admin, Author at 3 Kids and Us

How To Add A Touch Of Magic To Leisure Through Family Yoga Travel

June 13, 2017 by admin

Travelling is a wonderful time for laughter, bonding and festivities. An opportunity to learn new things, see different cultures and connect with different people. Whether it be on the beach, a new city, trekking on the mountains or star gazing in the wild, traveling is one of the best de-stressors when you need to take a time out. And what better way to spend it with your family.

No matter how far you are away from home, maintaining a healthy lifestyle is a must, and yoga is proof that exercise on-the-go is not difficult. Here are simple ways to do just that:

1. Bring your props with you

Yoga props don’t consume too much space in your luggage, just bring your mat with you! A big travel mat rolled on your bag would indeed serve as a reminder that it’s time to squeeze in some exercise hours on your vacation but it might just add up a wee amount of weighing.

One Lululemon yoga mat review from a renowned yogi indicated that lightweight travel mat fits perfectly in her travel bag and added only about 1 kg. Add that to the fantastic view of your beach or the mountainside and you have an instant inspiration as you execute your downward-facing dog pose. Take in a deep, deep breath of fresh breeze while you’re at it.

2. Know the local Yoga scene

As with any travel bit, exploring the local yoga studios are part of the vacation itself. Your hotel might just have their own yoga studio for you to enjoy. Perhaps, you will find a Yogi instructor giving free classes on the town’s plaza where you can meet other families practicing yoga themselves. Or maybe there’s a studio beside the famous restaurant you are dying to try. In any case, search for Yoga practice opportunities before you travel.

3. Make an itinerary and make yoga part of it

So, your youngest wants to go to the waterpark and your eldest wants to check out the museum; your hair is thinning out at the thought of having not enough time to go to all of these places but you want everyone to be happy, too. Well, the best plan is to make a plan. Find time before your travel to search for the noteworthy tourist’s spots, find the perfect schedule and you’re good to go. While you’re at it, keep an eye out for opportunities to practice yoga as well.

4. Equip Yourself with the Perfect YOGA APP for your needs

If you find yourself on vacation in the woods, make sure you pack light and bring your mobile phone with you in the case of emergencies and in the case of yoga. Your family does not need to skip your Yoga sessions just because you guys are in the middle of the forest or midway into a mountain. Relax and breathe the fresh air, hold your hands up high for your Sun Salutations and slowly, gently breathe out while going back down. For the next pose, pull out your phone and open your newly-downloaded Yoga App. Yoga Studio is one of the best apps you may download, it costs only 3.99 and is available on both Android and Apple OS. You can also get YogaGlo, tagged as one of the top Apple apps of 2016

5. Yoga Retreat

Have you ever considered going on a retreat? How about a yoga retreat for your next vacation? Morocco, Thailand, and Cambodia offer yoga retreats all year round. Some even offer a family yoga retreat which teaches you poses that can practice your little kid. Not only is this a good husband and wife quiet time, but it can also be one of the most memorable bonding experiences you will have with your children. Do not be intimidated by silent yoga retreats as this is a whole new level of experience altogether.

6. Meditate

Travelling, though enjoyable for everyone, can also be quite tiring. Take a few minutes out of your day to just practice your breathing. The best times are when you are waiting for your flight, aboard your plane and while traveling on land to your destination. It need not be a complicated practice as you can just sit there, block the surroundings and just breathe. You can turn it into a game for your kids, everyone will enjoy it.

7. Do not forget to cleanse

Yoga is a cleansing of the mind, spirit and the body. Make sure you get your daily, if not weekly, dose of it. And while you’re at it, take advantage of your time while on vacation; reset your body by getting that 8 hours of sleep. Pick your food thoroughly– an option you don’t usually have when you only have an hour for lunch at work. Do some light reading. Anything that would help you reach that state of relaxation where both your mind and body is at rest.
Be it on vacation or at the comfort of your own home, there’s plenty of yoga to go around. Share the experiences with your family and new friends, ask them to join and eventually, build a community of yogis eager to practice even when they’re away from home.

The Drywall Panel Lift – An Essential Tool in Drywalling

June 9, 2017 by admin

Source

Drywall panel lifts are hugely important tools in the drywall industry, as well as for those who want to do a DIY job. Professionals like Lloyd Claycomb II have found that these lifts have done away with the need for ‘dead man’ constructions and have freed up a lot of manpower as well. As the name suggests, these are lifts that have been designed to push heavy drywall panels up, and keep them there. They can usually reach heights of between four and 11 foot, making them perfect for ceiling jobs as well. If you are a DIY drywall installer, you will find that these lifts are perfect to help you save time, and to spare your body as well, as you no longer have to tax your neck, shoulder, back, and arm muscles. These lifts truly are fantastic pieces of equipment that greatly shorten the amount of time you need to spend on completing a drywall project.

Professional drywall installers also almost always use these types of lifts on the job. This is because it protects them from workplace injuries and ensures they can be safer, more comfortable, and overall more productive. When professionals install drywall on a ceiling, they will inevitably use these lifts because they would otherwise have to hold heavy drywall panels over their head. By using a lift, the sheet stays in place and doesn’t move, meaning it can easily be screwed or nailed into place.

If you have a DIY drywall project to complete, it is unlikely that you will want to purchase a drywall panel lift. They are quite expensive pieces of machinery, meaning that it is a far better idea to rent one instead. You can usually rent them for around $50 per day, which is quite affordable. Most importantly, it will pay for itself because you will complete the work much sooner than you would without a lift. Most of all, it will make your job a whole lot easier to complete, particularly if you also use drywall stilts at the same time.

In terms of how a drywall lift works, you would be surprised at how easy it actually is. This is why it is so common to be able to rent one, since it does not require any specialized training or licensing to be used. Simply put, you assemble the lift, which doesn’t require any tools, but a drywall panel in its cradle, and lift it to the ceiling. Once the sheet has reached the spot you want it to be in, you can screw or nail it into position. If you want your ceiling to have a really professional finish to it, then make sure you start drywalling in one of the corners, working your way along from there. Thanks to a drywall lift, completing this job quickly and to perfection is easier than ever. When you consider drywall installation would often take weeks and many injuries to complete, it is no surprise that the drywall lift is so popular nowadays.

4 Child-Friendly Asian Cities to Visit

June 9, 2017 by admin

Family vacations are one of the best things to look forward to. It is the ideal time to relax, bond with one another, and have fun even for a short while. You will surely enjoy this moment and treasure it for a lifetime, for it is not every day you can have this kind of journey with the most important people in your life.

However, planning your family vacation can be frustrating and at the same time exhausting. There are plenty of things you have to consider first before deciding where to spend your vacation. You have to keep in mind that everyone should enjoy during this trip, so choose a destination that you can all have the best time ever.

Listed below are the child-friendly cities you can visit in Asia:

Singapore

Although known as a costly city, Singapore is still one of the best Asian cities to explore with your family, significant other, or alone. It is a multicultural region that makes it easy and hassle-free to roam around, even with your entire family. There are also a lot of attractions you can visit while here, including the Singapore Flyer, Gardens by the Bay, Singapore Botanic Gardens, and Sentosa Island. More so, before traveling to this wonderful country, make sure to have a cheap travel insurance in Singapore first. This will ensure that you are all protected when overseas.

Hong Kong

One of the most popular Asian cities perfect for every family is Hong Kong. This metropolitan city boasts its two main attractions for travelers – Hong Kong Disneyland and Ocean Park. All kids, as well as kids-at-heart, will truly be delighted going here. Aside from these two attractions, you can also visit the Po Lin Monastery and Big Buddha in Lantau Island, Peak Tower, or Hong Kong Ferris Wheel. There are tons of family-friendly tourist spots around Hong Kong, so better plan your trip here properly and ahead of time.

Malaysia

A friendly and relaxing country, Malaysia is a must-visit travel destination, too. There are numerous cities around this beautiful country that you can explore, especially Kuala Lumpur. You can check out Legoland and Hello Kitty Land as well, in order for the kids to enjoy your Malaysia trip. With its outstanding cuisine, amiable local people, and diverse culture, you will truly feel Asia while here.

Japan

Another Asian country you should not miss when traveling with the whole family is Japan. This amazing country has one of the best tourist attractions in the world, especially its capital city, Tokyo. Once you are in Tokyo, make sure to add Tokyo DisneySea and Tokyo Disneyland on your itinerary. These amusement parks will definitely be a hit to you and your children.

Asia is absolutely a family-friendly travel destination. It offers a ton of great cities perfect for family vacations or solo travels. In case you are planning a getaway with your family, then make sure to consider these travel destinations specified above and you will all experience the ultimate Asian tour like no other.

Did You Know About These Hidden Gems of Kolkata?

June 5, 2017 by admin

Kolkata is a small city, geographically. It is only 1/8th of the size of the capital, New Delhi and the main city is even smaller. However, Kolkata has so much more than you might have read on those travel blogs or what the travel packages of Yatra might offer. There are so many things to see which Google wouldn’t tell you. Sometimes, even your tour guide wouldn’t tell you because they think those places don’t deserve mention or because not many people ask them, the tour guides, to take them there. There lies the mysterious Kolkata, the unseen Kolkata, the Kolkata which you need to ‘explore’, not visit.

Shobhabazar Rajbari: Shobhabazaar Royal Palace would be a literal translation but Nabakrishna Deb was more of a super rich landlord with wealth generating from questionable sources. However, the palace he built in Shobhabazaar is amazing and you wouldn’t find a better combination of Indian and British architecture in Kolkata.

This is a saat-mahala house which means the interior of the house is divided into seven sections, ladies’ wing, drawing room etc., servants’ quarters and more. There is a thakur dalan, supported by seven really tall pillars. This is almost 250 years old but due to proper maintenance, has kept much of its original charm intact. You can visit the palace during Durga Puja, in October, when it’s open for the general public.

Kolkata Town Hall: Built in 1813, by architect and engineer Maj.-Gen. John Garstin, in Roman Doric style, the town hall cost no less than 700,000 rupees in those days! The result was amazing though, it is one of the most beautiful structures in Kolkata but sadly none, neither the manager of your hotel in Kolkata nor the tour guide you hire, would recommend it. It was utterly neglected in independent India because it was a symbol of British occupation! In fact, this magnificent building was almost ruined and the Kolkata High Court had to intervene to save it. Presently, Kolkata Corporation has done an appreciable job of restoring the former glory of this building and it houses a library on Kolkata, containing the rarest books and diaries on Kolkata and you can check out the magnificent history of Kolkata here. While, booking a hotel through Yatra, you can search a one near Town Hall.

Paramount House: Why only visit when you can eat and drink as well. Paramount is quenching the thirst of Kolkata for 100 years now and their sorbets and drinks (strictly non-alcoholic) is a must for you to try out. You might have drunk a lot many things in different restaurants and 5 star hotels in Kolkata, but I bet you will forget everything else when you take a sip at Paramount. Located at a not “so easily accessible” place at the back end of College Street, it is frequented by many who know the taste of their drinks.

Their price list is all set to surprise you because you wouldn’t believe that such heavenly manna is available for 50c or so. Their list is very, very long and you might be confused with the choice. The best thing to do here is to request them for a speciality. But then, each of their drinks is special, trust me.

Hastings House: One of the oldest buildings in Kolkata, it had seen better days when it housed the Governor General of India, Lord Warren Hastings. This place is now a Women’s College, under Kolkata University. If you are a fan of haunted places and spooky incidents, this is where you should go with many students complaining of inexplicable incidents in this building. In specific, there is an Englishman on a horse who supposedly asks for some lost files! This is in Alipore and you can get there easily.

Babu Ghat: Ghat is translated by American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language as “A broad flight of steps leading down to the bank of a river in India, used especially by bathers.” but the ghats on Ganga are much more than that. This is where Kolkata used to come for their afternoon and evening pleasures, then bathe in Ganga or sit in the breeze to have a respite from the oppressive heat. With Kolkata losing the use of Ghats, these ghats are now often neglected but Babu Ghat is a must see. You can see the vast Ganga flowing, the breeze, the local sellers and a true picture of old laid-back Kolkata.

Adding curb appeal to your property – how to do it affordably and easily

May 31, 2017 by admin

Selling your home can be a stressful process. You want to try and get as much interest in the property as possible, in order to give yourself more chance of selling quickly, and of securing the best possible selling price. There are several things you need to take into account, when you selling your home. These considerations include choosing a real estate agent you can trust, or knowing the best way to deal with your own house sale.

One thing that you may not necessarily consider as a priority, can actually be very important; that is curb appeal. If your property looks good from the outside, you will be surprised how much interest you can get from people who are just passing by. There are ways that you can improve the curb appeal of your home, without having to spend a fortune to do so.

Consider cladding as an option

Cladding the exterior of your home is obviously going to cost you money. But you need to weigh this up against the amount of value that you could be adding. Cladding does not just improve the appearance of your home, it also offers protection to the exterior surface, as well as helping with home insulation.

If you speak to an expert such as Peter Bracey they can help you decide which type of cladding you should use. They can also advise you on how much of an investment you need to make.

Tidying and cleaning your outside space

If the front of your home looks untidy, dirty or overgrown, many people are not going to bother looking behind the issues. You could be putting off a lot of potential buyers. If you lead a busy life, and there is a house sale that is also complicating matters, it’s understandable that tasks may get neglected.

It’s important that you try and make time to tidy your outside space. You should cut back bushes and trees and ensure that dead plants are removed. If you have the time, it’s also worth adding a few fresh plants to give a splash of colour. You should also jet wash the driveway and get rid of any weeds that are present.

Painting and repairing

You may not think that a broken fence will be of much concern to people buying a property. The thing is that it’s not just about a broken fence. This type of issue can make it seem as though you are not bothered about the upkeep of your home; this is not something that people who are thinking of buying the property want to see.

You need to make sure that you fix broken fences, or other issues. It’s also worth painting the outside of the property, if the paint is peeling or faded. Do not forget to opt for a traditional or neutral colour scheme, as this is likely to appeal to more people.

All of these actions can help add curb appeal to your home. This can make selling the property easier and can help you to secure a better selling price.