text:
We attended an event hosted by the Lego Discovery Center to preview new displays
If you are obsessed with Lego blocks and live in Chicago, you probably love going to the LEGOLAND Discovery Center in Schaumburg. I can't think of a better place to let my children play with an ocean of LEGOs while I catch up with my friends on the latest happenings.
However, with winter, school, and the endless chore list – it has been too long and if I needed another excuse LEGOLAND in Schaumberg also had something special ready for us.
LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Chicago recently launched two new attractions for all the Lego fans – LEGO® Star Wars™ Episode IV MINILAND Display and LEGO Friends Heartlake City!
I usually spend a lot of time by the Chicago display as it amazes me with its details, but this time the kids wanted to race and discover new and exciting things.
LEGO® Star Wars™ Episode IV MINILAND Display
As part of the new exhibit from a galaxy far far away, guests can help the Rebel Alliance destroy the Galactic Empire's powerful Death Star, experience the epic duel between Obi-Wan Kenobi andDarth Vader, watch in awe as the Millennium Falcon rises from the deserts of Tatooine, discover the bustling city of Mos Eisley, and take in the busy cantina where the band plays its familiar tune, and dangerous characters lurk in dark corners.
Welcome to LEGO® Friends Heartlake City!
This interactive LEGO play area lets you become one of the LEGO Friends and add your LEGO creations into the Heartlake City display. Help the girls by building models to expand Heartlake City. While the boys are welcome to visit, it is exciting to see an area the girls can call their own. With bright colors and a different areas, it is perfect for girls of any age.
My kids love watching 4D movies and they usually watch movies – they run back 3 or 4 times to watch it again!
Do you live in the area or planning to visit Chicago? Come play at the Legoland Discovery Center!


text:
Malda – the first thing that comes to our mind about Malda is mangoes. But Malda is much more than that. Malda has a very rich history and was the seat of power for many empires. Malda thus have a few historical relics scattered throughout with Gour and Panduah being the most famous.
The history of Malda can be traced back to the medieval periods and centres around the cities of Gaur and Pandua. Gaur being an ancient city, its mention can be found even in the Hindu Puranic texts. The historical records of the city however can be traced from 500 BC from the time of Mauryan Dynasty. From the Mauryas, Gaur and the region of Pandua, then known as Pundrabardhana came under the reign of the Guptas. They were succeeded by Sasanka, the king of Karnasubarna as well as the king of Gour in the beginning of 7th Century AD who ruled for almost 3 decades. From the middle of the 8th century to 11th century the Pal dynasty ruled Bengal. They were great followers and propagators of Buddhism and the religion flourished under their reign. The Pal dynasty yielded to the Sen Dynasty who was ardent followers of Hinduism. Unlike the Pals, the Sens did not encourage the propagation of the other religions During the reign of Lakshman Sen, Gaur was known as Lakshmanbati. The Sen Kings ruled Bengal till Bakhtiyar Khilji conquered Bengal in 1204 AD.
The Muslim rule lasted for about 500 years before Sirajuddulah was defeated by Lord Clive in the battle of Plassey in 1757 thus changing the course of Indian history.
From the ancient period different rulers with different beliefs, religion and dynasty had left the mark of their dynasty, but most have them failed the test of time. New rulers had obliterated the previous marks left by the erstwhile rulers. But whatever remains are now in ruins and relics, nevertheless reminds the resplendence and grandeur of the time.
We present before you Malda in a couple of posts – the first one covering a few historical sites of Gour.
Gour, Malda – the ancient city of Bengal
Gour has many architectural structures of historical importance, and is sure to attract history and archaeology buffs.many historical relics are located along the road towards Gour till you reach Mahadipur, the Indo-Bangladesh border.
Kotwali Darwaza:
We started from the Indo – Bangladesh border at Mahadipur, A giant red stone structure stands here, known as the "Kotwali Darwaza". Probably named after the chief of police (Kotwal in Persian), the gate was stationed to guard the southern wall of Gour. It was built during the fifteenth century following the move of the capital from nearby Pandua to Gaur in 1446.
The gate is now in ruins and only the external towers with a huge convex outline with rows of arrow-slits can be partially seen. The rampart walls on the sides of the towers are still in existence. Presently, the Kotwali Darwaza serves as border between India and Bangladesh.
BSF Jawans are stationed at the place and you have to obtain permission from them to visit the ruins and even take photographs of the place.
Lottan Masjid:
Further down the road, stands the Lottan mosque. It is one of the finest architecture of the period. It is a single domed mosque having a square chamber and is traditionally ascribed to the riyal courtesan.
The mosque was probably built by Sultan Yusuf Shah. The mosque was earlier covered beautifully with coloured bricks remains of which can be seen till today. The surrounding luscious green garden provides a perfect backdrop to this mosque.
Tanti Para mosque:
A few metres down the road, your eyes will automatically be riveted by the sight of a green lawn and a ruined structure. It is the Tanti Para mosque. This gigantic Mosque built and completed by Sikandar Shah in 1369 AD is the most remarkable existing example of Muslim architecture of that period.
It is a Quadrangular building originally covered with 10 domes which have now fallen. To the northern half of the back wall of the mosque lies a roofless room known as Sikandar Shah's tomb.
The mosque was so called because it was situated in the weaver' colony of Gour kingdom. The building has intricate works which shows the beauty of the architecture of the period. The garden is also well maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India.
Some Useful Facts:
How to reach:
Malda is well connected by train from Howrah and Sealdah as well as Siliguri.
Where to Stay:
Numerous Hotels and guests houses are found in Malda.
Best time to visit:
you can visit anytime around the year. Winters will be pleasant in Malda while it is best to avoid summers.
Enjoyed Reading! Subscribe To Our Newsletter
Join our mailing list to receive the fresh free stories and updates from Tale of 2 Backpackers.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
This site is dedicated to car fans everywhere. My congratulations to the lucky owners
of these fine cars and my thanks to those that have made these pictures possible.
I will be adding more sections and many more pictures to this site, so come back
and tell your friends. Enjoy!


text:
From April 1, the National Horticulture Code of Conduct was replaced by a new code, Competition and Consumer (Industry Codes—Horticulture) Regulations 2017 (Cth). The Code seeks to ensure transparency in trading in the Horticulture industry between growers and traders. The Code does not apply to purchasers who directly sell to consumers. There is a transition period of one year for existing agreements to facilitate compliance with the new code.
Kingfisher Law are Australia's agribusiness legal specialists and will discuss any legal issue you may be experiencing, in a confidential and professional manner. Call 1300 529 424 to book a consultation.


text:
Leading PostsNovember December 2006
Misguided Pope: Conflict with Another Monotheistic Religion
Abbass Alkhafaji
It is unfortunate to see that a person like the Pope Benedict XVI, Head of the Catholic Church, who should have been a voice of reason and reconciliation, acted in a way that contradicted his position. His remarks showed ignorance about the great religion of Islam and the great Prophet Mohammed (P.B.U.H) The question that must be raised is whether the Pope is aware of the new world situation after the September 11 attacks and the invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq. There is no doubt that he has contributed negatively at aggravating the distrust and conflict between the west and the Islamic World. For the past five years we hear criticism to Islam because of the September 11 attacks. In reality the U.S. originally established those group, who attacked the world trade center during the 1980s. President George Bush spoke of terrorist as "Islamic Fascist" while insulting the majority of Muslims who have nothing to do with this conflict. It is therefore understood by the Muslims that there is a campaign against their religion lead by the US and other western countries. The US and some European countries are in the process of identifying a new enemy to replace the former Soviet Union and the Pope is given a role to play in this campaign. The late Pope John Paul II played a significant role in the collapsing of the Communism during the 1980s. Remarks against one billion and five hundred million Muslims is not only unfair it will create more tension and chaise.
In 2001, the US President George W. Bush declared Crusade and started his campaign by attacking the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. The next station in his agenda was Iraq. Recently, he described the Muslims as "fascists". On September 19, 2006, he told the Arab people not to believe what they hear about the intention of the US and some Western countries. For the Muslims in general and the Arabs in particular, the issue become clearer now than ever, it is a series of irresponsible fallacies and misleading designed to put pressure on the Muslims all over the world and to widen the hatred and confusion. Western criticism of Islam has continued under the umbrella of freedom of expression ever since the start of the so-called 'war on terror'. Danish newspaper dared to publish cartoons mocking the Prophet Mohamed, inflaming emotions and creating waves of wrath in the Arab and Muslim streets. Under the umbrella of freedom of expression, American TV and Radio programs can spell their ignorance against Islam without any responsibility.
The Pope Benedict XVI, and President Bush, are not an ordinary people who passed judgments on such highly sensitive issues in a word full with conflict and confrontation. Those individuals are expected to act in higher moral and ethical standards. We are in a world where people pass judgment without substantial knowledge and therefore create ill feelings. Ignorance about other people believe and more specifically about Islam in the way propagated by many politicians is being used as an excuse to provoke hate and animosity between people of the world. Politicians and other public figures provide rhetoric without being held responsible to present evidence to support their political interest, however we do not see any reasonable voice that call for restrain and understanding.
When such allegation comes from responsible individuals such as the Pope Benedict XVI and President George Bush, it has a far-reaching impact. I hope that those responsible people realize this was a big mistake and courageously admit their sorrow followed by strategic steps to improve relationships. It is time to promote dialogue and understanding in a world full of conflict and confusion. Inter-religion dialogue and tolerance must be the message if we try to live in a global market where every one is only part that depends upon the others for their survivals and existence. Short-term measures might be successful tactics, however the long-term effect of these tactics might be severe and detrimental. We have tried the policy of hate and destructions and we failed measurably. Let us try a policy of tolerance and understanding. The few terrorists who cause chaos and fear, they have no religion and no good religion is proud to have them. In order to defeat this destructive group, we should not only use power and military means. We should simply use educational tools and encouragement. If the United States government is serious about changing the situation and creating a better environment for all to live, they should declare a change of strategy. This strategy should be built on peace and tolerance among the inhabitants of the world. We should promote peace in the Middle East, a serious peace that brings the whole region to a better co-existence. It is time to act as an honest broker to solve the Palestinian problem.
Our strategy in Iraq should be changed completely also. We should bring the entire political and religious group to agree to a united country for at lest the next 50 years. We should have them agree to share the resources based on their population proportion in that society. (One of the major problems in Iraq is that the Sunni used to have about 70% of the resources and the entire power. Now, we have to convince them to have about 20% of the resources and 20% of the government representation. The government should use the strategy of encouraging the group to participate and at the same time respect the law.) We should make public of our intention to leave Iraq in about two years time period. We should promote economic development where needed and encourage deluge and Technology transfer.
Those countries who promote terrorism should be encouraged to redesign their schooling curriculum and media programs to promote friendship and tolerance between different religions as well as within the same religion. It is a fact that those terrorists groups are killing more Iraqi Shia than any other group. Therefore the majority of Muslims should question the motive of these terrorist organizations and its association with Islam. They could be very much conducting a foreign agenda to destroy Islam by promoting violence among the Muslim community.
There is little doubt that the invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq, the war in Lebanon, and developments in the Palestinian territories, has lead to increase tensions in the Middle East. Our interference was seen as an attack on Islam. The daily killing in Iraq was seen as a sectarian war between Sunni and Shia. The group who promote this Sectarian war in Iraq are the same September 11 attackers.
The reaction of the Muslims around the world was expected. If this continuo it will deepen hatred and animosity between the people of the globe. We live in a global world where we all complement each other. No one is immune. No country can live self sufficient without other countries support. We have to find a way to co-existent and work together.


text:
By Natural handcrafted soap company.
Celebrate Moms. All mothers deserve to be celebrated . Mother's Day in 2017 is on Sunday, the 14th of May (14/5/2017). In the United States, Mother's Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of May.
To Celebrate all the moms from the Planet , we use on ours handmade soaps , natural ingredients from around the world ( local secrets that they swear by). Natural Handcrafted Soap Company will offer a few different selections at times from our rare collection and a few more and rare ingredients from the Amazon.
Buriti oil, Marula oil, coffee oil, Cupuacu butter, Shea butter , Brazilian Nut Butter and a variety of natural clays to name a few. From the lush green forests of Chile to the Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Amazon. From Africa Savannahs, to India, Japan, China and Madagascar we bring you a collection of exotic, luxurious unrefined therapeutic high quality ingredients for our handmade soap products. Our ingredients must detain its full therapeutic healing properties. Cosmetic Grade is not enough. Our ingredients are used by local population either as a nutritious food source, as for healing the body .
It may be time to replace the commercial soap bar for the real one. Upgrade to this beautiful , Mother and Baby Twelve Piece Soap Gift Set allows you to give the gift of natural skin care to mothers and their precious little ones. Packaged in a beautiful gift box, the set contains six regular bars of soap, an extra-large bar for the shower, two rosette soaps for the powder room and three bars for
Baby's bath time.
More on Amazon.com


text:
The German Bundesliga have appointed its first female referee.
Bibiana Steinhaus makes history as she is promoted to referee in the top flight of the nations football structure. She has previously controlled 80 matches in the German second tier and has now earned the right to ply her trade at the top.
Steinhaus, 38, is a police officer and is one of four newly promoted refs in Germany for season 2017-2018. She is also in a relationship with former English referee Howard Webb, who refereed at the highest level, including the English Premier League, Champions League and World Cup.
Steinhaus, will be under huge scrutiny, especially by the press as she takes up her new role. Referee's often get flack but when it is a female the abuse can often be tenfold, when a decision goes against a team and gets the fans backs up.
Howard Webb is said to be delighted and believes that English female referees will be seen in the top flight in the near future.
Steinhaus is not afraid of confrontation. In 2015 she sent off Fortuna Dusseldorf midfielder Kerem Demirbay for a second bookable offence. The player's comments resulted in him receiving a five match ban when he said "women have no place in men's football"
He later apologised but was ordered by his club to referee a girls' football match as punishment.
She has a good mentor in Howard Webb and we wish Bibiana every success for the coming season.
Source : BBC
Content : LovePattayaThailand


text:
Overcome challenges, attain life goals and enhance personal growth.
The college years can be filled with new and enriching experiences but can also present challenges which may interfere with your academic progress and emotional well-being. The Student Counseling Center's (SCC) goal is to help you make the most of your years here at USD. On our website you will find information about our services, staff, campus resources, crisis management and how to refer someone. There are also links to self-help tools and general health information.
The Student Counseling Center is open Monday - Friday from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. all year round.
The SCC is located in the Cook House on the southeast corner of campus.
The Student Counseling Center offers a wide range of confidential services to currently enrolled USD students. These services include, but are not limited to:
Topics may include, but are not limited to:


text:
I had to do some work in London .... unfortunately it came towards the end of an epic Alps winter...in mid/late April.
Nonetheless - with huge snow bases - and the forecast changing from a week of rain --- to temps 70/80 in Paris, Geneva, Zurich and sunny - let's go! I am a Tahoe skier who has no problems seeking the best corn snow for 2-3 hours per day - and not complaining about ice early, slush late.
So United Airlines 7:30am - in Geneva. After passport, car, customs - and beautiful drive into the Alps at 40s/50s at 9 am with windows down - I'm at Grands Montets in cable car before 11am.
No lines. Tram to the top all day. Massive 6-7k vertical. Jackson Hole without the attitude. Or at least I cannot hear the attitude in French. Bluebird.
Some thoughts: Chamonix was supposedly a good late season ski area. I am going say ... no! The south facing ski areas (that I had free passes) Brevent - Flegere .... were all closed up to be of interest - wet slide avalanches (south aspect) and fewer skiers. Not great.
However, Grands Montets - I know great - groomed maybe 3 runs ... and waiting for the off-piste to go 'corn' ... but before wet slide closures ... not easy ... and really the mountain is not that large.
I got all major faces in - but the snow was quite hard above 2500m - except on East/South exposures - and they needed to start closing things for wet slides below 2500m at 1-2pm. Pendant - closed. Skied till 5pm!!!
The Alps - stunning. The skiing in Chamonix - great / not so great. I am comparing it to everything else.. but I started to give Americans free ideas of where to go in the Alps .... because Chamonix would be very boring for a week in April.
I came away from this experience not wanting to return to Chamonix again. Been there 5x now -- I would with some friends who wanted to go crazy in chutes and hire a guide in March/early April.
Will post some pics.


text:
Opinions as Facts of History
It's good to see the federal Government emphasising the importance of history in the school curriculum ("States told to rewrite history", 18/8), but the call for more emphasis on "dates and facts" can only go so far. What are facts in the context of a history lesson?
Certainly, it's a fact that Federation occurred in 1901, but are the reasons behind this historic event "facts" or opinions? That event was the product of a whole host of different opinions that motivated people to behave and interact in various ways, with Federation as the end result.
To understand any event, we have to go beyond dates and delve into the varying opinions of the people who made that history. In human endeavour, opinions become facts because they impact on what happens. They have to be conveyed in the classroom in an objective and open-minded way, which will inevitably lead to students forming their own interpretations of history. This may sound "postmodern" to those who prefer their history cut-and-dried, but it's unavoidable.
Labels: Political


text:
Hotel Promotion Flyer Vol.01This flyer template is perfect for promoting your hotel, resort, villa and other type of accommodation. You will get three design variation for a single color scheme. Text and photos are easy to replace, with image placeholders are in smart object layers.
- Print size: 8.5×11 inches (portrait)
- Bleed area: 0.25 inches
- Color: CMYK/300 dpi
- Source-file format: Photoshop .psd
- Editing software required: Adobe Photoshop CS3 or later version
- 3 .psd files provided
- Documentation file included
PLEASE NOTE: Sample photos on the preview image above are NOT included in the downloaded package, they are used for illustration purpose only. The downloaded templates come with photo placeholders that you can used as a guide to place your new photo.
Font sources:
- Bree Serif, http://www.fontsquirrel.com/fonts/bree-serif
- Garamond, http://www.fonts.com/font/monotype-imaging/monotype-garamond
- Calibri, http://www.myfonts.com/fonts/ascender/calibri/
- Novacento, http://www.myfonts.com/fonts/synthview/novecento/
Sample photos credits:
- hotel room for two: http://photodune.net/item/hotel-room-for- two/1181851 by krsmanovic
- hotel room: http://photodune.net/item/hotel-room/2720977 by Pakhnyushchyy
- reception area: http://photodune.net/item/hotel-room/1181875 by krsmanovic
- luxurious hotel room: http://photodune.net/item/luxurious-hotel-room/770348 by haveseen
- swimming pool: http://photodune.net/item/swimming-pool/1313447 by keattikorn


text:
- Any (Wise) opinions on this?
"A new study has measured the effects of electro-acupuncture on the regeneration of the spinal cord following injury. The experiment was performed on rats with spinal cords that were demyelinated in the thoracic vertebrae region at T10. The research conducted by the Division of Neuroscience at Sun Yat-Sen University demonstrated that electro-acupuncture stimulated spinal cord repair."
More = Link.


text:
Twitter Small Business-6 ideas that work
Small business owners often find themselves bewildered by the host of social media platforms that are available. How do all of these work? What does everyone using a phone mean for my business? Can I get access to new customers? Do I need to hire a consultant or an agency? Here are 6 Twitter small business for engagement and growth.
These are all huge questions. But Twitter can be a huge advantage for small businesses who know how to use it right. Here we share a few tips on how to leverage Twitter for your small business. The better that you as a small business owner, the better than you can engage with outside vendors and manage your online marketing for success.
Twitter is a platform that has 310 million user accounts, and even if only a percentage of those users regularly post, that's a pool of customers, partners and competitors that no small business owner can ignore. Further, the majority of Twitter users use their phones, and mobile marketing is something no small business owner can ignore.
Here are 6 great ideas that any small business owners should consider about Twitter:
Customer Research – Especially for businesses that rely heavily on lead generation, you can use Twitter Search to track down likely prospects. A hidden gem of Twitter is that it's an excellent lead generation tool – you can sift through billions of tweets at twitter.com/search-advanced.
You should search for keywords and hashtags related to the problems your service is designed to solve – such as #roofrepair or "traffic tickets". Then, you can send a prospect a polite tweet indicating that you can help solve your problem.
Networking and influencing – While not directly related to lead generation, you can connect with colleague and thought leaders in whatever business you're in. By working with colleagues (who may also be competitors), you can arrange such things as labor trades, referrals, and joint partnership opportunities. It's also a great way to keep on top of news and developments that are occurring in your field.
Hashtags are your friend – Hashtags are often said to be Twitter's greatest contribution to both content marketing in general and social media in particular. Hashtags are ways to tag conversations that occur throughout Twitter, and can also help you if you've just released a new product or service. Always pay attention to the hashtags used by your competitors and influencers. Use of social listening tools such as Buzzsumo or the internal Twitter Analytics can enable you to track hashtag volume and find good hashtags to attach your content too, or where smart conversations are happening and opportunities to prospect, sell and assist others abound.
Twitter Advertising – Twitter offers paid options, with sponsored tweets and sponsored stories. Testing a small amount of paid media can if nothing else get you valuable data, and while not inexpensive, Twitter can offer advertising options that can put you over the edge against your competitors.
Distributing content – if you blog (and you should be blogging), Twitter is a great way to distribute your content. You can use a link shorterner tool like bit.ly, have the shortened link point to your blog, and then include the link in your tweets. Remember that content should be helpful, not promotional. Bit.ly and other platforms like it have simple analytics that will show you not only click throughs but where your content has been shared. This is excellent if you perform any kind of e-mail or drip marketing, make heavy use of a blog, or like to distribute special offers, coupons.
Local marketing – Twitter can be an amazing tool for local marketing. Hashtags such as #barbershopnyc or searches such as "bicycle shops Brooklyn" are a great way to reach out to local customers on a national, mobile platform. Using the search operator "near this place" can help you zero in on tweets made by people in a particular local
Engagement is king – Twitter is not a passive advertising medium. You can get the best return on investment by tweeting to those you want to talk to, and tweeting back in turn. As Jetblue learned, Twitter and other social media platforms can be a terrific means of taking angry customers and turning them into evangelists by personal contact and great customer service.
Do you have questions about using Twitter, Facebook or other social media platforms in your business? We're happy to provide help and answer questions. Reach out to us.


text:
Healthy hair is on everyone's must have list. If your hair looks and feels healthy, it will also look and feel beautiful. Unfortunately healthy hair is something most of us struggle to achieve. The reason most people do not have healthy hair is usually the result of chemical processing. Hair bleaching is the number one reason for dry and damaged hair. We bleach our hair, heat style, bake it in the sun and simply do not take good care of it. Most of us also do not take the time to care for our hair on a weekly basis or between chemical processes.
The great news is that healthy hair is possible, even if you do chemically bleach or straighten your hair. Healthy hair is all about maintenance, patience, and understanding that healthy and beautiful hair does take time and you have to respect your hair's integrity. When thinking about hair maintenance, the first thing everyone needs is a great hair mask. Hair masks, or hair treatments help to replenish lost moisture, restore your hair's inner protein bonds and restore shine. These weekly treatments are easy to apply at home and make a huge difference when you start using them on a regular basis. Some of the best hair masks change your hair in as little as 10 minutes a week. They leave your hair soft, full of shine and gradually repair past damage while helping to prevent future damage.
Protein hair treatments are a great way to restore your hair's natural health and strength. Kerastase Resistance Force Architecte Reconstructing Masque is one of our favorite masks to help strengthen weakened hair. This protein rich mask helps to fill in gaps within your hair sealing the hair shaft and protecting it from breakage and splitting. This is a great treatment for those who chemically bleach their hair and heat style their hair often. It leaves your hair feeling soft, more resistant to breakage and mends split ends. The formula also reduces frizz by creating a smoother hair shaft.
Moisture-rich hair masks help to replenish lost moisture and enhance your hair's elasticity. Maintaining your hair's elasticity is important because it strengthens the hair and prevents it from breaking and splitting when you brush and heat style your hair. Moisture is integral to your hair, maintaining it soft and full of shine. Pureology Precious Oil Softening Masque is a great hair treatment that replenishes your hair's moisture with essential oils and boosts your hair's natural shine. This is a luxurious weekly hair treatment that not only leaves your hair smelling amazing, but it also leaves it soft and silky. Pureology masks are great for those with color treated hair, as they maintain your hair color's vitality from one wash to the next. The formula keeps your hair color vivid and brilliant so that it never looks dull.
Other than replenishing your hair's health with weekly hair treatments, you will also need to use a daily nourishing balm. These are great for frizz control, split ends and leaving your hair silky soft. Davines Authentic Moisturizing Balm is an amazing multi-use moisturizer that not only helps to nourish your skin, but also your hair. This multi-tasking moisturizing balm is the perfect daily moisture booster for your hair. It is a great way to add a little shine and keep your hair smooth from one day to the next. We also like to add a little to your conditioner in order to boost your hair's shine and smoothness. When trying to maintain healthy hair, it is always important to have a go-to balm for daily use. Healthy hair is a daily task and this balm is an excellent source of shine and nourishment.
Lastly, you must always keep your hair's integrity in mind. If you see that your hair is damaged and severely dry, you may want to take some time off from bleaching or chemically treating your hair. Your hair needs time to recover after each chemical treatment. This is the time when you apply your hair masks; decrease heat styling and give your hair a lot of TLC. Once your hair has regained it's natural health and luster than you can go back to bleaching and chemical treatments, being aware that too much is always hazardous for your hair. Healthy hair is a possibility for all of us, but we do need to remember that healthy hair requires effort, patience, and a lot of great haircare!


text:
I have cleared one particular area of garden beside the common house of all it's weeds and it is now ready to compost and plant into again. I removed all of the old sprouting broccoli except two as they need to cross pollinate and I'd like harvest the seeds from these guys as they really did well. I've also left the lettuces as they were also really good producers and are just about ready to "bolt" (go to seed). I pulled up a golden beetroot without remembering what it was so I'm going to attempt to "can" it or preserve it like I would a red beetroot and see what happens. There are still bunching leeks, a few bunching onions and some spring onions coming up in that area so it will be interesting to see how they go. Now that the warmer weather will be starting up I'll need to start watering that area again once I plant it out.
Now, the disaster.
I have had to scrap the cloak I had on the loom as it just became a hideous mess of tangle and bad tension.
I did attempt to fix the tension which just made the tangle worse and in the end I decided it wasn't worth it and will start all over again. This time I'm going to try using a warping board (perhaps my inkle loom) and attempt a few techniques from my new weaving book and see how that turns out. I will however salvage the 30cm or so of weaving I did manage to achieve and start up a physical diary of my weaving. I'll attempt to wash some of that weaving and see how it looks – it's not finished unless it's wet finished – apparently. I also need to wet finish my shawl and table runner, it will be interesting to see how they turn out too. First I need to acquire soap flakes.


text:
Jason Steele believes the team spirit in the camp is there to ensure Rovers bounce back against Derby County on Wednesday night.
The Rovers goalkeeper felt the weekend loss at MK Dons was undeserved as they tasted a first defeat in five, but he is confident that they can get back to winning ways against the in-form Rams at Ewood.
Adam Henley's early red card on Saturday meant Rovers had to play more than 80 minutes with ten men at stadiummk, but Steele insists the way the team performed despite being a man light should give them heart going into the midweek match.
"Every single one of us thinks that with 11 men it would have been a totally different game," said Steele. "The lads gave everything.
"I thought we stayed in the game after the penalty ever so well. Then we've created a couple of chances in the second half. We had a couple cleared off the line, the keeper has made a save off Rhodesy's header, and if one of those goes in it is a different game.
"I don't think we deserved to get beat 3-0, I thought the lads absolutely worked their socks off for each other and that is going to stand us in good stead in the future because sometimes games like this can change your season when you know that you are all fighting for each other."
Steele knows Wednesday's Ewood clash will be another stern test, but one that they can all look forward to.
"We've got team spirit in abundance and I'm confident in our squad that we can deal with it," he added.
"We've got to stay positive, before the international break we were flying and we felt that we could beat anybody and that is still the case.
"We've got to make sure that we perform on Wednesday. They're a top side and it is the perfect game for us to bounce back. It is a great test for us and we are more than capable of winning the game.
"We can't be the hard luck team, we can't be crying out for a bit of luck, we've got to create our own luck and I think we've done that recently with how hard we are working, so hopefully we can take that into Wednesday."
Tickets for the match against Derby County will be on sale right up until the 7.45pm kick-off.
Tickets are priced from £18 for Adults, £12 for Seniors 65 and over, £12 for 18-21 year-olds and just £7 for Juniors aged 17 and below.
Book online today at www.eticketing.co.uk/onerovers and collect your tickets on the evening of the match at the Roverstore collection point.


text:
A few weeks ago I took my kids for a drive to look at the cherry trees and pick a few for a fresh cherry pie. We've been watching them since the early spring when buds first started forming. We marveled at the lovely blossoms in late April. Now the branches are heavy with the lovely red fruit. I can't wait until they start selling them by the roadside.
Our family loves fresh cherry pie. Last summer I started making pies with fresh cherries. We've never gone back to bottled cherries or canned pie filling.
Fresh Cherry Pie
Adapted from The Joy of Cooking
2 prepared pie crusts (store bought or homemade), rolled and ready to use
5 cups pitted sour or Bing cherries (2 to 2 1/2 lbs.)
1 1/4 cups sugar (3/4 cup for Bing cherries)
3 to 3 1/2 tbsp. cornstarch or quick-cooking tapioca
2 Tbsp. water
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp. almond extract
1 to 2 drops red food coloring (optional–I didn't use it)
2 to 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Fit one of the rolled pie crusts in a 9 to 10″ deep dish pie plate.
Place the pitted cherries in a large bowl. Sprinkle with sugar and cornstarch. Toss. Add water, lemon juice, almond extract, and food coloring (if using). Toss again to coat, making sure no lumps of sugar or cornstarch remain.
Pour the cherries into the prepared pie plate. Dot with the 2-3 Tbsp. unsalted butter.
Fit the second rolled pie crust on top of the filling and crimp the edge to seal the top and bottom crust together. Use a fork to poke holes along the top of the pie. Use any extra pie crust scraps for decoration, if desired. Place the pie plate on a parchment or foil-lined baking sheet to catch any overflowing juices.
Bake at 400 degrees F for 30 minutes. Lower oven to 350 degrees F, and let the pie continue to bake for an additional 30-45 minutes, or until the top and bottom are golden brown, and the juices are bubbling and syrupy.
Cool the finished pie on a rack until ready to serve. (We let it cool completely for neater slices and then warmed the individual slices in the microwave for 10 seconds.)
(A scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream on the side is a must.)


text:
Hey There!
Hey there! Just popping in to say "Hi"! Sorry to disappear on you like that! We have been busy with some fun family stuff (and some not so fun). When I last posted it was the beginning of spring break….
Thoughts on Thursday
Not gonna say this is a series, but God has placed some things on my heart lately that I have wanted to share, so I am. 🙂 This week a sweet, encouraging friend posted a comment on my facebook page related to my last post.
It really got me thinking as to whether or not it was true. Do I never complain? I want to be that person. I pray that is the way it comes across here on the blog. We are richly blessed. God always provides for our needs and then some. Is money tight sometimes, absolutely! But we are never without.
As I thought about it I realized that I have finally come to a place in my life where I am usually fairly content. I used to struggle with envy and discontent all. the. time. The root of the problem was one thing – comparison.
Once in a bible study, while going through the ten commandments, we camped on "thou shalt not covet" (Exodus 20:17 NASB) for quite a while. At that time, God got a hold of this sin in my life, made me aware of it, and began to change me.
I know that many of us struggle when scrolling through blog posts, or pinterest pictures, seeing beautiful images of things we know we will never have. What God did for me is to help me see the possibilities, and what I really wanted. Although the perfection in the picture or catalog was beautiful, what I really wanted was the feeling that was inspired by those spaces.
|master bedroom update
My goal in my own home, is to create an atmosphere that my family will love to be in. This is not something you can get out of a magazine, or a catalog. It is something that is collected and created over time.
|kitchen update
My goal on this blog is to share with you creative ways to get the look you want, even on a budget. Oh, yes. Sometimes I pitch a fit about how I would love to just drop $$$ on the real thing and not go through the hassle of the DIY (just ask my hubby). But, honestly, where's the fun in that?? 🙂
And, I'm not bad-mouthing those who buy out of a catalog or choose not to DIY. I'm just saying this is what works best for us in this stage of life. 🙂
So, thank you to my sweet friend for her words, and again, I so hope that is exactly what comes out on these virtual pages week by week. God has overwhelmingly blessed us with the family and home we have, and my prayer is to learn to be more and more content everyday. Oh to have the mind of Paul.
Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.
-Philippians 4:11 (NASB)
What's Happenin'
I haven't forgotten about y'all I promise. All sorts of things have been happenin' around here lately, I just haven't had a chance to pull it together to share with you guys! 😉 So, today is a round-up of sorts. A peek into our lives so to speak.
Some progress has been made in the family room update. We contemplated paint colors for the walls. And re-arranged furniture!
Then there was a birthday in the house. 🙂 So, progress put on hold for more important things.
The kids had a day off from school, so we sorted through clothes. My boys have been growing like little weeds!
Paint was chosen and painting began.
The house was a mess and laundry had piled up, so progress paused while I did some laundry. As I was doing laundry, I realized I was running low on laundry soap, so I whipped up a batch.
It's all gelled (is that a word?) and ready to be poured into containers!
Then the snow came.
And that meant some sledding. (so thankful for a hubby and a dad who loves getting out and playing with his kids no matter the conditions…I hate the cold)
The snow makes me more and more mindful of my oldest and others I know who are among the many in the New England area that are buried under several feet of snow…not inches. I am thankful for technology that allows me to see his smiling face from time to time. Makes this mama heart feel much better – you can tell a lot from just seeing their face, am I right?? (I screen-shot this while we were face-timing the other night – he would not keep his phone still, so the pic is blurry ;))
Finally the painting was finished and all the furniture back in place. Nothing much is styled and pretty yet, so not quite ready for a complete reveal, but here's a sneak peek. Still lots to do, but we are definitely headed in the right direction! And, I am loving the new furniture arrangement!
See, I told you we've been busy!! Hopefully I will be back soon to share more details of the family room transformation. Thanks for following along on our little adventures :).
September Happenings
Here we are, almost to the end of September. Where does the time go these days?? Although, I'm actually okay with it because it means I am one month closer to having my boy home for a few days from college. I'm telling you, having him far away for college has been one of the hardest things I have had to do as a parent so far. But, he is loving it and doing well and that blesses my heart immensely!
September is always a time for me to regroup from summer. A time to get the house, and my family back on track and back into a healthy routine. It's a good time. So, I thought I would share with you a little peak into what's been going on around him with our little family.
If you follow me on instagram you've seen some of these pics.
The temps have dipped down cooling enough here and there and I have happily taken advantage of that by pulling out the boots and sweaters!!
Cooler temps in the evenings also means more walks with my honey – precious quality time.
(I don't know what's with the feet pictures??)
Cooler temps also signals my craving for fall foods and snacks! Candy corn is #1 in my book. And, a homemade apple pie just can't be beat!
Especially when you use grandma's pie plate ;).
I officially have another teenager in the house! Love him!! Birthday's call for yummy birthday lunches, complete with old-time vanilla shakes :).
We've been watching this kiddo run cross-country for the first time this year and rockin' it!
Got to see this precious face thanks to the wonderful world of technology. Things like this do make the distance a tad easier.
I am a perpetual piler. I admit it. So, sometimes I have to go through the piles…
Happiest of days was winning this amazing paint sprayer through an instagram contest held by 11 Magnolia Lane and Home Right. It came in the mail this week and I have a long list of things waiting to be sprayed!!
With the state of our world these days it seems hard to hold onto the joy. I read this in my quiet time several days ago and it brought me such comfort. I pray that we never forget that even though things may be unraveling all around us, God will hold us together if we will only hold onto Him.
Praying you have a blessed weekend friends!! Thanks for joining me now and again in my frazzled mess of life!!
Fun things coming to the blog in the near future – stay tuned!


text:
The PGA National Training Academy is the centre for all the latest developments in golf – whether new equipment and coaching techniques or business and marketing ideas to drive up participation rates.
A team of PGA tutors, lecturers, guest speakers and presenters deliver programmes, qualifications and seminars annually to upwards of 1,000 aspiring PGA Professionals and the countless PGA Members who pass through the Academy's doors.
Extensive facilities enable the Academy to meet their different needs from practical coaching demonstrations through to conference facilities.
Learning how to deliver expert coaching is crucial to the careers of many PGA Professionals and as such the Academy is particularly proud of its two purpose-built swing rooms with indoor nets and high speed swing analysis equipment such as Trackman III and Integrated Pressure Plate.
The swing rooms also include video analysis systems, Quintic Ball Roll Technology and a Sam Putt Lab. These facilities reveal in detail the mechanics of the golf swing, spins rates, ball speeds and a host of other information that PGA Professionals can deploy in their working lives.
The importance of sports science and biomechanics is reflected in the state-of-the-art gym populated by equipment from Technogym. Golfers come in all shapes and sizes so a one size fits all approach is no longer prescribed. Understanding the human body, its physical limits and capabilities helps coaches tailor their coaching programmes effectively.
Custom fitting and equipment knowledge is another key skill for PGA Professionals and they develop their expertise and their understanding of latest equipment technology in a well stocked workshop that also includes a fascinating insight into the history of golf clubs with clubs dating back to the 19th Century on its walls.
Modern day PGA Professionals specialise in much more than coaching and equipment, however, and the Academy has three lecture rooms named after the Great Triumvirate of Harry Vardon, James Braid and JH Taylor.
Here courses and seminars cover many aspects of golf business including retail and selling, marketing, business finance and broader golf management, as well as topics such as psychology and nutrition.
The PGA employs a wide range of staff with a variety of expertise within the National Training Academy to lead the ongoing development of the education programmes offered to PGA Members. This team continues to push the boundaries of golf research for the benefit of all PGA Professionals.
As a youngster he was a talented swimmer but John ...
13 Jun 13
Plate-spinning is not one of the modules on the ...
07 May 13
His mobile phone message says it all: "I can't get...
07 May 13
It doesn't matter whether it's attending an inte...
07 May 13
A portrait hangs proudly on the wall in the Leigh...
07 May 13
Life is anything but straightforward for Alistai...
07 May 13