At the Fence

http://maxpixel.freegreatpicture.com/Baggage-Suitcase-Luggage-Case-Brown-Trip-Bags-1436515 Moving is part of life, albeit a stressful part. Part of the stress of moving lies in the difficult decision-making process of where to live. The countryside or the coast, city center or suburb? What works for you depends on the reasons for your move and what stage of life you're at. Here are some top tips and suggestion for where to move and when… When To Move? The motivations for moving vary from person to person. Getting a new job in a new area is a big reason that people move. Moving closer to friends and family, wanting a different pace of life, retiring , are also all reasons that it might be time to make the move. Why Live By The Coast? http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/pictures/10000/velka/2451-1272034567OZau.jpg Coastal towns and cities are hugely popular for people looking to relocate. The main appeal is the quality of life that these places can offer. Whi

Let’s face it, breakfast often doesn’t feel like the best meal of the day. We’ve all heard a million times over that it’s the most important meal, that we need to make sure we eat before we go off to school and work, but when it comes down to it, for some of us it’s all that we can do to slosh some cereal in a bowl and hope for the best. Brunch, however, is a different story. The number one meal for anyone who likes to sit outside in the sun while drinking coffee or tea and eating pancakes (so that’s all of us), it makes breakfast food cool and fun. Here are some tips on how to make your breakfast a little more stylish. Switch Up The Traditional Food Image source A lot of us go for either toast or cereal for breakfast, but it’s time to change that a little. There’s no point in steering away from your old favourites entirely but why not make them a little more interesting? If you love peanut butter on your toast then you can add a layer of sliced banana as well for extra

Summer isn’t as far off as you think. In fact, if you happen to live near Phoenix, you’ll know that the weather is already starting to turn. There are some stifling hot days ahead of us, and that means we’ll be out in the garden, getting a tan and letting our kids run free. Or at least we should be, but more and more parents are finding it difficult to convince their kids to go outside, even when the weather is picture perfect. No matter how hot it is outside, some kids want to stay indoors on the computer, playing games or chatting with their friends. So, maybe it’s time we changed that by making the outdoors a little more exciting for our children. I’m talking about turning your yard into a summer play area for kids. There’s another benefit of doing this as well. It’s possible that you don’t have enough money in the budget this year to afford that family holiday. This can be disheartening for you and your kids . But, if you make the back yard exciting and interesting enough for t

Hi neighbors!! You may be wondering what a Ninja does.  Well, I am here to tell you she silently can cause mass destruction!! LOL! Here is what my living room looked like when I left my Ninja unattended for a brief period of time.  She was so proud of herself!! We gave her a bath today, so I put her hair up out of her eyes after she dried.  She is my laugh for the day.  She hardly ever sits still, and yet she is extremely quiet.  Hence the name Ninja.  I think I have heard her try to bark once.  Otherwise she just makes little chirping type noises when she is excited. Look for more stories coming up soon!

Hey neighbors! I have a confession here.  My husband and I are both over 50!  Now, I say that to bring up the subject of saving for retirement .  I have to honestly admit, that is something we did not even consider until recently.  Isn't that awful?  Somehow when you are younger it just doesn't seem that important.  Then, all of the sudden it hits you, what are we going to survive on when retirement hits! There are so many different methods of saving for retirement.  You do not need to be an expert, and many of you may have someone go to for financial advice.  If you are not aware of all the benefits and drawbacks to different types of savings plans, be sure to check with an advisor.  Some plans make work better for different individuals too, or you may just know already what you want to do. A 401K or a 403 (charitable organization, church, public school eligible) are pretty comparable.  The percentage on the money invested varies by a few percentage points.  You also

Hey neighbors!! We have quickly become such a fast paced society, that sometimes we just have to eat out.  We spent 10 years full time on the road traveling, and I can not even give an educated guess at how many times we had to have a meal at a fast food restaurant.  I am just wondering how many of us have stopped to consider just how the different chains compare calorie wise ? I am diabetic, so I try to watch carbs while eating out, but my husband has recently taken an interest in calories, as he is trying to lose weight.  So, out of the major chains out there, who do you think has a decent lower calorie meal?  I would probably choose Chick-fil-a as my first choice before seeing charts, but I was surprised to find out, that Subway ranks right up there too.  Generally I am not a big fan of fast food burgers and fries.  I eat the burgers minus the bun, so I know what the burgers themselves taste like, and the amount of grease with them.  I enjoy the Chick-fil-a grilled chicken i

Look - a lot can go wrong in the home. It's amazing that you want to be proactive, grab a toolbox and get your hands dirty in fixing one of the many home maintenance issues that can plague the home, but sometimes it is just going to be not only out of your skillset - but it could be dangerous. Professionals exist for a reason, so just call one up! Finding a professional to fix issues in the home is easier than ever before thanks to the internet. Search engines act as the modern day phone book - and thankfully are nowhere near as big, and heavy. If you want to find someone to fix a certain issue - you only need to type it up and the number will be right there. What type of issues do you want to stay away from? Well - it's circumstantial. If you've got a number of allergies - you probably want to stay away from more issues than someone who doesn't have those allergies. If you're short, or your house is tall - you won't want to get up a long ladder. It all depe

Most of us are more health conscious than ever. It’s no wonder that the healthy option is considered whenever we have a choice. Home improvements should be no different. If you’re going to invest money and time into renovations to better your home, then that project should offer better health for all your family too. Here are just a few home improvements you might be considering, and how they can improve your lifestyle too! Garage Conversion The garage is one of the best places to develop extra living space that all the family can enjoy. Before you start clearing it out and hiring contractors, consider what else you might be able to use that space for. Could you install a small home gym in there? Perhaps a quiet corner for meditation or Yoga would provide great health benefits for you? If you’re looking for a way to cut the stress of office life and commuting, perhaps this space could become a relaxing home office? Photo from Pexels.com New Kitchen Stripping out the

Hey neighbors!! Maybe your spring cleaning routine includes throwing away old, damaged, pet toys.  If so, take a look at these new toys from GoDog , that you can replace those old toys with. We literally have a wooden box of dog toys that is in one corner of our living room.  All toys the dogs are allowed to play with are stored there.  Honor can empty the box in minutes.  She loves toys.  Our little Ninja on the other hand is much slower at pulling out the toys, even though she enjoys dragging the larger ones around.  She prances across the floor dragging whichever one has most recently caught her attention.  And Little Bit (one of our Shelties) stayed on the couch out of reach playing with a toy. GoDog has some of the very best toys I have encountered.  Honor has the ability to totally destroy your average dog toy.  I love that they create toys that are able to withstand Honor's rough and tumble play.  She loves to grab a toy and give it a good shake or two.  Occasio