Still dishing out the same old party themes for your kids? How about the “tween” in the family? For the next birthday, make the party most memorable for your 12-year-old. These party ideas will set you apart as the coolest mom and dad in the block.
Party Uppers
Tags: birthday, child, children, family, fun party, living, money, neighbors, parent, parents, party, party ideas, party planning, safetyIn many communities, Halloween is not only for children’s trick-or-treating, or adults having parties, it is also a time when youth tear their neighborhoods apart and wreak general havoc, and refer to it as “fun.” If you have teenagers– or if you happen to be one– there are ways in which youth who are too old for door-to-door candy-seeking can have a good time on this holiday without being destructive, and without putting themselves or others in danger with unsafe group driving or roaming around in a dark neighborhood.
The standard alcohol-free Halloween party, with reliable supervision and a common sense time limit, is an answer. The very thought of gathering a dozen or more teens in one home may sound like a nightmare to the parents and boring to the youth; but with careful planning, it need not reach either group’s worries! A good time can be had by the teenagers; and it is entirely possible that the chaperones in charge will find themselves enjoying the festivities also.
Tags: child, children, for children, neighborhoods, parent, parents, parties, party, planning a party, safety, safety tipsYou have been weeding your little green patch out front, dreaming to have rows of beautiful flowering plants after a few months. But, to your utter frustration, you found that a small area at the corner of your garden has been invaded by the notorious Japanese knotweed. Finding a patch of weeds in a garden is not a reason to be alarmed. It is but a common incident to find some unwanted wild plants growing amongst your flowers every now and then. You can just weed them out if they pose too much of a threat. However, this is not the case with the Japanese knotweed. Weeding them out as well as completely eradicating them from your little green patch is one big challenge.
The single characteristic that makes this plant very hard to control is because of its underground stem system, or rootstock, which has the ability to produce new plants. A small part of the rootstock, one weighing 0.7 grams and as big as the nail of your little finger, is a viable plant and very much capable of growing into a four foot plant by the end of the summer.
Tags: flowers, garden, gardener, herbicides, homes, plants, safety