Don't Let The Weather Ruin Your Next Family Reunion

By Byron Jonas

When it comes time to sit down and enjoy a nice long meal with your family, some people are forced to wait longer than others. While your family may all be centrally located in one common place, other people live and work miles and miles away from their closest relatives. As a result, coming together as a family and catching up with each other might be easy for some, but is extremely difficult (and consequently, rare) for others. That being said, many people who are unable to be with their family as often as they might like, are able to see everybody every year at the annual family reunion.

The best way to celebrate any kind of occasion is with an outdoor fiesta. You'll need to get Mother Nature's permission, and that's not often forthcoming. For the times when she won't agree, an outdoor instant shelter is the perfect solution. These durable structures provide protection against the elements, rain or shine.

There are a few things to consider when deciding on how you want to go about organizing your outdoor birthday party.

Having the event outdoors and enjoying a large picnic with everybody who was able to come might be an even better way to enjoy your next family reunion.

Another way to throw a memorable outdoor birthday party is to invite everybody you know to come join you at a live sporting event or concert. This way, your guests will be able to come together for you, but will also be able to enjoy the live event being put on in front of them. This style of party can be great, but it may alienate a few people who either do not care about sports or who simply do not like the type of music being performed. Furthermore, it can be more costly as you will have to pay for tickets for everybody you want to come.

However, no matter how you decide to run your reunion, you must also be sure to take the necessary steps in case the weather is uncooperative. If the forecast calls for rain, do not run around worrying that your event will be ruined. With outdoor instant shelters, you and your family will be able to take refuge until the storm passes over, or simply enjoy each other from underneath the protective tent rather than outside under the sun.

The major concern of people who plan these types of events can be "what if the weather does not cooperate?" It is reasonable to fear a rainstorm or an unbearably hot day might ruin your otherwise perfect birthday party. However, with outdoor instant shelters, these worries can be put to bed. These affordable and easy to set up devices will provide comfortable shelter for all your guests in the even that the whether does not work out in your favor.

Throwing a birthday party outside is an excellent way to celebrate your special day. Do not let the weather get in the way of what is intended to be a joyous occasion - grab yourself an outdoor instant shelter and you will be prepared for whatever weather may come.

About the Author:

Byron Jonas uses pop up shelters when he has an outside family party at home. Instant marquees offer protection from the weather, ensuring the function runs smoothly no matter what the conditions.

A Health Drink Worth Every Penny

By Anker Arkady

Are you getting your money?s worth when you buy your health drink? Today?s recession, the way I see it, is a blessing. You must be saying ?This guy is crazy.? Well hear me out first on why I choose to view it that way and why it may be connected with the health drink. Sounds farfetched right? Don?t worry, I completely understand. I have been there too.

With ever red cent that I spend, I want it be worth it. And that includes the health drink of course. I?m definitely an advocate on having value for money. If a health drink claims to have vitamins and supplements, then I want to absorb them. But as some of you may know, a good 20% is only absorbed and the rest would go to certain waste.

I can?t buy health if mine goes bad. Can you? If you can, please tell me where you bought it because I?d like to buy a lifetime supply. But it cannot be done. When it comes to health, we need to invest. That is why; investing in a health drink that has supplements that we can absorb is something that we need to take seriously.

Being an advocate of health, I?m not a fan of fillers, additives and preservatives. Health drinks in my opinion should be as natural as possible. Hey, it?s called ?health drink? right? Those hard to read and hard to enunciate ingredients should never have estate on my health drink. Health drinks that are loaded with preservatives shouldn?t be called health drinks in the first place.

I want to have a fresh health drink without preservatives. Let me strongly stress that: I don?t want to drink preservatives. I want it as fresh as possible just like it came straight out of the factory. Is there such a drink out there that caters to what I want? Do you know of a beverage that has none of those preservatives? We?re quite lucky in this age in time because developmental research is always on the move.

I was very skeptical when I first saw Yoli Blast Caps. It was definitely a departure from the conventional. I mean, come one, does it have to have the name ?Blast Cap?? Sounds like the drink would burst of some sort. Well, it?s better the drink bursting and not the drinker after drinking it. On a more serious note, the moniker came from the pop it produces when the beverage is activated.

It has the traits and qualities that I have been looking for in a health drink. And a standout would definitely be its lack of preservatives and its all natural ingredients. How is this possible wherein a drink doesn?t use preservatives? That?s easy. The ingredients are installed in the cap and are kept in the cap until you activate them. This is definitely different from other conventional beverages.

So, it?s just like getting your health drink straight from the factory. It doesn?t matter if it has been on the shelf for quite some time. And did I mention you get to absorb more than 20% of the supplements? That?s because it?s brewed or activated just before you drink it. This makes Yoli Blast Caps one of the most valuable, bang for the buck health drink out there.

About the Author:

Anker Arkady has been doing research on health beverages for more than ten years. Read testimonies and get more free information from his online beverage store.

5 Holiday Suggestions For Winter Wedding Favors

By Andrea McClure

One of the best parts about the winter season are the bright and joyous celebrations of Christmas. For a bride who wants to bring joy and light to her nuptials this winter this is the perfect theme. There is solemn with the holiness of the Christmas story and the birth of the Christ Child. There are also the celebrations tied with other popular holiday figures such as Frost, Rudolph, and Santa Claus. A bride that wants to incorporate Christmas as her winter wedding theme wants to create an environment that attendees both young and old will enjoy. This should also be reflected in the favors she chooses. Here are some great suggestions for holiday themed winter wedding favors.

For those who want to have something sweet candy canes and other holiday candies are a great holiday wedding favor to give out. You can give them out in cute favor boxes that are holiday or winter themed. Another idea is to give out the favor boxes and set up a holiday candy bar and have guests pick the candies that they want . This is a cheap and easy to put together idea and on top of that guest will have a wide selection to pick from and they will be more pleased with the final results.

Of course for the adults serving wine and other alcoholic beverages at Christmas parties is tradition. However for wine bottles it can be all too easy to spill when the cork won?t go back in properly on the bottle. For this holiday wine bottle stoppers are just the thing. They are festive decorations for your wine bottles and they also will keep spills from occurring. They are also durable so they can be used time and time again by your guests for many Christmases to come.

Tree Ornaments are another great idea for wedding favors. You can make them wedding themed with images of you and your groom. Tree ornaments are great gift choices because they can be used by guest time and again each year. They are also great mementos and will remind your guests of your wedding and the joyous occasion it was whenever they hang it on the tree at Christmas time.

For a cute gift you can give gifts mini mittens. These will be great as decorations or just as something to keeps as souvenir. They are also quite affordable. Some great ways to uses them is as candy favor containers or as part of holiday gift sets for your guests. Either way they are the type of gifts whose benefits are up to the imagination of the recipient.

Another great gift is crystal figurines. Whether they are figures of angels or snowmen crystal figurines are perfect mementos for a holiday themed wedding. They are also affordable and perfect for the bride looking for beautiful favors on a budget. The can also be personalized whether it is a monogram or a short message with the date of the wedding and thanks. They are great gifts for the guest who enjoys collecting.

Overall look for gifts that are interesting twists on age old holiday favorites. The point is not necessarily that they are especially useful so long as they are fun and bring the joy and excitement of the holidays to your guests.

About the Author:

Andrea McClure has authored on an extensive range of topics related to the wedding industry. If you are looking for Christmas Wedding Favors, MrsWeddingFavors has the biggest selection available. You will also find Wedding Shower Favors and much more, all at very affordable prices.

Homemade Knife: Turn An Old Hand Saw Into A Dozen Knives

By Mike Adams

A homemade knife can be easily made from an old hand saw. With just a few steps you can turn trash into treasure.

Naturally, the first thing you need is an old hand saw. You can still find them in many places like junk shops, old tool markets or flea markets.

Don't go for the well-preserved ones, look for the rusted ones and the ones with broken handles. These will be very cheap and work just as well. Just don't buy the saws with heavy pitting.

Just a few bucks is all you should pay for old hand saws in this condition. You're after the old ones due to the high-carbon steel contained in them. Edges will stay sharp a long time with this kind of steel.

Take the bolts out of what remains of the handle when you get it home and you might want to go ahead and run a piece of fine sandpaper over it to remove the surface rust and clean it up some.

The knives made from saw steel will be thin, tough and flexible, just what you want for great kitchen knives. The tempered steel will create a fine old fashioned knife.

High heat will destroy the temper in saw blade steel so you can't cut the blade out with a torch. You will need to use other mechanical methods to do this. Your old fashioned knife will need the tempering to stay sharp and flexible.

Using a grinder or belt sander to remove the rough cut marks will transform your knife blank into a shiny piece of metal that will now start to look like a homemade knife.

Drill three holes in the handle area of the knife blank to accept the rivets that will hold the wooden handles pieces. Anneal (soften) the steel first at these points with a small propane torch.

Attaching a wooden handle to a homemade knife is not difficult. It just requires some epoxy glue and rivets.

Store-bought rivets are available, but it just seems more correct for a homemade knife to make your own. Brass or copper are best.

Once the handle is on, it's time to finish up by putting an edge on the blade. I use either a bench grinder or belt sander for this. Take your time, check your work often and keep the blade cool by dousing in water every couple of passes. Making a fine homemade knife is a work of patience.

Slow even passes on the machine are what makes for perfect edges. Use very little pressure and try to keep a steady angle all the way across. If you feel the metal getting too hot, douse it in water to cool it.

With the right touch it should be only minutes before you have a homemade knife that should give you good service and last for decades.

About the Author:

Making a homemade knife is an interesting and fun project. You'll be morphing a piece of worthless metal into great tools to use, give as gifts or sell. You can learn all you need to know to get started with this craft at http://www.how-to-make-a-knife.com

Baby Nursery Decoration: Safety Tips For The Newborn's Room

By Harriet A Morris

Baby nursery decoration is a really enjoyable part of preparing for the birth of a child. Make sure your baby's room is as safe as you can make it by following these guidelines:

1. Blackout curtains or blinds are popular these days, because experts say that a darkened room helps newborns sleep better. However, you must be careful that there are no loose cords hanging anywhere near your infant. It is horribly easy for one of these cords to get wound round a baby's neck, causing unthinkable consequences. Cut the cords, or at least tie them back securely.

2. Long items such as curtains that are trailing on the floor are especially dangerous if these curtains have blackout lining, beacause it means a fall in the dark.

3. A rug can be a trip hazard - just think of all those times you will be going to pick your little one up in the dark. If you really want a rug, place it under something so you cannot physically walk on it - a table or feeding chair for example.

4. Plug sockets might be worth having out of view altogether. Socket covers to stop babies sticking their fingers where they should not are commonplace and are very effective. A less well-known problem is that of older, more mobile babies falling and hurting their heads on the corners of floor level sockets. Once your little one starts rolling around, it is best to reposition furniture in front of sockets to prevent this minor injury.

5. SIDS - or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is a worry for every parent. Because they are thought to block air flow around the infant, cot bumpers are not advised for the under one's. If your baby hurts their head on the cot bars, try this novel solution: if your cot mattress fits the travel cot, just use that instead. The sides are much softer.

To sum up, safety in the nursery is mostly a question of common sense. If it's your first baby, don't be overwhelmed by worries that will very probably never materialise. When you start to feel anxious, do something positive to make the nursery - and the baby nursery decoration - as safe as possible. A checklist of safe behavior is a good place to start.

About the Author:

Looking to find the best deal on nursery sets, then visit Bo Baby to find the best advice on baby nursery decoration and much more.

Light Weight Strollers are Best for Travel

By Chris Maclaren

If you have young children and you've gone traveling with them in the past, then you no doubt already know just how difficult it can be. Not only does it involve a considerable amount of extra luggage, but of course your kids certainly won't be volunteering to carry any of it. This is why it's so crucial to keep everything light weight wherever possible. The same thing applies to strollers if your kids are still riding in them. Let's face it, you don't want to be rushing about in an Airport carrying luggage and trying to hold on to your kids at the same time, and that's why you should definitely take your stroller with you, but of course you need to have a lightweight stroller such as an umbrella fold stroller.

As I myself have discovered in the past, the vast majority of airlines don't really provide much information about their procedures regarding strollers. In order to avoid any last minute upsets and confusion, here are a few tips which should be able to help you when it's time for boarding and disembarking.

Bear in mind that you can take your stroller all the way to the aircraft because it's not necessary for you to check it in with your other luggage. They will however place a tag on it when you check-in, and when you go through the security check, they'll more than likely want you to put the stroller through the x-ray scanner.

For your convenience, you can wheel your stroller right up to the entrance of the plane. You can't however, bring your stroller on board. There isn't much of a place to store strollers on the plane, and putting them in the overhead compartment is inconvenient and dangerous.

When traveling with your young child, it's important to bring a light weight stroller for the trip. You may want to think about an umbrella fold stroller, or another lightweight stroller in the Maclaren Buggy range.

Most important of all, you need to steer clear of strollers which are full of different attachments and gadgets. After all, the main idea is to have a stroller which is lightweight, strong, and easy to store. As such, you don't want a lightweight stroller which requires you to remove certain parts before you can fold it up for transit. For this reason, you should really avoid the three wheelers and those designed for rugged terrain

Over and above needing to be lightweight, your stroller should also be extremely durable, and once again, an umbrella fold stroller is an outstanding choice. Forget what you've seen or read about airport baggage handlers, because you can be rest assured they don't treat luggage with much respect. Let's face it, you don't want to hand over your lovely new stroller, only to get it back all bent and buckled.

As soon as the plane has landed and taxied to a standstill, you need to make your way to the baggage collection area as soon as possible in order to collect your luggage. However, there's a good chance that your stroller won't appear, and this is why you should always confirm things with the flight attendant with regards to where you'll be able to collect your stroller.

Last but not least, it is always advisable to contact the airline you intend flying with before the actual departure date, in order to verify what their specific rules and regulations are concerning strollers, particularly if your trip is likely to include any connecting flights.

I can assure you, following these few simple tips can go a long way in terms of preventing unnecessary upsets and confusion during your trip. Above all, remember to keep things simple, and as such, a light weight stroller is by far your best choice when it comes to check-In, security check, and storage during transit.

About the Author:

If you are serious about taking the right Lightweight stroller, then visit Chris Maclaren's site on how to choose the best Maclaren Buggy for your needs.

Online Bass Guitar Lessons: Learn With No Weaker Sides

By Kirk Yanda

Are you serious about wanting to improve you bass guitar playing? If you are, then one of the most productive things you can do is work on your scales. It has even been said that the level of your scale playing pretty much determines the level of your bass playing overall! I have designed these exercises to help you to develop a more accurate sense of rhythm and to improve the speed and agility of your bass guitar scales.

Tune all your strings one by one by matching the sound of the strings to the corresponding note on your tuner. Tuning your bass is not hard. But as with any other instrument it involves practice,and of course, practice makes perfect. After a while you may find that you do not even have to rely on an electronic tuner to tune your bass.

It can be played by plucking, slapping, tapping, popping, or by picking the strings with a pick. The bass guitar looks somewhat similar to an electric guitar, but with a larger, heavier body, a longer scale length, and a longer neck. The bass guitar usually has four strings, tuned one octave lower in pitch than the four lower strings of a guitar.

For instance, you've already heard about "slap bass" for sure. Slap is a very common technique and, because of the use in rock situation it has became one of the most popular technique in bass playing nowadays.

Besides, this will give you a chance to expand your instrument sound range, giving it more depth and compression. There are different variations of slapping the string. Slap bass techniques are commonly found in all types of music, but most notably in the funk, Latin and pop styles.

Unfortunately, it turns out to be harder than it looks. Here's why: The muscles that move your hands and fingers across the neck and strings are rarely used for other tasks. The fine motor skills needed to play a stringed instrument require that the small muscles of the hands be strengthened. So when you take up the bass, you're like a baby learning to walk: Not only do you have no idea of what you're doing, you don't even have the muscles to do it.

Imagine a scarecrow in a corn field - that is how your arm should be bent. With your arm bent in this position it will allow your hand to be in the perfect position to allow your wrist to move freely to strike the strings.

With all this is in mind, now you should start for taking your lessons. It don't matter if you hire a private teacher, learn by yourself or get some online lessons, whatever works for you will be the right path to take if you're just beginning.

About the Author:

For the very best prices and selection of free bass lessons online, there is no better place you will find than online bass guitar lessons

Are Sodas with Pure Cane Sugar Really Better for You than High Fructose Corn Syrup?

By David Marcheschi

Most beverages consumed by the average citizen has some sort of added sweetener. This can include products like sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and artificial sweeteners like Ace-K or aspartame. Although taste is important for most people, the safety of consuming many of these sweeteners is under the debate by food manufacturers and health officials; as well as the FDA. As a result, beverage makers and distributors have come out with new all natural versions of many products. This a good development in light of research that suggests that some sweeteners have led to health problems. However, not all natural sweeteners are as natural as they seem.

Pure Cane Sugar

Pure Cane Sugar is sugar that has undergone less processing and is often more brown in color than Refined Sugar (the white stuff, also known as Table Sugar). You often find Pure Cane Sugar in health food stores and the Natural aisles in your grocery stores. While Pure Cane Sugar (or Dehydrated Cane Juice) can definitely not be described as being good for you because it is a sweetener, on a scale of bad to less bad, Pure Cane Sugar is one of the better sweeteners you can choose. Because of this, Pure Cane Sugar is often included as the sweetener in beverages that carry the label Natural.

High Fructose Corn Syrup

High Fructose Corn Syrup, or HFCS, is used in many products we buy every day. It is a heavily processed sweetener comprised mainly of corn syrup, and is more cost efficient than sugar because it is much sweeter in nature than regular sugar and has a much longer shelf life, a real benefit to manufacturers.

HFCS can be found in everything from soft drinks to canned goods, even if the item is labeled "all natural". For this reason, it is important to check all food labels to be sure that the "natural" product you are purchasing is actually made from natural ingredients. If HFCS is labeled, the product is not entirely natural.

Heated debates regarding the safety of high fructose corn syrup have been waged by many health organizations, primarily because it is believed HFCS may be a huge contributor in the current obesity epidemic. This is because high fructose corn syrup is processed differently by the body than sugar, and due to its unnatural composition, causes the brain to fail to recognize a feeling of fullness. This results in overeating when consuming products which contain HFCS, and because so many products have this sweetener in them, its hard to know which foods are safe. It is also theorized that HFCS may cause the body to produce more fat than usual, resulting in weight gain.

Other conclusions have been drawn that say that HFCS is no less healthy for the body than sugar, and that all sweeteners should be in used in moderation. Even natrual sugar, they say, when consumed in excess of 10% of daily calories can lead to weight gain and obesity. This translates to a mere 50 grams of sugar each day within a diet of 2,000 calories. Of course, even less is better.

Acesulfame Potassium

Ace-K, also known as acesulfame potassium, is an calorie free sweetener that is often found in diet soft drinks and other beverages. Ace-K fits into the same category as other non-calorie sweeteners such as sucralose and aspartame. They all contain no calories and no fat, making them appealing for dieters and diabetics.

Normally Ace-K is used in conjunction with other artificial sweeteners. This helps increase the sweetness of each product and enhance the overall flavor, making diet treats more appealing to consumers. Using more than one sweetener together normally results in a more naturally sweet flavor than using Ace-K alone.

Ace-K and similar products are especially beneficial to diabetics because they do not raise blood sugar the way sugar does. They also do not contribute to tooth decay. However, despite these benefits, all artificial sweeteners should be used in moderation.

In the end, while one sweetener may seem to have less negative effects than another, any sweetener is best when consumed sparingly. Most importantly though, read the labels on the products that you buy, so that regardless of the sweetener in the beverage you choose, you can monitor how much sweetener of any kind youre putting in your system.

About the Author:

Imbibe is an industry leader in developing high quality private label beverages. To learn more visit http://www.imbibeinc.com