A Jungle of Jeans: How to Find the Right Fit

While the developed world holds many amazing features and opportunities, sometimes individuals can get overwhelmed with the sheer amount of choices and information we have. In the past, stores would offer a few varieties of clothing and jeans – if you wanted anything else, you’d have to make it yourself. In today’s world, countless styles, cuts, colors, and fabrics are available just for denim, and with contrasting recommendations from fashion experts, it can be difficult to identify just what style, cut, and fit work for you. Here are a few helpful hints to aid you in your hunt for the perfect fit.

Watch Trends It’s important to pay attention to how styles are changing and adapt accordingly. What was cool when you were in college may be this year’s mom jean. Current hot styles are baggy jeans, skinny jeans, slim-cut jeans, and wide-leg jeans. The trick with these styles is to make sure you match the correct jean with the correct body type. Contrary to what you might think, baggy jeans often look better on slender people, and skinny or slim jeans often look better on heavier people. Baggy jeans add bulk, and skinny jeans look slim. Keep these principles in mind as you shop for your body type.

Know Your Colors If you’re having trouble knowing what shade of denim to buy, darker is usually the best option. Dark jeans can be easily dressed up for a casual date where you want to look your best without overdoing it, or for casual Fridays at work. They also are slimming and classic. Lighter jeans are fine too, but know what you’re looking for. The lightest shades of jeans can look odd unless you’re striving to make a fashion statement, and many jean manufacturers create wear in the denim to give it depth, but some can appear weird. When in doubt, go dark. For some color options, check out this wide variety of Levis.

Check the Length Length is a very important factor when selecting jeans. Those with long legs often have a hard time finding the right length of jean, and it’s really important to keep hunting until you find it. A jean that is too short evokes an awkward image. Jeans that are too long are easily tailored.

About the Author: Kate Beckam is a fashion writer and blogger. She prefers skinny jeans and loves that she can find Levis for women as well on the site.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored guest post.

What to Look for When Buying a Home

(photo source: freedigitalphotos.net/)

Buying a home can be a daunting task. You want just the perfect space for the family, but there are so many factors to consider. It’s a big investment and a big decision. If you are first-time home buyers, the process can be even more anxiety-ridden, because you may not know what to expect or what to look for. It may seem like you have looked at every house in town before you find any that even remotely fit your must-have list and are in your price range. It’s easy to get frustrated when looking for the perfect home, but instead of giving up make a list of the pertinent facts you need to remember when searching for your ideal home. Here are a few tips to get you started on what to look for when buying a new home.

Compromise
 It may not be nice to hear that word in the home search, but there is a strong element of reality in the process of buying a home. Sure, it would be nice to have balconies, a nice backyard, new windows, an open concept, and move-in ready features. However, it’s important to consider your price range against your list of must-haves and do some research to know what’s realistic in the area in which you’d like to live. If you go into the hunting process with realistic expectations, you’re less likely to be disappointed when your realtor leads you to houses you can afford. Know which items are absolute must- haves for you, and which ones would be nice but aren’t completely necessary.

Cosmetic Issues vs. Serious Issues 
You may walk into a house and be immediately turned off by bright, weird paint colors, when in reality those things are easy to fix. Try to ignore paint colors, carpet colors, a tacky choice of furniture, and other cosmetic deterrents. RE/MAX of Ohio can help you determine what pieces can be changed and which are permanent. Many items can be changed in a matter of days. Bigger issues, however, like an awkwardly placed wall, a new water heater, electrical problems, or mold can take serious dollars to remedy. If you’re willing to purchase a fixer-upper, be sure you know as much as you can about what you’re getting yourself into before you sign anything.

Location, Location, Location 
Pay attention to the location of the house. Is it on a busy street? Will noise prevent you from having a sanctuary in your home? Do you feel safe in the neighborhood? Knowing ahead of time what your noise standards are will help you decide whether the home is a good fit. These are all important questions to consider before you buy your home. Remember to not get discouraged – soon enough you will find your ideal home and you will feel thankful you took the time to think over the necessities to home owning prior to making your decision.

About the Author: Jessica is a writer who enjoys doing research on home owning and what to look for when buying a new home.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored guest post.

Tips for Single Moms: How to Manage Joint Custody

Image via freedigitalphotos.net 

If you’re newly divorced, life may seem a bit overwhelming, figuring out how to separate two lives that were once joined. If you have children, there’s a tremendous amount of decisions to be made. Gaining custody of your child can be a scary thing, especially if you don’t feel that your child would be in capable hands living with your former spouse. The majority of divorces result in joint custody, which means that you and your spouse both have visiting rights to see the children. The outcomes of these cases may vary, depending on many factors in your or your spouse’s ability to nurture, positively influence, and care for your kids. If you've been awarded joint custody, the situation can also be difficult, because you will still have to interact with and make decisions with your former spouse, when you may just feel the urge to cut all ties. Here are a few tips to help manage joint custody with an ex-spouse.

Leave the Kids Out of It 
It may be your first inclination to fill the kids in on every sordid detail of your separation and divorce from your spouse. You love them, and you want them to feel the same way about your estranged spouse as you do. However, keep in mind that children may not have the context or ability to understand the depth or complexities of the issues you share with your ex. As parents, it’s our job to shelter them from those things. If there are genuine concerns about the welfare of your kids when they’re with your spouse, talk to other adults about it, and get the help you need from them. If they’re not in any real danger, let them love both their parents equally -- and without feeling like they’re betraying one by loving the other.

Have Clear Expectations
Create a simple agreement that outlines the things your kids will need to maintain a semblance of consistency in their lives, and agree to uphold it with your exspouse for the good of your children. These may include things like acceptable forms of punishment, proper foods to feed the kids, and daily expectations, such as finishing homework on time or doing chores. Your children will more easily transition from one home to another if there are consistent expectations between the two places.

Schedule Regular Check-Ins 
Though it may be difficult to imagine having a civil conversation with your exspouse in many cases, it’s best if you move past your emotional responses and cultivate some type of relationship if that’s possible. If you need to, seek out counseling or a mediator to help you get to a place where you can speak logically and clearly with one another. You’ll need to be communicating about your children and how they’re doing. They’re the ones who will suffer if you’re not. Set up a weekly or bi-weekly time to talk with your ex-spouse. If you have to, set up a list of questions to ask each week and check in about your kids. Also, create an open space for your kids to check in with each of you. Listen more than speak. Let them know you support and love them through this time.

Paige One enjoys writing posts about how single parents can thrive no matter the circumstances.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored guest post.

Multivitamin Nutrition: Salads, Supplements, and Summer

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Summer is the perfect time to take a look at your diet and make some positive changes. Since summer foods are typically lighter and contain fresh fruits and vegetables, take some time this spring to evaluate and set goals for the changes you’d like to make. Eating healthy will affect every part of your life and your kids’ lives -- it’s a foundational element to living the best life you can live. Train your kids to enjoy healthy foods while they’re still young. Creating a great salad doesn’t have to be difficult, just like getting the vitamins your body needs doesn’t need to be difficult.

 Multivitamins
 The easiest way to consistently give your body the nutrition it needs is to invest in some good, high-quality multivitamins and take them on a daily basis. Seven Seas offers great supplements that can help you achieve your goals. You’ll still want to be sure that the foods you are eating provide the vitamins your body needs, but it’s difficult to get all the nutrition your body needs only through eating. Taking a multivitamin may help increase your energy, productivity, and overall health.

Spinach Salads 
Spinach salads are fantastic, because spinach has high iron content, and this leafy green vegetable tastes great with a variety of toppings. Keep your salad simple, so the ingredients have a chance to sing. Lay out a bed of a few cups of raw spinach leaves, and drop cubes of a lean, white meat on top of it, such as chicken or turkey. If you’re a vegetarian, consider a tofu option instead. Add something that will give a bit of a crunchy texture, such as sunflower seeds, pecans, walnuts, or even wonton strips. If you’d like to give the salad a salty zing, add some bacon bits. A bit of crumbled cheese will finish it off, along with a light, vinaigrette dressing. Eat your salad with a whole wheat roll and a glass of your favorite white wine.

BBQ Salads
 If you’re looking for a heartier salad option that still offers the same nutritional elements, consider a BBQ chicken salad. You might even be able to get your husband to eat it. Black beans are a low-calorie, high-nutrient source of vitamins. Be sure to add some into your salad. Cold sweet corn gives the salad a sweet crunch. You can use any type of lettuce you’d like for this salad, but in order to ensure it has a high nutritional content, go for a lettuce that is dark green and not full of water. Add some sunflower seeds, a few tortilla strips, and either chicken or a cooked salmon filet to complete the salad. For dressing, choose an avocado vinaigrette and add a dab of barbeque sauce to finish it.

Paige One writes about a variety of topics, from fashion to fitness – to even health!

Disclosure: sponsored post from Paige One. See my Disclosure Policy.

Stay Stress Free – Learn to Breathe Correctly and Focus on Your Breath

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Sometimes when you are in a stressful situation and you try to tell yourself to

take deep breaths it may be easier said than done. You don’t want to get anxious

from concentrating on your breathing too much, but you do want to focus on your

breathing enough to calm yourself down and realize that the stressful situation

will pass or there is nothing you can do about it at the moment. As a mother

your children will make you very frustrated at times, so it’s up to you on how you

handle it. Breathing correctly, exercising, and taking your vitamins on a daily

basis play a big part in staying stress free, because after you implement certain

techniques your stress level will go down and the smile on your face will return.

Are You Breathing Correctly?

You may have never taken the time to ask yourself if you’re breathing correctly,

because breathing is just as easy as walking (it’s just something that you do

without thinking about). However, there is a certain way to breathe when you are

in a high stress situation. First figure out where your breath is coming from. To

do this place one hand on your belly and the other on your chest. Singers are

trained to sing from their diaphragm, but in reality that’s also where you should

be focused on breathing from too, especially if you get anxious or stressed out in

intense situations. Inhale, allow your belly to come out, and exhale and the belly

will go back in. It’s okay to let your belly stick out during this exercise – only you

will know what you’re doing to help you relax. Focus on this technique until you

get it down; it will help you breathe correctly!

Learning to breathe this way will help you not only use your diaphragm if you’re

a singer, but it will help you focus on your breathing if you’re a busy mother too.

Being mindful of your breathing will help you focus on the flow of your breath

(yoga is a good place to do this too!) and will also hopefully allow you to meditate

and feel less focused on the stressful situation at hand. Give it a try and watch

the world around you quiet down. Soon enough you’ll be a breathing pro.

Maintain a Healthy Regimen

Having a healthy regimen is easier said than done, but staying healthy also

affects your stress level. If you’re eating the correct foods, taking the right

vitamins and exercising daily, this will also help you manage your stress.

Visit here at Sidepon.com to find Puritan’s Pride coupons so that you can stock up

your vitamins if you haven’t been taking any recently.

You can also practice your breathing during great fitness classes such as Yoga,

Pilates, and other classes that help you focus on your breathing. It’s okay to

take a break from being a stay-at-home mom and its okay to take a break after

working all day! Whatever the case may be, stick to a schedule that helps you

stay sane and soon enough you’ll be able to cope with most of the uncomfortable

or stressful situations that come your way with ease.

Sierra occasionally suffers from anxiety but thanks to breathing techniques and

the proper diet has learned how to manage her stress level. Learn more about

Sierra at her Ocean Dreams blog.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored guest post. 

Refresh Your Home: What to Do With that Awkward Wall

wall image from http://greigedesign.blogspot.com.au/2012/09/weekend-wishes.html

Many homes have them, and many women struggle with the same dilemma you

have: what to do with that awkwardly placed or shaped wall in a prominent place

in your home. Perhaps it’s at an angle in a room that feels like it should be square.

Perhaps it’s an awkward length, and a full-sized couch is too long to be placed

against it, but chairs and loveseats are just too small. Perhaps it breaks up a space

that feels like it should be open and flowing. Whatever the case may be, get creative

with solutions to turn that wall from an eyesore into a prominent feature.

Consider Unique Furniture Options

Perhaps most standard furniture doesn’t fit the space quite right. If that’s the case,

look for unique items that may take a bit more hunting but will be worth the wait.

Many furniture companies now make midi sofas. Unlike other unique furniture items,

you can find midi sofas fairly easily, and they can be a great, cozy addition to your

home, perfect for curling up with the kids to read a bedtime story or snuggling with

your husband at the end of the day. You can also scour thrift stores, antique shops,

and flea markets to find unique pieces. This will take a lot more work, but it’s a great

way to get out with the family or some close girlfriends and look for items that will

enhance your home.

Turn It Into Art

If furniture fails you, or if you do find the right midi sofa and want to add some

pizzazz to your space, turn the wall into art. Custom paint a large canvas in

dimensions that fill most of the wall, or blow up a favorite photograph and have it

framed. You’ll want the art to be stunning and fill the room with something that’s just

your style.

Texturize

You could cover the entire wall in a texture that reflects the style of the rest of your

decor. Wood and weathered planks might work well in some spaces, or tightly

arranged rods of bamboo, adhered to the wall. You could even experiment with

different types of fabric, and perhaps create your own personal tapestry to hang

against the wall. Old windows are a cool option as well -- purchase several at an

antique store, and hang them in close proximity to one another to cover the whole

wall.

Paige One enjoys writing about a variety of topics, including home makeover ideas!

Disclosure: this is a sponsored guest post.

Homewares, Coupons and Star Wars - The Online Rebel Alliance

I have two passions in life - cooking and geekery, particularly that of the Star Wars persuasion. Generally, these aren't two specialist areas that tend to cross over too often. Sure there's been a couple of Star Wars cook books and novelty kitchen items that have come out over the years, but none of it has been too serious. I thought that my two loves were destined to be kept apart...that was until I was introduced to Williams Sonoma.

I'm an Australian, so it was only in the last year or so that I first heard of the Williams Sonoma. Interestingly, at the time of writing this article it was only just announced that an Williams Sonoma store has been set to open in Sydney. It must be kismet!

But I digress. Much to my delight, I discovered that Williams Sonoma stocked a wide array of Star Wars kitchen goodies. Cookie cutters...that are molded for icing? They've got those. Storm Trooper spatulas? You better believe that they have those. Entire cupcake decorating kits for both the Rebel Alliance AND the Empire!? Oh be still my beating geeky heart! 

I realize that Star Wars cookery is a very particular niche market, and that it’s not for everyone. And I guess that’s the point that I’m getting to. Williams Sonoma is a kitchen and cookware website that not only sells the highest quality products (most of which are free of geekery - I promise!), but they also endeavor to cater for everyone. Any old kitchenware site can sell nice things to nameless customers, but Williams Sonoma clearly cares about both quality, and personalization. In addition, they were clever enough to work out that most Star Wars fans are also highly likely to be partial to pancakes and cookies. Well played, guys.

There’s only one other thing that I love as much as kitchen goodies and geeky things, and that’s getting to save money on kitchen goodies and geeky things. That’s why I get super excited trawling through the Williams Sonoma sales tab on their website – there’s always insane bargains to be had. Let’s just say that whenever the Star Wars stuff goes on sale I almost go into cardiac arrest…and my partner is made temporarily deaf from my ecstatic screaming. Sorry sweetie!

Other ways to save money on the site, and other across the web, is by utilizing Williams Sonoma coupon code that are made available. This is where websites such as Nerd Wallet come in. Online coupon codes are becoming increasingly popular every year, and there are countless sites dedicated to them. 

However, it’s important to separate the trash from the treasure, and Nerd Wallet definitely fits into the latter category. I’m particularly partial to it due its versatility – it has coupons for everything. All the usual contenders are there of course – travel, restaurants, homewares, kitchenware and wine. Mommy does love a glass of shiraz. However, those are just a few of the huge range of categories, some of which are particularly specific. Military Shopping or Pet Accessories, anyone?

So if you’re looking to get some great savings, particularly from sites like Williams Sonoma that have incredible prices anyway, I highly recommend Nerd Wallet. Afterall, why pay full price when you can get a discount? There’s no longer any reason to not get a Yoda pancake mold, even if you’re on a budget.


*Disclosure: consideration was received for the editing and publishing of this article

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

The following is a guest post for you to enjoy:

People have become aware that more children nowadays have what is called a gluten intolerance. The National Institutes of Health, Univ. of Chicago Celiac Disease Center reported in 2012 that between 5% and 10% of all people suffer from a gluten sensitivity of some form. Many bakeries have also become aware of the growing need for different options of baked goods and have started providing gluten free alternatives.

As parents, chances are that we all have at least one friend of the family who's child has a gluten sensitivity. It is a good idea to have ingredients and a recipe on hand for playdates. Below is a gluten free chocolate chip cookie recipe that all kids can enjoy. 

This recipe makes 3 dozen cookies.

Ingredients

3/4 cup softened butter

1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar

1/4 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon gluten-free vanilla extract

1/4 cup egg substitute

2 1/4 cups gluten-free baking flour mix

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F 

Grease a baking sheet (keep one on hand just for gluten baking).

In a medium bowl, cream butter and sugar. 

Gradually add egg substitute and vanilla while mixing.

Sift together gluten-free flour mix, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

Stir into the butter mixture until blended.

Stir in the chocolate chips.

Using a teaspoon, drop cookies 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake in preheated oven for 6-8 minutes or until light brown.

Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes before moving them to wire racks.

Rich Coffman is a blogger on the front range of Colorado. After attempts at baking himself, he now buys gluten-free cookies from his local bakery.

The Best Laptops for Mummy Bloggers

The following is a guest post: 

In my hectic life as a mum and a writer, I want a laptop that is both portable and fashionable, so that I can carry it with me on the busiest days. Here are my three favourite laptops to write on the go– you can easily find them online from hundreds of sellers:

The Top 3

1. Samsung Chromebook: Advertised as the laptop to help tackle everyday tasks faster and easier, everything on this laptop runs online through Chrome so I can use Google Docs for writing and Google Hangouts to video call friends and family. The Chromebook starts up in seconds and is so lightweight I can carry it around in my purse to use whenever I get a spare moment.

2. Macbook Air: Always pushing the edge of technology and style, there’s the Macbook Air. Incredibly thin and lightweight, this laptop comes standard with the impressive Mountain Lion operating system and is packed with useful tools to help keep every aspect of my life organized.

3. Acer Aspire S3 Ultrabook: At only 1.3 cm thick, I can slip it into my bag when I’m rushing out the door. It connects instantly to the web and has a six-hour continuous use battery, so nothing’s holding me back from getting things done.

The Verdict

While all of these laptops respond to a mummy blogger’s needs in one way or another, each one of them has different strengths and weaknesses. And it would certainly be wrong to put them all on the same level: the Macbook Air’s quality and overall performance is undoubtedly superior, but this means even the cheaper 11-inch version starts at £849. The Aspire S3 is instead a rather good compromise between quality and affordability, with a more affordable £450 as starting price. Finally, the Chromebook is the way to go if you’re looking to save some money and you’re not expecting the most performing machine: £229 for a very portable laptop is a bargain few mummy bloggers could resist!

 

Save Money Travelling as a Family

Traveling as a family is a great opportunity to spend time together as well as an opportunity to grow as an individual as you discover new places. However, traveling can be an expensive endeavour which can hit the wallet even more when you travel as a group. The following are some suggestions a family can discover the world, while keeping more money, sometimes foreign, in their wallet.

Bed and Breakfast:Many hotels these days offer a complimentary buffet-style breakfast for their guests. This is a great deal for families. Two parents and two children can often share a room and save tens of dollars on breakfast the following day. By filling up on free breakfast you will not be tempted to buy food until the next meal. If possible, try to rent a room with a fridge or a little kitchenette where you can store some snacks or cook a few meals without needing to go outside to restaurants.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure: We all get sick; this is a fact of life. However, no one wants to be sick on vacation.

Not only is it an inconvenience it can be downright expensive, especially if you need emergency medical care. So do not skimp and buy travel insurance in Canada, for a few dollars you can not only save hundreds of thousands of dollars but also be protected against trip cancellation, trip interruption or baggage loss or delay.

Remember that it is a journey: Once you get to your travel destination, make sure to discover the many free things the new place has to offer. Do some research. Many museums, zoos or exhibits have discounted days or even free admission on certain days of the month. By planning your schedule accordingly you can save a lot of money in admission fees. Furthermore do not be hung up on seeing everything. Take a walk through the main streets or the local park or the beach. These are all free activities that will make a huge impact on your travel experience.

Do some research:As mentioned before, taking a little bit of time to research your trip beforehand, can save you a lot of money in the end. If you know the places that you want to visit beforehand, make sure to visit their website and see if there are any coupons that are available for your adventures. Instead of spending a lot of money for a taxi at the airport, try and check if your hotel offers a shuttle service. There are plenty of discounts available for families if you keep your eye open.

Haggle: Many places want your business, so they are willing to work with you to get you a better price. Perhaps an airline can offer you a cheaper seat on a different line? Or a vendor at the local market will lower the price of his goods, if you only ask.

Through these tips and more, your family can have a great and inexpensive travel experience.


The above is a guest post I found in my inbox this morning that I thought you might enjoy.

Engage your kids with Splatalot

The following is a guest post from Splatalot:

 With childhood obesity now considered to be at an all time high, many parents are trying to get their kids to engage in a more active lifestyle. However, they face a challenge in convincing their children that physical activity can be fun. After all no child wants to run the track in circles or do continuous sit-ups. If you are looking for a new way to get your kids interested in exercise, consider watching the Canadian medieval themed physical game show Splatalot, and making it a family ritual.

 Splatalot, is physical activity game show for kids featured on the YTV channel and is similar to the television show Wipeout! In the show the kids have to get through a large, extreme obstacle course with three rounds of competition. In al,l they will face crossing the moat, escaping the stockade and finally capture the Crown. In each episode a new group of 12 tweens and teens that will compete to be the fasted on the course. But that is not all. As if obstacles weren’t enough the teens will face the ‘Defenders’, which is an international squad of nine medieval ‘gladiators’ whose mission is to protect the castle from the contestants know as the Attackers. Once the first Attacker gets through the Defenders and the obstacle course they win.

 Parents can kids can cheer for their favourite contestant and laugh at the ones that go “Splat!” and at the same time realize how much fun physical activity can be. The obstacles are unusual and a lot of fun, and they show is presented in a comedic way that is sure to keep the whole family excited and entertained -definitely different and more stimulating than your average gym class. The show has become so popular that there are even now international editions filming.

 Because of the success of the show there is now a game developed called; Splatalot 2: Capture the Crown 2. The game is available on the games section of the YTV website. In the game, the challenger has to pass through several obstacles to capture the crown in the end. Fans of the show will recognize many of the obstacles from television within the game. Since the Splatalot 2: Capture the Crown 2 is absolutely free of charge and available on the internet it means that kids can hone their obstacle course skills at any time, even with the snow blanketing the outside world. The controllers and concept are easy to use and easy to follow, respectively, which means that kids will not get very easily discouraged with the gaming.

 With heaps and loads of splashes and spills, Splatalot is a great show for kids to watch and enjoy with the families, and who knows maybe with a little training your child will want to one day participate in the game show itself? In the mean time they can practice their obstacle course navigation through interactive game available on YTV. Splatalot get the kids and their families excited about physical activity and exercise.