoying the morning sunshine as you sip your coffee.  Let the children get messy by drawing with colored chalks or paints on your drive.

There is no better time of year for a big spring clean at home! Are your cupboards and bedrooms full of clutter and unwanted junk that has accumulated over the years? Don’t worry, you’re not alone! It can seem like a daunting task, but once you start you will probably find it’s not as bad as you think. Making a start is the hardest step – even if you just clear one room, you will feel so much better! Clear out those dusty shelves with Lysol disinfectant spray, which destroys 99.9% of germs on household surfaces.

Cold weather makes us crave stodgy, carb-filled food – so spring is a good time to enjoy some lighter meals.  Experiment with some delicious salads using olive oil and balsamic vinegar for added flavor. It’s easy to get stuck in a rut with midweek meals, so try introducing your family to new flavors and cuisines – you never know, you could hit on a new family favorite!

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It’s easy to get stuck in a rut and get caught up in the mundane routine of daily life. When you’re busy juggling household chores with family life and work commitments it can be tricky to fit anything else into the equation. But, studies have proved that actively participating in hobbies can improve your mental well being and, ultimately, make you a happier person!

If you have always wanted to learn something new or exciting then remember there is no time like the present. It’s easy to put things off until another time and add them to the list of tasks you will get round to doing ‘one day’. Busy moms often push their own priorities down the list, past the children, the husband – even the dog! They’re often so busy tending to everybody else’s needs that their own happiness gets overlooked.

It’s not selfish to have a bit of time for yourself every now and then – even if it’s just once a month, or whenever you can. Regularly taking some ‘me time’ will help you relax and recharge, ready to face the world (and that pile of ironing) again!

If you’ve always fancied learning a new language, why not sign up for an evening course? If going out is a problem, there are a number of distance-learning courses that you can do online instead. Treat yourself to a nice notebook and a stash of new BIC Pens (you can never have too many pens, after all!).

Discovering a new craft can be hugely rewarding and a great way of passing the time on cold winter evenings. Card making, cross-stitch and stamping are all easy for beginners and you won’t have to shell out too much money on a few basic supplies. Stock up on some essentials like Sharpie Permanent Markers and multi-purpose glue and let the creative juices flow!

Learning something exciting will be more fun with company – get the kids involved in a family craft session. It can be a great way to bond and enjoy some quality time together. Give them a pile of colored paper, some Crayola paint brushes and glitter glue and let their imaginations run wild!

If you prefer something a little more practical, why not learn some DIY skills? It’s always useful to know how to put up a shelf or fix things around the house – it’s frustrating waiting for someone else to do it, so imagine the satisfaction of learning how to do it yourself! Arm yourself with a Helping Hand 6-in1 Screwdriver and a tape measure to get you started, and who knows where it could end?

A cookery class can be great fun and lead to delicious results! Try something new by learning how to cook Thai or Italian food – or perhaps learn some low-fat recipes if you’re on a health kick for 2013. A store cupboard essential like olive oil is a great staple to have on stand-by for all types of cooking.

Have fun learning!

Olive oil is commonly used in cooking, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and soaps AND as a fuel for traditional oil lamps.  But most people at home use this versatile oil only for its main and most common purpose, which is for cooking.  Here are 18 alternative uses for olive oil on the skin, hair, and around the home.

SKIN

1.Moisturize  - apply oil on hands and feet and sleep with socks and gloves on.

2.Exfoliating sugar scrub – combine oil with sugar and use as a scrub on your arms and legs in the shower.

3.Makeup Remover – dab on to a cotton ball to remove eye makeup (and moisturize at the same time!)

4.Soothe a sunburn – olive oil is soothing to the skin and keeps it moisturized.

5.Cuticles – moisturize dry cuticles with a drop of oil on each finger.

6.Diaper rash – natural and healthy, gently wipe the oil on your babys bottom to help with irritation.

HAIR

7. Oil Hair – massage a few drops of oil into the scalp and comb through, let the oil sit for about an hour and then shampoo.

8. Calm frizzy hair – just like morrocan oil, olive oil can tame those frizzies and condition the ends of your hair

9. Shave leg hair- this is great for sensitive skin as there are no harsh chemical, it is a natural lubricant and will leave your skin soft and smooth

10. Detangle Hair – again oil is a natural lubricant so applying a few drops to your ends will help the comb slide right through.

11. Repair damaged hair – the olive oil will condition and coat, leaving hair looking shiny and smooth.

AROUND THE HOUSE

12. Unstick a zipper

13. Quiet squeaky doors

14. Revitalize wood furniture – use like you would any furniture polish

15. Shine stainless steel

16. Remove paint from skin

17. Polish your shoes

18. Easy cleanup of garden tools – wipe on before you start working in the garden and when you’re done the dirt will easily wipe away!

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