Lilac City Momma

Lynn

Where To Take Your Kids This Summer

by

If you want to provide your kids with an unforgettable childhood, a vacation will definitely stand out in their minds once they reach adulthood. After all, it is a time of year when you will all come together as a family to have fun and enjoy each other’s company, which will strengthen your bond even further.

Whether you are looking for a relaxing break or an active adventure, find out where to take your kids this summer.

Florida, USA

Top of every child’s travel bucket list will be Florida, as it’s home to unforgettable theme parks, incredible characters, and jaw-dropping parades. For instance, they’ll scream with delight on the movie-themed rides at Universal Orlando, or can meet Mickey and Minnie at the Magic Kingdom. If you’re thinking of booking a vacation to the Sunshine State, visit VacationRenter.com.

Toronto, Canada

There are plenty of family-friendly activities to choose from in Toronto. For example, you can criss-cross your way across the city aboard a streetcar, which is an affordable way to enjoy the skyline. Your kids will also love ascending the CN Tower, and they could view genuine dinosaur bones at ROM. The whole family can even take a ferry ride to Toronto Islands, which will help you escape the hustle and bustle of the vibrant city. Not to mention you can venture south to view Niagara Falls for yourselves.

Tokyo, Japan

Don’t underestimate Tokyo when looking for kid-friendly destinations. Your children will have plenty of fun in the Japanese capital, especially if you book tickets to Tokyo Disneyland, which offers theme park rides and shows for all ages. They can also ride a Ferris wheel at Odaiba, or can absorb an unparalleled view of the city from Tokyo Skytree. There are also many huge parks and interactive museums for the family to explore, such as Hamarikyu Gardens and Ghibli Museum.

Barcelona, Spain

Your kids will love a trip to Barcelona, which offers weird yet wonderful buildings designed by architect Antonio Gaudi, such as the colorful Parc Guell that overlooks the city. In addition to imaginative architecture, you can also enjoy a family picnic at Parc de la Ciutadella before visiting its zoo. Children will also love to gaze at the seahorses and sharks inside the aquarium at Port Vell, which offers 50 child-friendly activities.

Marrakech, Morocco

For a truly fun and cultural experience, book a vacation to Marrakech for all the family. Your children will feel as if they have stepped inside another world, as they can enjoy a camel ride, watch snake charmers, or explore the bustling bazaars. It’s a unique experience that will trigger their imagination, and will ensure they have plenty of stories to share with their friends once they arrive back home.

Leipzig, Germany

One family-friendly destination you might easily overlook is Leipzig. In addition to offering an extensive classical music history, it also provides a 360 degree cinematic panorama called the Panometer, which shows current and popular movies. Active families will also jump at a chance to take a canoe trip along the city’s waterways. Don’t forget to book a trip to Dresden, which offers Elbe sandstone mountains that were used in Cloud Atlas, Chronicles of Narnia, and Grand Budapest Hotel.

How To Recover After A Busy Weekend As A Parent

by

Weekends are a time to relax and let your hair down, but if you have kids, this can be challenging especially if you’re planning an evening out or inviting friends round for drinks. One of the worst aspects of this scenario is that if you have one too many, it could result in a hangover and family life doesn’t stop just because you feel unwell. Children, especially younger kids, don’t understand the concept of hangovers so won’t be sensitive to the situation, which could make you feel ten times worse. Not only that, the lack of sleep after a fun night out with friends can lead to a bad start to the week, as you’ll feel groggy and demotivated from the outset.

So if you’re feeling a little frazzled, check out these ways to recover after a hectic weekend to start your week the right way.

Have a chill out day

It’s not often you get a chance to chill out especially when you have a busy schedule and commitments every day so taking a day to rest and rejuvenate is the best option. If the kids find this boring, make it fun by suggesting board games or a film and duvet day to get everyone in the mood for staying in. This way you can enjoy some peace and quiet, plus get that much-needed rest after a heavy night.

Eat a nutritious meal

It can be easy to be tempted to head for the chocolate and sweet treats to help stave off the effects of a busy weekend, but trying to stick to healthy and nutritious meals for the whole family will give you some energy and make you feel good for the week ahead. Perhaps opt for a fake-away and whip up everyone’s favorite takeout inspired meal to enjoy a tasty treat.

Cure a hangover

If you have the ill effects of a hangover and can’t seem to shift that heavy head and sick feeling, opting for a hangover cure is a great option. There is a range of treatments available at resetiv.com to tackle even the worst hangovers, and each helps to restore balance to get you back on track.

Drink plenty of water

Most people are dehydrated and don’t get enough fluids into their system each day. At the weekend this can be more prevalent plus mixing this with alcohol also dehydrates you more. Keeping a bottle topped up with water around you at all times will help to keep your water intake at the recommended level to help you feel refreshed and alert.

Get an early night

Sleep is one of the most important aspects of your day to help you replenish for the week ahead, so getting to bed at a sensible hour will give you some extra rest after a busy weekend. It can be hard to switch off, so make sure you wind down about half an hour before getting into bed, as this will help you drift off for those much-needed sweet dreams.

Essential Ways To Keep Costs Down At Home

by

When you have built a great life for you and your family, it can be one of the best feelings in the world to live every day with them. However, one issue that crops up in most family households is keeping costs low, so that you can save for trips away together, or so that you can save for your children’s futures. Knowing where to start with cutting some costs can be tricky, especially when they are beginning to cause extra stress. Luckily, there are a number of solutions that mothers all around the world have put together, which have been proven to help you keep costs low and give your family the best life you can.

Set a budget each month

Every month, after payday, you will be able to create a rough figure of how much you can afford to spend once the essential bills have gone out of your account. Sitting down with your partner and making a list of what you need to buy that month and how much you can afford to spend on luxuries is a great way of helping you save money when you need to. Even if you don’t struggle for money, it’s always good to think about how your money can be put to better use in relation to food and education.

Lower your energy bill

The biggest kick in the teeth for many households is the dreaded energy bill. In winter months especially, this can go through the roof. Getting around this is much easier than it first seems. By making simple changes, such as switching from normal radiators to aluminium radiators, and investing in more blankets and throws, you can see a marked reduction in how much your energy bill comes to each month. Even better is the positive impact you will be having on the planet.

Buy food in bulk

Weekly food shops are the stuff of dreams to children, but the stuff of nightmares to most adults, even more so if you have a large family! Often, buying food every few days is less cost effective than buying in bulk, even though it may not seem that way at the time. This theory also applies to general household items like toilet roll and toothpaste. In the short term, it may feel as though you are spending more, but as the days go by, you will find that you have more loose change in your pocket. Ideally, you should keep a small amount spare from bulk buying to spend on fresh meat and dairy produce.

Start your own allotment

When it comes to buying your own fresh fruit and vegetables, you can minimize this cost even further. Having your own allotment in your backyard or in a specialized space means you cut out transportation costs of buying food. After awhile, the costs of your produce becomes so low that it may as well be free. You can grow anything from tomatoes to carrots, but if you want to get the kids involved, you could create a small indoor herb allotment for your kitchen windowsill.

Furniture Trends For 2018

by

If your home is in need of new furniture pieces and you’re curious about 2018’s hottest furniture trends, continue reading to discover 7 furniture trends which you may be interested in purchasing.

Furniture Trends for 2018:

  1. Sleek leather sofas

Sleek, modern leather sofas are skyrocketing in popularity, so if you’re looking to invest in a high-quality piece of furniture which will look just as stylish in your home in five years as it does today, it’s well worth investing a high-quality leather sofa.

If your home has a traditional look and feel you may prefer to opt for a brown leather sofa, whilst if your home has a more modern vibe, you may want to consider purchasing a black leather sofa. Although you may also want to consider purchasing a bright, bold red leather sofa!  If you’re stuck on where to look for some new furniture pieces and ideas, Hudson Furniture has a large selection.

  1. Leather coffee tables

If you don’t feel like switching out your current sofa, you may want to incorporate 2018’s leather furniture trend into your home, by purchasing a chic, stylish leather coffee table.

  1. Ottomans

If you visit your local furniture store this year, you’ll notice that ottomans are an extremely trendy item this year. Not only will a patterned or leather ottoman add an extra touch of style to your lounge but ottomans are also practical as you’ll be able to use your ottoman as a footstool or a minute table to place your coffee cup or TV remotes on. Some ottomans even open up to reveal handy storage space.

  1. Velvet pieces of furniture

If leather furniture doesn’t interest you or fit your home’s interior decor, you may prefer investing in stunning, luxurious velvet pieces. Such as a velvet chaise or a velvet sofa. If you browse online furniture stores for velvet pieces you’ll probably notice that the most popular colors of velvet furniture this year are dark hues such as navy, forest green, and burgundy.

  1. Marble

Another furniture trend which you may want to experiment with is marble. By simply placing a marble coffee table or a marble kitchen island into your home, your home will instantly look more polished, luxurious and stylish.

  1. Bright yellow pieces

If you’re not afraid to take risks and love bold colors, you may want to consider purchasing a bright yellow piece of furniture, which will make happier each time you look at it. If you’re on a budget, you can also create your own DIY yellow bookshelf or coffee table by purchasing a pot of yellow paint and a pot of furniture stain. Which you can layer over your coats of yellow paint.

  1. L shaped sofas

L shaped sofas are perfect for large families or for individuals who frequently enjoy entertaining their friends and family members for house parties as they provide more seating than your average 2 or 3 seater sofa.

So if you want to give your home a new lease on life and are interesting in investing in a few new furniture pieces this year, it’s well worth deciding which of the furniture trends listed above, you’re most interested in.

How To Deal With A Traffic Violation

by

If you’ve recently incurred a traffic violation and you’re curious about what options you have, simply continue reading to discover how to deal with a recent traffic violation!

How to deal with a traffic violation:

  1. If you have been served with a traffic violation for not having your license on you, it’s well worth scheduling a court date to contest your traffic violation.

You might not be aware that if you’re able to provide a license at your hearing which was valid on the date that you were issued a traffic violation for being unable to produce your license your traffic violation will be dropped and you’ll avoid having to pay a fine.

  1. If you don’t think the officer who issued your traffic violation has valid evidence of your infringement, it’s also well worth contesting your traffic violation

In order for a traffic infringement to hold up at a court hearing, the office which issued your traffic violation has to be able to convince the judge that you were guilty of a traffic violation. Which means that you’ll be able to question a police officer, to see whether or not their version of events will hold up in a court of law.

As an example, if an officer tries to give you a traffic violation for failing to stop at a stop sign and they have no video evidence of your infraction and no witnesses can attest to their version of events, you’re very likely to have your traffic violation dropped.

  1. If the thought of contesting a traffic violation in court makes you nervous, make sure to hire an experienced lawyer

If you’re worried that you’ll struggle to defend yourself in a court of law, it’s still worth contesting your traffic violation. As you always have the option of hiring a defense lawyer, who may be able to get your traffic violation thrown out, on the count of a technicality. As an example, if a police officer was parked illegally on the side of the motorway, trying to catch speeding cars, your lawyer may be able to get the charge against your dropped. If you need more information you can find out more about traffic law at, www.primelawyers.com.au/traffic-law in order to help you out with your current case.

  1. Get your lawyer to poke holes in the prosecution’s case

In much the same way, an experienced lawyer will have no issues with tearing apart the police officer who dealt you a traffic violation’s version of events. As a great lawyer will easily be able to poke holes in a police officer’s story. Which will increase your judge’s chances of dropping all charges against you.

  1. Have a defense ready to justify your accounts

If you are guilty of committing a traffic violation, you may still be able to get your case dismissed by having a defense ready to justify your actions. As an example, if you broke a road rule in order to miss hitting a child who was running across the street, it’s highly unlikely that a judge would find you guilty of committing a traffic violation.

So if you’ve recently found a traffic violation in your letterbox, it’s definitely worth disputing it as there is a high chance that you’ll be successful! Just remember to, drive safely and follow the road rules.