There are many benefits to eating out as a family, not least the fact that there’s no preparation, cooking or clearing up involved!

Image Credit

According to the Daily Mail, eating together as a family nourishes the mind as well as the body.

Of course, eating out can also brings some challenges depending on your children’s tastes and behaviour.

Benefits

Eating out as a family gives you time to spend together. The restaurant experience removes the distractions that children have at home such as the phone ringing or a computer game they simply must get back to. Quite simply, it allows you time out of your busy schedules to sit and chat together.

For older children, they have the opportunity to be grown up and show some autonomy. They are free to read the menu and choose what they eat themselves.

Eating out is also a great way to practise good table manners and learn how to behave in a social setting. If it’s a child’s first time, though, you may want to explain to them a little bit about how it will work before you go.

Image Credit

Challenges

There’s no getting away from the fact that not everyone can afford to eat in restaurants regularly, but lots of venues offer free children’s meals with a paying adult at certain times. Look out for vouchers and offers, too, to help reduce the cost.

Probably one of the biggest challenges parents face in taking their children to a restaurant is the fussy eater. If your child isn’t keen on trying new things, why not consider an all you can eat buffet style meal? This way, the children get to pick from a large array of items and if they don’t like it, they can try something else and you haven’t wasted money on a meal they won’t eat. Pizza is also always a firm favourite, so if you’re looking for Dublin restaurants, try http://www.forno500.ie/.

Finally, if your child misbehaves when you’re at home, it’s easy to get them to leave the table and go to their room or naughty step, but you won’t have this option in a restaurant. Be prepared for this and decide in advance how you will handle it, and remember, although it can be very stressful at the time, your child is learning valuable lessons from this experience.

Colour is important all over the house. The hues you choose for different rooms reflect, and often encourage, the various moods you want in different areas of your home.

Image Credit

For instance, kitchens are usually bright, light rooms decorated in bold colours. In many homes, they’re filled with hustle and bustle, with guests coming to chat while you’re cooking, and the kids demanding snacks at every hour of the day.

Living spaces, on the other hand, are more often decorated in quieter, paler colour schemes, because you want to be able to spend a lot of time there in comfort, watching TV and relaxing with the family.

But what about the bedroom? These days, most people don’t just use the bedroom for sleeping, and plenty of other activities take place there. Surfing the internet, watching TV, listening to music and reading – they all go on in the room we sleep in.

Relax

Of course, bedrooms should primarily be a place where you can relax. Experts say that to ensure you get enough sleep each night, you should reserve them mainly for sleeping, and keep most other activities – particularly screen-based ones – out of the room.

So what colours should you choose for this sanctuary? Which shades are the most relaxing?

Image Credit

According to BBC Home, every colour has a number of different connotations and associations, built up over centuries of use and perception. While bold primary colours, such as reds and oranges, are lively and warming, greens and blues are more calming and soothing, while yellows are energetic and lively.

So if you want a calming, restful bedroom above all else, you should go for the more soothing colours, such as shades of blue and green, especially where children sleep.

Liven it up

Having calming colours in the bedroom needn’t make it dull, however. You can liven up your rooms with a bolder, contrasting statement wall, add whites to brighten up the room, or include complementary accessories and furniture to add that little bit extra to your decoration.

Lamco Design, specialists in fitted wardrobes in Dorset (https://www.lamco-design.co.uk/fitted-wardrobes/) suggest considering your furniture carefully, as part of any bedroom makeover, to ensure all elements of the design work in harmony.

Above all, remember that if you love it, you’ll be able to sleep in it!

For some people, moving can be a difficult and stressful task. It can also be a stressful task for Nanaimo movers. So imagine how your pets may also feel. Your pets can get anxious and stressed out if there is an unanticipated activity or if they are brought to a new environment. It’s not an easy job. These problems don’t come in formula solution; however, below are some tips that you can use so your pets won’t get so riled up.

1. Study the pet rules and regulations.

There are landlords or homeowners’ association that have particular rules when it comes to pets. Your pet may have to have supplementary medications, vaccinations or certificates depending on where you will be moving. All of your queries can be answered by calling the local animal control facility.

2. Speak with your current vet.

If you want further information, your veterinarian can help. If your pet doesn’t like travelling, your veterinarian can recommend meds or behavior modification techniques that can help your pet not be anxious during travelling.

3. Find a new vet in your new place.

Before you move to your new home, look for a new vet. Your current veterinarian may be able to recommend you if he or she knows a colleague in the area. After finding a new veterinarian, it is advisable to make an appointment as early as possible to get established.

4. Gather your pet’s medical records.

Before leaving you for your new home, make sure you acquire all your pet’s medical papers to give it to your new veterinarian and make sure to locate the nearest emergency animal center and get their emergency phone number.

5. Update your address.

Don’t forget to make new identification tags for your pet with your new phone number and address. Also, don’t forget to update the contact information on your pet’s identification microchip if they have one.

6. Keep things normal.

Try packing your things over a long span of time so your pet will think that everything is just normal. This will make them less anxious. If you have a cat, it’s much better to move or place their carriers outside weeks before you move. Also, do not pack your pet’s food away. Keep the food, bowl, meds, water and other vital supplies from the moving truck and always with you.

7. Be ready for air travel.

If you’re planning to move your pet internationally or travel them by air, make sure to know all the rules and regulations before you leave and also don’t forget to bring with you the documents of your pet.

8. After the moving day, don’t let your pets wander around the neighborhood until they are accustomed.

Take your pets outside and let them explore their new environment and show them how to get home. If you let your pets out in their new environment immediately, they might get anxious and run away. Ensure that the identification tags of your pets are fully secured in their collar.

If you are moving, contact Sunrise Moving & Storage to learn more about their speciality which is helping pets move.

A strong roof is vital to any home, and it doesn’t need to take brains to know that fact. In the end, deteriorating roofs let moisture in or even break, threatening your safety. Although roofs can last for quite some time, they need to be properly maintained and sooner or later, replaced by a company like Kanga Roofing. Luckily, there are signs that will tell if your roof is deteriorating.

Possible signs that your roof needs replacement:

1. It is old. Many roofs have a 20-years warranty. So if you haven’t replaced your roof for 20 years, there is a good chance to consider about changing those old roofs.
2. It appears bad across the street. Having good-looking roofs is important, and you don’t want your roof to look awful. Stand on your street and see if you can find shabby areas, extensive “streaking” in your shingles or areas around the vents and chimneys that have areas of disrepair.
3. The shingles look awful. You must do a detailed check-up on the shingles of your roof. If most of them look curled, bent, wet, broken, stained, darker or missing, then it’s time to replace them immediately.
4. You can see granules all over. If shingles start to deteriorate, they will break into fine bits that appear like dark and coarse sand. If there are granules present in your yard, gutters and landscaping, then they come from your roof.
5. Bubbling, peeling or staining paint can be seen. A roof that’s leaking can result to wearing of exterior paint all over the roofline; however, it can also leak in the walls of your home and stain the walls inside.
6. The deck appears bad. The “deck” of the roof composes the support beams that hold the shingles and roof. If these beams are wilting or showing signs of damage from moisture, it’s time to replace the roof deck and shingles.
7. There is a leak in your attic. After a thunderstorm or melting of snow, you will see water leaking into your attic; however, your roof can leak a bit; if you can see the inside of your attic without a light, then it’s time to replace your roof.
8. Your energy bill is increasing. A roof that has not damage serves as an insulator from heat and cold. If your roof is damaged, you will notice that your energy bills will increase, since your heater or air conditioner needs to work double time to maintain the right temperature.

Replacing your roof can be a costly investment, so make sure you find an experienced Vancouver roofer like Kanga Roofing who will do the job properly. Don’t wait too long to replace your roof or else you might be investing extra on damages caused by damaged roofs.

In order to entice people into your store to spend money and ensure they return again and again, it is critical that you create an inviting atmosphere. A little time and effort will turn your little corner of the retail industry into a space that people look forward to visiting.

Image Credit

An added bonus is that this will also make your store a more enjoyable place in which to work, which means happier, more enthusiastic employees. It’s also good for your workers!

Personality

Step one is to ensure your shop has its own, distinct personality. It is this unique style that will set it apart from others. One way to establish this is to consider what sort of customers you are hoping to attract. Would they appreciate background music and muted tones or something altogether louder and brighter? You will need to bring in fixtures and fittings that create the backdrop for this new image. Choose modern, sleek items for an upscale ambience or vintage pieces for more of a shabby chic, trendy feel.

The Little Things

The finishing touches will gel everything together and complete the look and feel you are trying to achieve. If you really want to create an individual atmosphere it is important to seek out options that are completely unique instead of going for anything too generic. This comes down to even the smallest details, such as price tags, signage and shelf labels.

Image Credit

Music

If you do choose to play music in your shop, be careful to choose the right playlists. Never play it overly loudly, and stick to something your ideal customer will approve of rather than trying to appeal to all tastes. For example, you might choose indie tunes and chart music for the younger demographic or soft rock and jazz for older clientele. Check out music for business at sites like http://moodmedia.co.uk/in-store-music-for-business/.

Employees

The final piece of the puzzle is the employees. It pays not to overlook the people you are trusting to provide the face of your company. They need to be courteous and professional and wear clothes that reflect the style and atmosphere of the store. Although it may feel overbearing to insist that they wear uniforms, a general dress code is important to ensure they do not clash with the shop or each other.

The Surrey Sculpture Society and RHD Garden Wisley are teaming up in an exciting collaboration that will play host to one of the biggest sculpture trails in the country during late summer 2017.

Image Credit

Celebrating 20 years

The 20th anniversary of the Surrey Sculpture Society at RHD Wisley will be celebrated through the exhibition of more than 80 inspiring sculptures that will be displayed in the peaceful setting of a splendid garden. The garden will exhibit works that comprise of a mix of established and emerging sculptors. Various materials such as stone, glass, resin, ceramic wood and metal (as used in Corten metal garden sculptures) are included.

Horticultural enjoyment and sculptural delights

The curator at RHS Garden Wisley, Matthew Pottage, is thrilled that the gardens have been approached to play host to the 20th Surrey Sculpture Trail. As summer trails off and autumn sticks out its head, visitors will be fortunate enough to enjoy an exhibit that stimulates creatively and is enhanced by a delightful horticultural setting. According to the BBC, the impact of green spaces on your mental health is long-lasting and positive. Following the Sculpture Trail will have a dual effect on your well-being by inspiring your creativity and positively impacting on your mental health.

Image Credit

2017 is very special to the Surrey Sculpture Society

Chair of the society Henriette Van der Does notes that the Surrey Sculpture Society had their very first show organised 20 years ago in 1997. More than 80 pieces by 68 sculptors will be on show. The variety of subject choices and sizes is vast, and all kinds of materials are used, including metal like those used for Corten metal garden sculptures. To the benefit of the talented sculptors, all pieces will be available for sale. With a trend toward garden sculpture on the rise, visitors will have the opportunity to purchase and bring pieces into their own living spaces. Great choices are also available from local sculptors such as http://www.afsculpture.uk/scuplture-portfolio/corten-metal-sculptures.

Make sure to visit the showcase between 19 August and 24 September 2017 at RHS Garden Wisley to see works that include Don Foxley’s Enlightenment. This piece draws a line between 2017 and 1997, when its sister sculpture was exhibited 20 years ago. Be sure not to miss Denise Jaques’ Shards sparkle piece or Adam Warwick-Hall’s mechanical animal!

Most men who are out of shape will be familiar with the feeling of not being able to wear swimming trunks at the beach. That doesn’t have to be the case, though. Irrespective of their shape or size, every man can enjoy wearing swimming trunks or shorts and feel confident in them. The trick is to choose men’s swimwear that is appropriate for your height and shape. Not sure how to achieve that? Worry not, because here are some of those tricks that can help you look great in men’s swimwear.

Tall men

If you’re tall, chances are that swimwear is going to make you look taller. To avoid the illusion of further height, opt for swimming trunks that reach just above the knee. This will prevent your legs from looking longer and will also give your rest of the body proportion. It is wise to avoid very tight shorts or longer ones that cross your knees. These will only make you look taller and awkward. Having said that, also stay away from baggy shorts since they will also make your legs look longer. 9-inch inseam shorts are the best for tall men.

Short men

If height isn’t on your side, the best option would be to choose swim shorts that reach till your mid-thigh. This will make your legs look longer and give you the illusion of height. Retro style trunks, classic board shorts, and swimming briefs are appropriate for men with a short height. Don’t be afraid to try different patterns and designs though, since even vertically challenged people can effortlessly wear any colour swimwear with ease.

Thin Men

Men on the thinner side have it easy since they can wear any type of swimwear and pull it off. Try something that sits low on your hips and reaches your knees. Make sure that the fit isn’t too tight, or else it would make you look thinner. Also, keep them wide instead of loose to cover up your thinness. You could also wear knee length board shorts that are stylish as well as appropriate for your shape.

Stocky Men

Men who are on the heavier side should stick to board shorts with a relaxed fit. The shorts should reach the middle of your thighs. If you have a belly, wear your shorts at the hips, instead of wearing them too high. If the regular size doesn’t fit well, go for a size larger. Always stick to plain or dark coloured shorts to avoid giving prominence to your belly. The most important thing is to feel confident no matter what kind of swimwear you are wearing.

Storms can leave behind a lot of damage, whether it be fallen trees, damaged windows or in most cases water damage.  Flooded homes and burst pipes can lead to serious damage.  This is where hiring a respected Calgary water damage restoration should be a top priority.  Unfortunately, the restoration industry is not regulated and you can run into trouble when hiring a company as they may overstate their qualifications for the job.  If you hire the wrong company or individual you may end up doing more damage than good which could cost you an additional amount of money than you were expecting.  When you are reviewing a company to hire for the job, keep in mind these couple of points to make sure you hire the right person for the job:

1. Even though the industry is not regulated, those who take their job seriously have taken the steps to receive the best training possible and get certified. Certification through the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification is a sign that your technician is qualified, knowledgeable, and respected through the restoration industry.  The IICRC has a Certified Firm registrant-only database on their site that makes it easy to find a local, certified professional who can complete the job and doing a good job.
2. Do not hire a company solely off of the price or an insurance company’s recommendation. Often, insurance companies will recommend a company solely off of whoever is offering the lowest price which suggests they doing not use the most up to date or modern drying or repair methods like Calgary Water & Floods restoration  Ask your neighbors or friends for recommendations as they will often give you an unbiased thought on companies.
3. Look at if a company offers a range of water damages restoration services. If a company has expertise in the field they will offer a variety of options for homeowners.  For example, mold remediation is often needed because of how quickly mod can settle in.  This is a pretty standard knowledge set that advanced technicians should possess and if a company does not offer this service they may not be best suited for the job.
4. If a company is available 24/7 that is often a good sign. Every second when it comes to water damage counts and the quicker you can get started, the better.  If a company is reluctant to get started right away or makes the homeowner wait that is not a good sign.  That company can probably not be trusted to finish the job in a realistic timeframe.