Carrie Lauth publishes a newsletter for Moms doing things the natural way. Get your free copy at http://www.natural-moms.com.
These days romance has been redefined by commercialism and it seems that the only way we can get romantic is by going to the most glamorous hotels, eating at the finest restaurants, pampering ourselves at the most stylish establishments and all in all just spending big. But what ever happened to the simple pleasures in life?
Next time you plan a romantic getaway pull out a map, a history book and locate America’s great historic destinations. Whatever aspect of America’s historic past that interests you, chances are there’s a quaint historic inn waiting to play host.
Staying at a historic inn offers you an opportunity to get more personally acquainted with your destination. Of course, you can include as much or as little history as you like. But the idea of being transported to another time is itself romantic. You may end up sleeping on a bed from last century and meet hosts whose families have lived in the area for generations. Getting closer to history makes you get closer to your own history. That’s romantic.
Historical inns may not have all the comforts of a modern hotel. The wallpaper may be peeling and the toilet may be leaking, but most travelers to these destinations don’t seem to mind about such details. Being surrounded by historic buildings, cozy restaurants, and antique stores adds a touch of class that makes up for the lack of five-star service.
Staying at a historic inn at some of America’s unique historic destinations is the perfect romantic getaway. History is about our personal attachment to the world we live in. It touches the heart in the same way that romance does.
About The Author
Dakota Caudilla, journalist, and website builder Dakota Caudilla lives in Texas. He is the owner and co-editor of http://www.the-perfect-weekend.com on which you will find a longer, more detailed version of this article.
Pilates is named after its creator Joseph Pilates. It is an exercise regimen that uses machines and special stretches. This exercise puts emphasis on flexibility and overall strength over body bulk. One of the principles of Pilates is concentration. Your mind wills body into action and you should pay attention to how the body responds to the actions. What’s important in Pilates is technique and you should really use your mind to get the movement right. It focuses on training the mind and the body to work together in order to attain the desired goal to be fit and healthy. It also challenges the interior muscles of the body to develop inner strength. Just like yoga, Pilates can also be a physically active form of meditation. Breathing techniques can be done. With the deep breathing and the complete focus required to perform each exercise correctly, one can feel relaxed and fall into a Zen-like peace.
Pilates is done barefoot on a variety of equipment or simply on a mat where in normal workout can also be done. But the difference between the normal exercise and Pilates is that the former includes mindless repetitions just focusing on what the body is doing and finishing the required laps or cycles while in Pilates, it challenges the mind as well as the body. You challenge yourself to refine the movement you are doing and once you have mastered it, you advance to a more difficult movement.
Pilates has been very effective to many people. That is why more and more people are getting hooked on it. Pilates strengthens and stretches the body’s muscles, improves posture, flexibility and balance, and creates a more streamlined appearance. By doing Pilates, you build strength from the inside out, rebalance your body, and bring it into correct alignment. These strengthened muscles will help you to have a well-fit body in order to do everyday tasks without getting tired easily. And by achieving perfect balance between strength and flexibility, you can relieve unwanted stress and tension.
In order to get the most out of your Pilates workout, you should keep some tips in mind. First, you should stay focused. Pilates is designed to combine your breathing rhythm with your body movements. It should be able to unite your mind and body that is why you should really have that focus on what you are doing and in achieving your goal to be fit. Second, be comfortable. When doing Pilates, you should wear something you are comfortable moving in. Make sure that it allows you to breath, bend, and stretch without restriction. But never wear clothes which are too loose because this will hinder the Pilates instructor’s ability to visually analyze body placement. Third, let it flow meaning when you perform your Pilates exercises, you should never do them in a hurry just to get over with it. Every moment should be slow, but still strong and flexible. And fourth, don’t leave out the heart. In doing Pilates, you should see to it that you get your heart rate going. To do this, you can pair your Pilates workout with brisk walking, swimming, or any form of aerobic exercise.
Pilates does work but it all depends on the person’s motivation. If you are not motivated, you are not going to continue it and thus, it will not work for you. The great thing about Pilates is that you keep on improving, it does not become boring thus making it more challenging, and it keeps you motivated to achieve the results you wanted.
For more information please check out the pilates resource guide.
Raising Baby On The Cheap
by: Carrie Lauth
Have you ever read those reports on the cost of raising a child?
The last time I checked, I was told that it would cost the astronomical figure of $430,470 to raise my baby… and that didn’t include college tuition!
The people who come up with these figures must not be very creative. Some of the best things you can do for your child are free or very inexpensive. Here are some tips for raising kids on the cheap.
1) Breastfeed
You can save roughly $1,000 in formula costs alone in your baby’s first year by breastfeeding. Check out this report: http://www.natural-moms.com/cost_of_baby_formula.html
This figure doesn’t include the extra costs you would incur from Doctor visits and medications. Breastfed babies are less likely to need medical care and don’t get sick as often as their formula fed peers.
Formula feeding increases a baby’s risk of both acute and chronic health problems not only during childhood but well into adulthood. If you’re a working and breastfeeding Mother, you’re less likely to miss work than if you were formula feeding.
In addition, a breastfed baby can go straight from the breast to an open cup, thus eliminating pacifiers, bottles and sippy cups.
Even baby food is not necessary. The healthiest first foods for baby are fresh fork-mashed avocado, banana, sweet potato and the like. If you’re breastfeeding, you may be able to delay the introduction of solids until as late as 8 or 9 months.
2) Use Cloth Diapers
All I am saying…is give cloth a chance!
The modern cloth diapers are nothing like Grandma’s. The nicer ones are made from high tech materials that wick moisture away from baby, and utilize snaps or velcro to close instead of pins.
They save you a lot of money especially if you save them and use them again for subsequent children. You can buy them cheaply at thrift stores, online auctions, and diaper services (check your phone book for listings). Or ask for cloth diapers as shower gifts.
3) Rethink your Needs
Think about what you REALLY need to raise your baby. A lot of the expensive items sold in baby stores are completely unnecessary and some are even harmful. Most of the people raising children on the planet today do so without cribs, walkers (which Pediatricians recommend against anyway!), playpens, changing tables, swings, “educational” toys, etc.
Many Moms have found that a soft cloth carrier or baby sling was the only gadget they really needed. Baby is happy, stimulated by your activities and entertained. And Mom can get stuff done!
The best toys are simple and classic and require imagination. These are often the least expensive too! And most kids do best with few toys that are rotated. Think back to your own childhood…what were your favorite toys? If you can even remember them, they were probably not loud, flashy electronic battery powered gadgets. Your best childhood memories probably come from activities…playing in Grandma’s backyard, going places with Mom and Dad, the simple things.
For the baby stuff you really can’t live without…
4) Buy or Obtain Used
Let friends know that you welcome hand-me-downs and you’ll be blessed with all sorts of great stuff!
High quality clothing and baby equipment generally doesn’t wear out from just one child’s use. For safety, check to make sure items haven’t been recalled and get the owner’s manuals from the manufacturer’s websites. (The one exception would be child safety seats. Always buy those new.)
Shop at thrift and consignment shops and online auctions. Some of the very best deals can be found at regional consignment sales. Check local parenting magazines and websites for the locations of these.
Personally, I prefer used clothing because much new clothing has been treated with flame retardants and other scary chemicals that can be absorbed into children’s softer skin.
Being a frugal parent minimizes the impact on the environment, saves you money and models a healthy lifestyle to your kids. Teach your kids what really matters in life…people, not things!
