Family Lover

Writen by J Gardener

It happens every October: You step outside on a Autumn Sunday afternoon and you can't believe it. Gone are the heat and humidity of summer, replaced by crisp, clear, clean air that fills your lungs in a way you haven't felt in months. You really notice it, and you can't help but smile.

You sigh, wishing you hadn't made plans to clean the basement or watch football or finish up that project for work or…whatever you made plans to do. Your kids are little; not really old enough to realize the rarity of a perfect day, and anyway, they're wrapped up in their video games or their doll houses or whatever indoor activities the TV commercials convinced them they couldn't live without.

The first cool days of Autumn are like a tiny piece of perfect dessert-delicious but short-lived, gone before you've had your fill. In a month, the weather will be wet or cold or both, and you'll have no choice-you'll be left inside on Sunday afternoon, staring out the window with nostalgia for the good old days, like today, and wondering how you let them pass without taking advangtage. You may even try, a month from now, to recall what you did today, on this perfect day-will you be able to remember what it was that kept you from enjoying it?

Ask yourself-does the basement have to be cleaned today? It's still early in the season-is your football game really that important? Would you rather finish that work project today, or enjoy a perfect afternoon with your family?

Think back on your own childhood. What are your happiest Autumn memories? Playing inside on a beautiful day, or outdoor activities with your family, which took advantage of the gorgeous weather?

Kids have long, but selective, memories. And a day like this is a chance to create some new memories.

It's a perfect day for a drive through the countryside, searching for woods and hills with the myriad leaf colors of fall. Away from most cities, vegetable markets usually ply their wares along the roadsides; today could be the day to choose the perfect pumpkin for your Halloween jack o' lantern.

Many cities and towns have autumn-themed festivals in October, from Harvest Homecomings to Oktoberfests. These festivals provide all kinds of activities for the whole family to enjoy, not to mention great food.

Is football too much a part of your Sunday to give up? Then, organize a touch-football game with your kids, their friends, and their parents. Have everyone bring some food, for a neighborhood cookout, afterwards.

Wind is usually a part of perfect autumn weather. Every kid loves to fly a kite. And every kid remembers the day Dad or Mom launched that first kite.

The easiest way to enjoy a perfect day is to take the family on a long walk. Whether you venture to a state park, with its scenic trails and educational facilities, or make a neighborhood trek, meeting new neighbors for the first time, it's an opportunity for family exercise and bonding.

The basement will still be there, wating for you, if you wait until a rainy day to clean it, and today's game probably won't decide your team's chances for the Super Bowl. But this perfect weather won't last long, and you have the chance to create a lifelong memory for you and your family.

Breathe it in and enjoy it.

Writen by Annette Yen

Like most loving parents, you are looking for easy, affordable and fun birthday parties for your daughters. Create the perfect Princess Birthday party for your little girl and her guests with the ideas below!

Here are some ideas for your little Princess:

• Think through some of the logistics of your party and do some advance planning. What day of the week will work so that a majority of your guests will be able to attend? What time of the day works for your age group? Remember, little ones' nap times may still be an issue so it's best to plan the party for a time when you know the kids won't be overtired or cranky because they missed some sleep!

• Send your invitations 2 weeks before your party date. Purchase some linen paper from the office supply store and use a fancy "royal" font on your computer for printing the invitations. For local guests, roll the invitation into a scroll and tie with organdy ribbon and hand deliver. When mailing invitations, use cute stickers or rubber stamps to decorate the envelope in royal fashion.

• Planning on having "outside entertainment"? Secure that early as well. Some great ideas for a princess party entertainer would be a balloon magician, balloon artist or a children's storyteller. Check your local yellow pages under "Party Entertainment" or search the web for ones near you.

• Begin making your party decorations early too. Make fabulous royal goblets with inexpensive jewel pieces hot glued to plastic champagne flutes or wine glasses. Do the same with clear plastic plates with the jewels along the outside ridge. Tie the napkins with purple ribbon and you're set. Fun and inexpensive!

• Balloons are a must at any birthday. Tape colorful balloons around your entrance door for a royal archway. Tie a bunch of balloons to the mailbox to show your guest the way to the ball. Even colored balloons all over the "dance floor" creates a wonderful effect. If you have very young ones you want to be careful with balloons, but kids love them…so get lots! Most craft and party stores sell inexpensive helium tanks so filling the balloons is a snap!

• Plan the royal menu and keep it simple. Present it to your royal guests on glass serving plates with real or wax grapes as a side decoration. Serve typical "high tea" fare, finger sandwiches, chocolate dipped strawberries and bubbly punch in your plastic champagne flutes.

• The little princesses will be so adorable so be prepared with fresh batteries so you can take lots of pictures. A separate photo of each of the party guests with the princess of honor makes a great addition to the thank you note.

• Don't overdo. Most kids just love to just play and have fun. Organized games are great but don't make the party so structured that the kids don't have time to spin around in their costumes or dance in the balloons...and just have fun together.

Writen by Colus Branel

With recent increases in wholesale energy prices, the cost of running a home has risen dramatically. The question is, is it time for UK householders to start to change their ways and cut-back on the energy consumption?

Anyone who is paying for domestic fuel bills should be shopping about for the most cost-efficient energy provider. In fairness all the major UK energy suppliers are much of a muchness.

It would also seem that all major UK Energy suppliers have raised their prices over the last 18 months.

With the cost of harvesting natural energy supplies such as gas increasing, and stocks of natural energy continue to decline. The long-term picture looks bleak as it looks as though consumers will be saddled with further energy price increases in the coming months and years.

How much longer can energy costs continue to rise without it having a direct effect on peoples spending habits.

It comes as no surprise that more people on restricted budgets such as pensioners, the disabled and low income parents are finding it increasingly difficult to pay for basic services such as gas and electric.

Where once the UK could draw gas supplies from the North Sea, these natural havens of gas have diminished due to our ever hungry demand. In a strange twist of fate, the west is now becoming more dependant upon the East and specifically Russia and it's former federation countries for energy sources.

So what choices do consumers have when choosing an energy supplier? In fairness the options for domestic users are few and far between.

There are simple methods to usually gain additional discounts, these include:

- taking gas and electric from one supplier fora duel fuel discount

- paying by direct debit

- paperless bills via the internet

Your location can also restrict your choice of energy supplier.

If you are worried about the escalating cost of fuel bills, you could follow these simple tips to be more energy efficient:

- Central Heating: In the winter months, reduce your house thermostat by 1 degree.

- Electrical Appliances: Turn all electrical appliances such as TV's and DVD players off and not on standby.

- Light Bulbs: Use energy saving bulbs.

- Windows & Doors: Shake your windows and doors. If they rattle, seal with draft exclusion strip.

- Curtains: Draw them at night. If you have a radiator beneath the window, make the curtain long enough to tuck behind it or tuck the curtain into the frame of the window.

- Double Glazing: Think carefully before fitting double glazing unless you need to replace your windows. Double glazing is not cheap and take as much as 10 - 20 years to pay back through the energy saved.

- Roof Insulation: Great roof insulation is essential. Check to see if your current insulation is thick enough. Roof Insulation is fairly cheap to do.

- Unused Chimneys: If you have a chimney where the fire is not used much, block it with a chimney balloon. Chimneys can account for as much heat loss as much as all your rattly windows and doors put together.

- Energy Saving Appliances: Whenever you replace an appliance, from dishwasher to light bulb, go for the energy saving option, make sure the appliance is A rated.

- Winter Months: :In the winter, if the house is cold wear an extra one or two layers of clothing!

www.SearchandSave.com in conjunction with USwitch offer a service to help you find the most inexpensive energy prices possible.

UK Power Suppliers include: British Gas, LEB, NPower, Powergen, Scottish Power, ManWeb, SeeBoard and SwaLec.

If you feel your home of business energy costs are too much, you should enquire about tackling energy from a new supplier of cheaper gas and cheaper electric call www.SearchandSave.com on 0800 97 75 633 or visit www.searchandsave.com.