Archive for June, 2008

Bridal Shower Games…The Good, the Bad and the Overdone

Sunday, June 22nd, 2008

By Amy Dilling Games can make or break a shower. The best can break the ice and liven up the party. The worst can embarrass and bore. So, how can you avoid this? First, a little research… First, list the showers youve been to and the games you remember. Which did you like and dislike? Ask a few other gals to do the same. Dont ask the bride because the games should be a surprise. Now, compare the games. Which games were played the most? Chances are everyone has played these games and are pretty sick of them. Avoid these overly popular games, unless you think no one minds playing them again and again. Bridal Bingo again? No thanks! The Bride Take into account her personality. If the bride is outgoing and loves the spotlight, find games that will make her the center of attention. A shy bride? Choose ones that will put the focus on the guests instead of the bride. An anti-bride bride? Center games around the theme of the shower instead of bridal-type games. Ask the bride for her opinion without giving away the surprise. Some brides simply detest being enrobed in toilet paper! A movie buff may dig playing Famous Couples. Guest List Not all games are meant for all showers. Consider who will be attending the shower. Most brides would die of embarrassment if Honeymoon Ad Libs was played when her grandmother is at the shower! But, the same game would be hilarious with her sorority sisters. Dont play ice-breaker games if the guests are already acquainted. No one wants to play a name game when they know everyone in the room. Number of Guests If its a large shower, avoid games where every guest shares their thoughts/feelings/best wishes. That could take hours if you have 30 guests! Many guests wont know each other at a larger shower, so plan an icebreaker where guests are split into small groups. With smaller parties, you have more time for each guest to be in the spotlight and share their best wishes for the bride. The Theme A way to spice up shower games is to play up the theme. A cooking shower can have Name that Spice or Gourmet Vocabulary. A wine shower? A wine term quiz would be fun! Timing is Everything! Guests want time to visit, so dont have games take up the entire shower. Plan for about 3 games, but be prepared to ditch one if you run out of time. One 20-minute game and two 5-10 minute games will fit into most schedules. Decide the best time to play the games. Play one game at the beginning of the shower to break the ice. That way, guests can enjoy meeting each other. Ummm Honeymoon Topics” Sure, little comments here and there about the honeymoon are fine and cause giggles, but sex-themed games and food may embarrass the bride or her guests. Save them for the bachelorette party. Grandmother Myrtle will be shocked to realize that the adorable saxophone cookies weresomething else! Memories!Sometimes whats missing from shower games is the reason the guests came in the first placeto celebrate the bride! Creating mementos personalize the party. Consider a game where the end result is a memento especially for the bride. A memory book, scrapbook, or hand-painted dishes are just a few ideas. What about having each guest create a scrapbook page? Amy Dilling is the founder and owner of Perfect Parties to Go!, an online store and resource offering complete bridal and baby showers in a box. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Amy_Dilling http://EzineArticles.com/?Bridal-Shower-Games…The-Good,-the-Bad-and-the-Overdone&id=61582 sba 504 loan for self storage avoid foreclosure sell fast dor cash no credit check car lot bad credit signature loan

Could This Be The Best Weight Loss Program In The World?

Thursday, June 19th, 2008

By Steve Hill After many years of searching I think I have finally found it, the perfect diet or weight loss program. Now I am not trying to suggest that it will work for or be suitable for everybody but it has certainly helped me to lose a lot of weight. For the first time in a long a time I can now strut down the street instead of just walking. My whole overall confidence has increased by one hundred percent and whats more I am certain in my own mind that I can keep the weight off, unlike some of the yo-yo diets that I have tried in the past. This weight loss plan is something which I devised myself as I had seemingly tried all of the more well known diets, with not a lot of success. I decided that I needed to be realistic and honest with myself. I knew that I could not totally cut foods such as chocolate and pizza out of my diet. I also realised that stopping myself from drinking the odd glass of wine or pint of beer would be asking too much. What I needed was a weight loss plan where I work hard but also played hard. Exercise was always going to be an important element of my strategy. I am however quite fortunate as I love to play sport, despite this love I had not really played a lot of sport since school which was now sixteen years ago. I started up playing sports such as football and tennis and also began to take care with the food that I was eating. My reward for this effort was to be had on the weekends, this is where on a Friday night and all day on Saturday I would allow myself to eat whatever I wanted to and to drink whatever I wanted to. This has helped me no end as it is what I call a realistic weight loss plan. Stephen Hill helps to promote a number of websites including: stuttering stuttering therapy debt specialist Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Hill http://EzineArticles.com/?Could-This-Be-The-Best-Weight-Loss-Program-In-The-World?&id=489611 no money down home loans bad credit personal unsecured loans bad credit loan how to get a poor credit personal loan

Your Wedding Doesn’t Have To Be The Only Party You’ll Have

Sunday, June 15th, 2008

By Martin McAllister Regardless of whether you choose to plan your wedding yourself, or hire a wedding planner to handle the arrangements; when it comes to planning for your big day, the stress and worry caused by organising such an immense celebration can be overwhelming. Its extremely important, therefore, to remember to relax periodically along the path to your special day. In fact, throwing smaller celebrations along the way can really help take the edge off things, and so your wedding day doesnt have to be the only party you’ll have during your engagement. Following your engagement, it’s often an excellent idea to throw an engagement party for your family and close friends. Traditionally, the bride’s mother is in charge of this event, but now more people are increasingly throwing engagement parties themselves. This can be a fantastic way to relax before having to begin giving serious thought to your wedding plans, but it can also be used as a superb way of spreading the news of your impending marriage. Other ideas for parties during the run up to your wedding include bridal and couples showers. Encourage your friends to throw a bridal shower for you, and it’ll definitely help you to relax while the momentum builds up towards your big day; plus, you’ll receive even more gifts from your friends and family! The tradition of the bridal shower is said to have emerged in Holland, when a poor bride’s family would not have enough money to supply her dowry. Today, however, the trend of the bridal shower has become particularly prevalent in North America and it provides an excellent way of chilling out with your friends before the stress of your wedding becomes truly unbearable! Of course, one of the most important parties to have before your wedding is your bachelor or bachelorette party. These parties tend to be portrayed as drunken and raucous affairs, but they don’t have to be so. In fact, if you want to enjoy a truly relaxing bachelor or bachelorette party, you could choose to visit a day spa or a spa hotel with your friends, or perhaps play a round of golf instead. Or why not plan a weekend away with your friends to a thrilling destination for a change of scenery? It might be just the thing needed to help calm your nerves before that all-important day. While your bridesmaids or the best man at your wedding might organise all these events for you, there are many hotels available which can offer wedding planning services; and help to take some of the pressure off your friends. Just make sure you take enough time out to relax before your wedding - it could make all the difference when it comes to your special day! Martin McAllister is a freelance online journalist. He lives in Scotland. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Martin_McAllister http://EzineArticles.com/?Your-Wedding-Doesnt-Have-To-Be-The-Only-Party-Youll-Have&id=390088 24 hour payday loans houses for rent in atlanta ga with no credit check personal or business loan baton rouge bad credit new car loan

Weight Loss Resolutions - 10 Reasons Not to Make Them

Saturday, June 7th, 2008

By Kathy Ferneau It’s New Year’s time again and traditionally people resolve to change their lives for the better. We want to stop smoking, earn more money, spend time with the family, and so on. But the number one resolution has to be losing weight. We resolve to exercise more, eat less, eat better, visit the gym, and drink more water. But as we all know, resolutions often don’t last long. So why bother making them? Consider these 10 reasons NOT to make dieting resolutions, and what you CAN do instead. Resolutions set you up for failure because you try to do too much too fast. We creatures of habit don’t change our ways easily. Making a tiny change presents a huge challenge, but resolutions completely turn your life upside down. Start with one small step, such as drinking an extra glass of water each day. Resolutions made in haste prove unrealistic. Take time to think things through and choose a program optimum for you. Resolutions represent emotional decisions. Don’t decide to revise your life when you feel stressed, pressured, or depressed. Resolutions frequently come at a bad time in your life. January 1 works out nicely on the calendar, but it may not be a good point in your life. Many other stressors beyond your control may be happening. Resolving to start exercising or give up hamburgers while a parent struggles with cancer spells a combination for disaster. Resolutions can be made at a time when you don’t have the moral support you need. Losing weight is tough on your own. Getting together with others multiplies your chances of being successful. If you can’t find a group of other dieters to start with you on January 1, you may lose your motivation. You may feel pressured to adopt a resolution just because it is the start of the new year. Without your own motivation, you won’t be successful. When you’re ready, that’s the best time, even if it’s July 10th or November 27th! Resolutions can be gimmicky, accompanied by lots of hype in the media. Not exactly the stuff of long-term life planning. You don’t take resolutions seriously because they were made in a holiday mood and therefore easily discarded. Once a resolution has been abandoned, you feel you have failed, and it’s that much harder to set goals again. You may feel peer pressure to adopt the same resolutions as your friends. Do what’s right for you! Don’t be a slave to January 1. There are 364 other great days to change your life! ================================================================ Looking for diet and weight loss tips? Kathy Ferneau has created an excellent resource for information on diets, healthy eating, and exercise. Click here: http://www.lose-weight-diets.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kathy_Ferneau http://EzineArticles.com/?Weight-Loss-Resolutions—10-Reasons-Not-to-Make-Them&id=120900 virginia assembly payday loan no credit check apartment renting in chicago short form loan policy united cash loans

The Sonoma Diet: Promoting a Lifestyle

Sunday, June 1st, 2008

By Kim Black The Sonoma Diet is a weight loss plan that promotes the healthy and flavorful eating style of the Mediterranean and Sonoma Valley. Flavorful foods are an important part of the plan and they help you stick to the plan, loose weight and choose a healthier new lifestyle. The core of the Sonoma Diet is the power foods which are incorporated into many meals and recipes in the book. They are almonds, bell peppers, blueberries, broccoli, grapes, olive oil, spinach, strawberries, tomatoes and whole grains. They are all not only delicious but are in the right portions, essential to good health and weight loss. Whole grains and breads are allowed on the diet from day one. But some foods with saturated fat, added sugar and refined white flour are not allowed on the program. Connie Guttersen, PhD, RD, is the author of The Sonoma Diet: Trimmer Waist, Better Health in Just 10 Days! Guttersen offers a creative approach to encourage people to change their eating behaviors. Her emphasis is food enjoyment, portion control, food label reading and eliminating trans-fats. She identifies the diet as neither low- fat nor low- carbohydrate. She indicates it has the right balance of nutrients to ensure health, weight loss and satisfaction. The Sonoma Diet has three waves to Weight loss. Wave 1 is a 10-day period in which dieters can eat certain vegetables, lean meats, seafood, limited dairy, some grains, thee daily servings of olive or canola oil, a small amount of nuts, black coffee, tea, and an unlimited amount of herbs and spices. This wave is the most extreme and its purpose is to wean the body from sugar. This wave will produce rapid weight loss depending on the person and the amount of weight they need to loose. Wave 2 allows the same foods as Wave 1, but adds more fruits, more vegetables, fat-free yogurt, some sugar free sweets, some dark chocolate, honey and some wine. In this wave weight loss is more gradual and approximately -1.5 pounds a week. Dieters stay in this wave until they reach their target weight. The final stage-wave 3- promotes the same principles of healthy eating as the prior waves but recommends increasing servings of fruits and vegetables and indulging in occasional treats. It also recommends more experimentation with different foods and different ways of enjoying meals. Copyright Diet-Newsroom.com, All Rights Reserved. Kim Black runs http://www.diet-newsroom.com where shes writes diet & nutrition articles about popular new diets. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kim_Black http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Sonoma-Diet:–Promoting-a-Lifestyle&id=184597 bad credit personal loans uk secured living expenses loan with bad credit no cosigner cashback payday loans florida payday rules