Category Archives: Guest Post

July 29, 2016 · 2:06 pm

Kitchen Renovations-What You Should Know

Kitchen renovations are much different today than they ever have been before. It used to be that when someone did a kitchen renovation or a remodel the only real options they had were the design and architectural features of the room such as arches/doorways, walls/ceilings, and flooring or additional space options.

These days, though, you have many other elements you can add such as smart appliances and products for a smartly designed kitchen. If you are curious about the different smart kitchen ideas available, consider reading the article below for some cool and technology driven ideas to make your kitchen more forward friendly, convenient and comfortable.

Smart Appliances For A Smart Kitchen

Most appliances in the kitchen are already pretty darn smart in terms of timers and knowing when to stop cooking a product. But, you also have a lot of other different “smart” options available to you, such as:

– Touchscreen Stove Tops: Not only is this a really cool type of cooking technology, but it can also be used in a kitchen with children as well, since it’s a very safe product to use. Essentially the cook top uses conduction to heat things like pots and pans. But, the other parts of the stove stay cool – to the touch. You can actually use the touch screen to browse the internet, look up recipes to make, check out cookbooks in digital format and more.

– Home Chat: This cool little app is meant for specific things like the fridge. It will essentially keep track of items and ingredients inside the refrigerator and you can ask it questions such as: Do we have butter and it will reply back via text yes two sticks or no we do not. This is really efficient because you can use the app even out of the house.

Smart Fridge

This is a really cool option but in the near future, we will also have an even cooler option (it’s a concept right now) that will actually order food, keep track of what’s in the fridge and alert you when you are running low, and do a plethora of other cool options. For now, though, you have these smart refrigerators. The LCD display allows you to watch TV, listen to the radio, check the news, leave memos for yourself or other family members, check out the calendar and leave notes on specific days and more. It’s quite expensive, at around $3600 but if you want a tech driven kitchen, this might be the addition for you… for now anyway, until that higher tech fridge comes along!

Pair 3D Design Application

Okay, this is a really cool app and unlike any other smart application above. It’s only an Apple App right now, though. Essentially what you do is you bring up the camera on your iPhone and the app will give you different furniture options for that camera viewer. In the camera viewer, you can see how that piece of furniture or an appliance would fit in your space, what it would look in a 3D manner and more. The app can also be used by brands and businesses as well. But it’s also a great design tool for home owners that allow you to set up a room in real-time.

Radiant Flooring

In a lot of cases, you see radiant flooring done in a bathroom. But, since more and more people are also using porcelain in the kitchen as well (its durable, budget friendly and beautiful) some manufactures have started to make radiant flooring options for the kitchen too. This is a perfect option for any flooring in the kitchen, but especially stone or tile like porcelain because even though it does have a lot of benefits, one of the disadvantages are that it can get quite cool to the touch in the winter. In order to fix this, you can use radiant heating underneath the flooring to warm it up before you ever set foot on it.

Radiant flooring can be set on a timer so that it turns on every morning before you wake up to make the floor nice and toasty so when you come down for breakfast or coffee the floor is already heated up. You can also use Wi-Fi with a lot of radiant flooring systems so as soon as you wake up you can turn on your app – and have the floor heated so by the time you make it downstairs it’s warmed. Tile flooring like porcelain is a great conductor of heat. In fact, the two best materials to use a radiant floor on are porcelain and wood. Porcelain is a really good option though because it won’t expand as it warms and cools which means it won’t crack which means your flooring will last for longer!

There you have it, kitchen renovation ideas that you should know before you start your project.

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April 21, 2016 · 9:04 pm

3 Main Reasons Why Parents Should Write a Will

A will is a legal document that specifies who will acquire your real estate properties, cars, bank accounts, jewelry, and the like when you die. It is up to you to whom you will leave all of your belongings, just be sure that they are eligible to receive and that everything goes through a clear legal process.

As for parents writing a will and testament is not all about the properties, rather the assurance that your children will still be well taken care of when you are gone. You need to choose trusted people in your family to look after them in case anything happens to you.

Here are some of the reasons why parents should draft a will for their kids:

To avoid family disputes

Will and testament disputes happen to even among the closest part of the family. Challenging a will implies that one party thinks he deserves more than what is written in the will, hence if one of your children challenge your will with your other kids, their relationship might suffer from irreparable damage and as parent, this is difficult to imagine. That is why, it is important that you properly and carefully write a will to make sure your children get equal shares of the property you’d leave and avoid any family disputes in the future.

To have a trusted guardian to look after your children

The most difficult task for parents when drafting a will is choosing a guardian for their children. It is really tough to decide on this matter, but you have to do it anyway. Your children’s future well-being is at risk when unexpected things happen to you. This is the reason why you need to choose a person who you think will take good care and love your children when you are gone. Also, it is essential to name a trustee, someone who will manage any properties you pass on to your children, in your will.

To make distributing assets easier

The problem about not having a will is that the probate court might send away inquiry letters to financial institutions to handle the deceased’s financial situation. Additionally, your relatives may be requested to give out financial documents. By writing a will and testament beforehand, you can prevent all the paperwork and footwork your relatives will exert. You will save them from all the hassle and stress that they might acquire from processing various documents. Having a clear proof of distribution of your assets for the court to see will be easier and more convenient for everyone involved.

It is your obligation as a parent to secure your kids future and drafting a will as early as now is the first step in keeping your kids safe in case something unexpected happens. Nobody knows what is going to happen tomorrow, so might as well be ready by securing a will.

Many people think that a will is unnecessary and just a waste of money, but no one knows the future and you can leave your kids behind in an instant. Would you rather leave them with problems or investments? As parents, we obviously know the answer.

This is a sponsored guest post and does not necessarily reflect the views of Mommy Ramblings.

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April 14, 2016 · 3:24 am

If You Have Pets, Here’s Why You Should Own an Air Blower

Almost everyone has pets, and when it comes to having these pets, you want to make sure that you have a way to clean up after accidents that can happen. Whether they’re potty-training, or they knock something over, these areas will have to be thoroughly cleaned out. This can be done, and then you want to have the spot thoroughly dried so that it does not smell, and perhaps the air in the home is not going to do the best job. Compact air blowers are good for these jobs when it comes to it, so make sure to check into all that they are capable of.

Always Clean Up After Pets, Wherever You Are

When you have pets, then you have to make sure that you have the right products for the job. This only comes from being able to choose the right products for the job. With everything from the right chemicals, brushes, scrubbers and air movers, you will be set to take care of not only your pet but the home that you own, as well. This puts everyone in the best position out there to make the most of what is being provided. The air mover can provide this for you, so make sure to have one when you have pets.

Not only can households benefit from the air mover, but doggy daycares, kennels and vet’s offices can also make the most use out of them when the time comes. With an industrial air mover, you can make sure to bring the mover to where it is needed, or you can go strictly with a carpet dryer that will go directly on the carpet where it is wet. With the right air mover, you can be sure to get much more out of carpet drying that needs to be done on old or new carpets.

*This is a sponsored guest post and does not necessarily represent the thoughts or views of Mommy Ramblings.

The Importance Of Healthy Bones

Your bone health is something that may not be discussed as often as your skin health, or the health of your overall body, but it is a vital component of an active and healthy lifestyle nonetheless. A key component of healthy bones is calcium, as calcium is the component that works to ensure that your bones are strong and dense.

Calcium is a mineral and is something that is found in a wide variety of foods. The body uses calcium for many things; one of the most prevalent though is the maintenance of strong bones and teeth – as well as many other functions. The calcium in the body is stored almost exclusively in the bones and teeth, and the role of calcium is to support the strength, structure and hardness of these elements of the body.

Calcium isn’t just used for bones and teeth though, calcium is used for muscles and to help nerves to send messages between the brain and other parts of the body. Calcium is also used to help blood vessels to move around the body and to release hormones and enzymes that play a role in many of the vital functions of the human body. If you’re concerned about your levels of calcium and are eating a balanced diet, it’s worth considering something like Algaecal osteoporosis supplements which can play a vital role in bolstering your body’s calcium levels and ensuring that you’re not depleting the calcium found in your bones and teeth.

Bone health is important throughout your life, and the amount of calcium that you needs depends on your age. The average daily recommended amounts for healthy bones is outlined below in milligrams:

Life Stage	Recommended Amount
Birth-6 months	200 mg
Infants 7-12 months	260 mg
Children 1-3 years	700 mg
Children 4-8 years	1,000 mg
Children 9-13 years	1,300 mg
Teens 14-18 years	1,300 mg
Adults 19-50 years	1,000 mg
Adult Men 51-70 years	1,000 mg
Adult Women 51-70 years	1,200 mg
Adults 71 years and older	1,200 mg
Pregnant and breastfeeding teens	1,300 mg
Pregnant and breastfeeding adults	1,000 mg

You can boost your bone health by eating a diet that is rich in calcium and you’ll find that you’re working to protect yourself in the future, as strong bones are a great indicator of your bone health in the future. You will find calcium in a variety of foods including the following:

Dairy products. Anything dairy is going to be a great source of calcium for your body, but it’s important to note that many people are lactose intolerant or unable or choose not to eat dairy products. In this instance there are a variety of calcium-enhanced foods that you can consume, including non-dairy milks and non-dairy products. Check the labels on your favourite foods and speak to your healthcare professional if you’re concerned about your calcium intake.
Leafy green vegetables are a great source of calcium and working to make sure that your diet includes a range of these kinds of vegetables will ensure that you’re reaching your calcium targets with a diverse diet.
Fish with soft bones are a great source of calcium for your diet, so ensure that you’re mixing things up occasionally with some sardines or salmon with bones in it.

Bone health, as we’ve discussed is a huge and key part of your quality of life. Working to ensure that you’re taking in a variety of calcium-rich foods from diverse sources is going to put you in a good position for having healthy bones both now and in the future as you age. A supplement is a great way to ensure that you’re meeting your target, so be sure to investigate this with your healthcare professional if you’re concerned about your intake. If you are a runner, you might want to do some additional reading about the best protein bars for runners.