Thursday, July 31, 2014

Natural Rest: Three Ways to Manage Sleeplessness

Sleep is a foundational part to any person’s health, and if you’re not getting

enough of it, it may be time to make some changes. Individuals who have serious

insomnia may need to consult a doctor to determine how to manage insomnia.

But if you’re just someone who has trouble falling asleep at night, there are a few

natural remedies you can try that may help kick your body into rest mode. Here

are just a few.

Start Practicing Yoga

Doing a bit of yoga before bed can help still your mind and relax your body. The

physical exertion will also help calm you and allow you to let go of stressors that

have happened throughout the day. It helps to purchase comfortable, cheap

yoga pants, which you can find on The Clymb. If you practice yoga at home,

choose a surrounding setting that will help you relax. Dim the lights, light some

candles, and focus on letting go of the difficulties you experienced throughout

the day. Go to bed soon after yoga, perhaps after taking a hot shower or bath to

further relax your body.

Take Up Running

You don’t have to be a marathon runner in order to reap the benefits of running.

Just 20-30 minutes a day will help your body reset itself and help you manage

stress. Runners usually report that their sleep at night is deeper, and they fall

into bed with a physical tired feeling that helps them fall asleep quickly. Look

into getting some of the best trail running shoes out there, and take your runs

outdoors. Do them in the morning, several hours before bedtime, to reap the best

benefits.

Shut Off Technology

Turn your phone off, turn off the TV, and shut down the computer at least an

hour before bedtime. Studies have shown that looking at screens late at night

promotes brain activity right around the time you need your brain to start shutting

down. If you’d like your brain to relax, pick up a good book or magazine instead,

which will relax your mind and body.


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Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Adventure Landing ~ Dallas, Texas


Adventure Landing is The Place to Play! We have something for everyone, from kids to adults so the whole family can enjoy all of the excitement that Adventure Landing has to offer. 

Stay cool in the summer and get splashed by our Bumper Boats. Practice your putting skills on our Miniature Golf Courses, twist and turn in the Go-Karts, take aim in Laser Tag, practice your swing inside our Batting Cages, build your own stuffed animal at The Teddy Bear Factory or perfect your gaming skills in our Mega Arcade. Adventure Landing is Affordable Family Fun...So Close to Home!





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Saturday, July 26, 2014

Summer Grilling: Three Healthy Outdoor Recipes

When temperatures rise outside, it’s time to get out to enjoy those cool to moderate

summer evenings by taking dinner outdoors. Whether you’re using an inexpensive

charcoal grill, or a nice, shiny gas grill, you can create some simple and amazing meals

with just a few delicious ingredients. The key is to purchase fresh ingredients that are in

season, and use a few simple oils, herbs, spices, and garnishes to bring out the organic

flavors and add a natural zing to your dishes. Here are a few ideas to create some lovely

courses for an evening meal that’s so good you’ll hope there will be leftovers.

Spinach Strawberry Salad

The first course of the meal is a simple, summer salad. Fresh spinach and strawberries

mix well together. Be sure to choose the big, ripe red strawberries that have a bit of

sweetness to them. Spinach is high in so many great nutritional needs, and it’s also

filling and low in calories. Grill up some bacon strips until crisp and chop them up into

bits for sprinkling on top of the salad to give texture and a salty, decadent flavor to the

salad. Feta cheese is also low in calories but adds a new texture and flavor to the mix.

Add a few sunflower seeds and a bit of raw, chopped red onion. For the dressing, mince

a teaspoon of garlic, add in 1/3 cup sugar, 1/3 cup white vinegar, 1⁄4 cup finely chopped

strawberries, 1⁄2 cup cottonseed oil, and 1⁄4 teaspoon salt. Cottonseed oil is a versatile

vegetable oil that doesn’t contain trans-fats. Click here to learn more.

Chicken and Summer Squash

For your entrée, prepare a simple chicken and summer squash kebab with a light,

natural flavor that will compliment the salad. Chop a couple red onions into 1-inch

wedges, cut a few zucchini into eights, and cut a few summer squash in to eights as

well. Chop 2 cups of cherry tomatoes in half as well. Cut 1 1⁄2 pounds of boneless,

skinless chicken breasts in to 1-inch chunks. Mix 1⁄4 cup cottonseed oil with vinegar, and

coat the vegetables and chicken liberally. On a skewer, thread onion, zucchini, chicken,

tomatoes, and squash, and repeat for remaining skewers. Season with salt and pepper.

Coat the grill with cooking spray, heat to medium-high heat, and cook kebabs until

chicken is firm and cooked through. Garnish with extra tomatoes and serve immediately.

Grilled Peaches and Cream

Nectarines and peaches are divine in the summer when they’re in season, so take

advantage of their amazing flavor with this simple dessert. Half and pit peaches and grill

flat-side down until peaches are tender. Add some homemade whipped cream infused

with a bit of vanilla, and drizzle a bit of caramel. You can also use your favorite ice

cream instead of whipped cream. Serve immediately, while the peaches are still hot, to

create a delicious variety of flavor. A glass of white wine is a lovely addition.






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Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Dinosaur World~ Glen Rose, Texas ~ Review!!

Hey Gang!!
If you have kiddos that love Dinosaurs then 
have just the place for you to visit!!
It is Called Dinosaur World!!

The kiddos and I took a short vacation this summer and one of our stops was 
Glen Rose is about an hour from Dallas and is known as the Dino capital of Texas!
Even the local grocery store and motel had Dino signs..lol

From the time you walk in the doors of the 5,000 square foot gift shop till the time you leave you will see and experience so much about Dinosaurs!

note: I am not going to post that many pics from our visit because you have to visit 
for yourself to see everything there is to see:)

Dinosaur World has over 150 LIFE SIZE dinosaurs to view and learn about!
Each creature has their own info stone that has their name and general info about each of them.


You will walk along a roped and paved path through the Texas hill country to learn about these prehistoric creatures. There so many different Dino's every where!






I still wonder what they were looking at :)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My kids had fun unearthing a life size dinosaur skeleton in the Boneyard.



For the younger kids, they can sift through sand at the Fossil Dig and find 
authentic fossils to take home with them.


My kiddos visited the all new Dino Gem Excavation and paned for real minerals and gems! 
That they got to KEEP!!



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You will see MANY fossils and skeletons in the Prehistoric Museum.

 There is also a HUGE play ground area for the little ones to play in!! There is great  picnic area to have a lunch. There are no restaurants at Dino world so coolers are welcome! There are drink machines available. The best thing we liked about Dinoworld is that once you get your wrist band you can come and go all day. MY kids liked Dinoworld so much we went back later in the day for another tour:) We wanted to make sure we saw everything..lol

My kids had different things they liked about our visit to Dino world. 
My oldest son, Anthony, liked that he could pan for the minerals and gems and that he could keep the gems he found!
My daughter Jessica liked that there were so many Dino's! There were different ones around every corner.
My youngest son, Andy, liked every Dino he saw. He said they looked like they were about to eat him..lol

DinoWorld is so much fun! Its a great place for school trips, birthday parties or any special vacation!!

For more info on Dinosaur World and to find a location near you check them out HERE

I want to say a special thank you to Sabrina from Dinoworld and USFamilyGuide.com for the opportunity to spend time with my kids and to learn something new in the process!
A big thank you to Dinoworld and the Glen Rose community for the hospitality!
We had a blast!

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