Scandinavian Sparks Blog

Relocating is not fun. The hardship of relocation not only your family, but all of your belongings across country can be overwhelming. Do we use movers or do we do it ourselves? If we use movers, should we have them pack for us or should we do that on our own? It can be enough to keep you up at night. If various members of your family own vehicles you can add one more concern to your list. How are we going to get all of our care to our new home?

Depending on how far you are relocating it may be cost and time prohibitive to drive the vehicle from one place to another. If price and time aren’t an issue you still need to think about if there is a driver for each car. Those of us who live with teenagers know that if they are dedicated enough to have a car to call their own, they are not about to leave it behind and will insist on driving it across country themselves if it is an option. The same parents also know that this isn’t a good choice. This is the issue we found ourselves in recently when we moved from Texas to California.

We have 2 sons who have both worked very hard to buy their own vehicles. They love these vehicles more than life itself. Driving from Southern Texas to Northern California was not an option for the reasons stated before,fuel and time. Neither car was in the condition to drive thousands of miles anyways. Don’t tell our sons but we were also insanely worried about their ability to drive the trip unscathed. Our issue was solved with a little bit of research. After scouring the web and reading many forum posts we were introduced to the thought of auto transport. After talking with the boys we decided that this was the way to go.

We looked into two businesses Texas car shipping and California auto transport. Both companies were very helpful, offered multiple options and were able to provide great references. We weren’t sure which company to go with. Unfortunately, Texas Car Shipping wasn’t able to accommodate the dates we were looking for thus making the decision for us. We chose California Auto Transport and were very happy with their service. My car, my husband’s car and both of the boy’s vehicles arrived on time and in great shape.

Overall it was an excellent experience. If you find yourself in a similar situation I very much suggest looking into auto transport services. Don’t forget to do your due diligence and check out the references of each business you get a quote from, you are giving them your car and would like for them to return it at some point!

Relocating can be stressful enough, now imagine that you are adding toddlers to the mix as well as the idea that you are moving across a long distance. Your stress just shot through the roof. It is possible to move across country with toddlers and not go insane. In fact, it can even be done with three toddlers, triplets in fact. I guess the most wondered question is, where do I get started?

One of the first things you are going to have to do is to get at least three moving quotes from well known national companies. I would stay away from your small local companies or those that do not have a good name. Remember that with some things, it is not always best to go with the cheapest company out there. You are, after all, placing your life in to the responsibility of your movers. You will want to ensure that the interstate movers that you choose are insured and bonded and check their track record with the better business in the area you are moving from and thetown you are moving to. You cannot be too careful.

There are many moving services to select from; you can pack and unpack yourself, you can allow the moving company pack for you and then unpack on your own or let them pack and unpack for you. My thought is that you do your own unpacking; as if they unpack they will only place things on counters, leaving more work for you in the end.

When you are moving with kids you may find that it is simpler to have them pack for you. You also may want to consider how you and your family are going to go from the old home to the new. If in fact you are driving, it may benefit you to leave your spouse at the house to be there when the truck and packers arrive while you and the toddlers start your trip to the new home.

Entertaining toddlers while others are packing and loading the moving van can be a challenge. Also, make certain that you pack the kids’ room last, that it is the last furniture on to the truck and first off at the new place. You can get their area set up first so you can focus on the rest of the house while they play with their toys. Remember, it is possible to make it through relocation without having to give up your sanity in the process. You and your children can make it with smiles on your faces.

Kids’ party themes can be anything from fun in the backyard to a Nickelodeon theme such as Dora the Explorer. Kids love variety and they love activity. They also love adventure. So when deciding which kids’ party theme you’ll go with, keep in mind you don’t want a party with any down time. Keep them busy, keep them happy.

With so much energy being put into the party itself, don’t waste your energy or time on traditional invitations in the mail when you can do that easily and free online. Go to kids party themes at the Events Listed and see for yourself.

Kids Party Themes for Girls #1

Paparazzi Party – let the girls be stars for a day. Let them dress up like Hollywood celebrities, and when they arrive have a few Paparazzi taking their pictures. During the party be sure they are asked for more pictures and autographs. Give some of the pictures to all of the girls later, with a few being cropped into a page made to look like a tabloid cover.

Kids Party Themes for Girls #2

A Day at the Spa – let the girls give each other makeovers, do each other’s hair, paint each other’s nails, give each other pedicures, and massage each other’s shoulders. While they are doing all of their spa treatments, you bring them fresh fruits, lemonade, and small snack cakes. Play music they will enjoy in the background, but not too loud so they can talk and laugh as well.

Kids Party Themes for Boys #1

Backyard Bug Out – give the boys some clear jars with lids with air holes, magnifying glasses, tweezers, gardening gloves, and safari hats. Let them find as many bugs as they can while they pretend to be on a safari hunt. Then they can bring them back in and identify what they are. Give them some Styrofoam to place their finds on and labels to go underneath.

Kids Party Themes for Boys #2

Dinos & Cavemen – let the boys dress us like cavemen. Set up the backyard to look like the Stone Age, complete with toy dinosaurs. Place things around for them find as if they were real cavemen, such as pretend flint rocks to make tool and toy animals for food. Watch out for the dinos!

Kids Party Themes for Both Girls and Boys

What Animal am I? – Upon arrival, whisper in each child’s ear what animal they are going to pretend to be for the party. Let them know there is one other child there that is the same animal as they are and they have to find each other. The kids have to ask each other questions to figure out what animals they are until they find their buddy. Then they get to take turns telling each other what animal they were and how they figured it out. This is a great socialization activity as well as a great ice breaker.
Once you decide what kids party theme you are going with, set your date, and post all of the information online. Send your invitations from here and keep track of your guest list. You can also share any changes to the party here as well.

Have fun!

About the Author:

Simon Ford is an Internet Entrepreneur who specializes in Event Launch Marketing applying social media and internet marketing strategies. “he initially started writing to attract traffic to his websites and has since become hooked”. If the content of this article interests you, you may be interested to visit his website learn more about the latest
surprise birthday party ideas and publishing multi media rich web pages for events, strategies you can adopt to make any event like kids’ parties more memorable.

Having recently relocated to California with two teenage boys I can attest to the fact that relocating costs can add up. Aside from packaging everything ourselves, renting a trailer and taking all the necessary precautions, making an inexpensive move was not an easy task. One thing, however, that I noticed to be specifically cost effective was shipping one of my teens’ vehicles with an auto transport service.

There are a number of benefits from shipping your vehicle with an auto transport. First, you’ll know exactly when the vehicle will arrive at your new home. This is specifically important because having reliable transportation immediately will allow you to get him or her out of the home and finding a new place of employment lickity-split. The extra time spent working and getting familliar in the new place will pay off in keeping them active and involved.

Second, you won’t have the hassle of finding a vehicle, the potentially high cost of buying it. Most people recoil at the thought of poring over used car magazines or haggling with seedy used car salesman. Not only that, but you’ll be avoiding the concern of getting one that will be safe and reliable for the teen driver in his brand new environment. These issues alone would give me a headache, but avoiding them allowed me to focus on what’s vital when making a move.

Third, you would be avoiding the opportunity cost of driving long distances. With fuel prices constantly fluctuating you would be taking the chance of adding up a huge bill at the pump–especially when driving across state lines. This wouldn’t be the least of your worries, but you’d also have to find lodging in an expensive hotel and miss time from work. There’s not only the monetary cost, but additionally the fact that you’d be on the road for long hours in traffic that could be potentially problematic. Better leave that one up to the professionals.

Lastly, when shipping a vehicle, you’ll have a little extra space to move some odds and ends. Space consuming blankets or other light materials that are a pain to pack would fit nicely in the trunk or back seat of the car that’s being shipped. Be careful though, the car has to remain drivable and some shippers don’t insure losses on items that are in the vehicle. Ensure the items in the car are light and inexpensive to replace. The extra space in the transported car allowed me to rent a less expensive trailer to haul all the other important stuff I was relocating.

Having relocated from Texas to Northern California, I wasn’t sure which area to search for a shipper. I first tried a few California auto transport places, but realized I didn’t know exactly what I was looking for. It was not clear what they needed and I wasn’t sure where exactly they were located in relation to my new place. I ended up locating a local Texas car shipping business that was extremely helpful and careful in explaining all the details in shipping my son’s car. Having worked out the paper work, I dropped the vehicle off and was told I’d see it in my new driveway in two weeks. That was a major load off my mind and so much less hassle than I was expecting. The biggest advantage, however, was that I saved a considerable amount of cash I saved by avoiding travel costs like gas and shelter. We also didn’t have to waste time away from work selling and buying a new vehicle which could be a project in and of itself. If I could give you one piece of advice when moving with teenagers–don’t forget to ship the cars.

Moving can be difficult enough in and of itself, but when you have a toddler or infant child, it just makes the whole process that much more stressful. But it doesn’t have to be that way. There are many little things that you can do to make the whole project go more smoothly and to have a happy child when the whole relocation is over. It is important to remember the little things. That is, try to see the move from the toddler’s point of view. Don’t make the mistake of letting one of his or her favorite toys get packed away in the bottom of a package that won’t be opened for a long time. That will just lead to your stress level going through the roof when the toddler is crying or sad.

Beyond just remembering to keep their key items set aside to make the relocation less of a problem on them, another big tip is to think about the idea of hiring a professional mover. This gives you more time to focus on your family and make the relocation itself that much easier. This applies whether you are moving long distance or just across the state, but it applies moreso for the bigger moves.

There are many reliable interstate movers open to you. Many moving services have gotten more and more reasonable, especially with more competition and a destabilized economy. To make sure you are getting the best deal for your money you want to contact a bunch of different companies to get your moving quotes. There are many sites out there on the internet that make this easier for you. They give contact numbers for a number of different companies in your local area. Putting in a few hours of good research can pay off in the long run.

The last thing to think about is to have a family friend help out. If you are not able to hire a moving company, you may want to think about the idea of having a family friend baby-sit the child during the move. This can let you focus on the move while having the comfort of knowing your child is in good, safe hands. It might sound like harping on the little things but it really is true that the little things matter the most. If nothing else, you must keep in mind to set aside your toddler’s favorite blankets and toys. You don’t want to make the relocation any harder on them then it is already. Good luck with the move!

Moving can often be a difficult and stressful experience. There are lots of things that need planning and always one more thing on the list to do. Moving with teenagers can make things even more stressful as you have one more person to think about and just that much more things. Many teenagers find moving a difficult experience especially if they have to leave there house and friends behind. If you are moving more than a few hours’ drive away, you also need to think about your car and if you teen has one, your teens car.

Most parents have plenty to do when moving without worrying about auto transport. If you are only moving locally then your child can most likely drive there, but if you are moving a long way then it is best to think about professional shipping for the car. Having a car shipped professionally has many good points for you especially if it is your teen’s car.
One of the biggest benefits, as mentioned above, is piece of mind. On relocation day you don’t want to have to think about your teen driving a long way or have to worry about the teens car being safe and well maintained enough to go that distance. There are enough things to think about when moving house without this added concern. The other major benefits of auto transport are convenience, lack of wear and tear and cash.

Locating an auto shipper is as easy as typing “Texas car shipping” or “California auto transport” into Google and receiving quotes from the firms which come up. Auto transport is a big industry in the United States, so you should have no worry about locating a reputable and well priced firm to ship your teen’s car. Aside from the savings on gas if you are driving a long way you can save on overnight accommodation, food for the journey, a mechanical check before you go and the cost of wear and extra mileage on the car.

Driving a car even half way across the United States would add a lot of mileage to the car as well as necessitate some maintenance and mechanical checks. Perhaps the best thing about having your teen’s car shipped is the convenience. Some companies will pick the car up and deliver it at the new house. You are saved a long drive while your car is transported safely to your new place. Your teen will of course be thrilled to have his or her car at the other end of your move and you can be save time and cash.

I was at the AVP Crocs beach vollyball at Manhattan Beach, CA a while back and saw these new kids quad skates called SKORPIES kids skates.

While in between matches these guys from Skorpion Sports took the stage and introduced the crowd to Skorpion Skates and specifically their new kids skate Skorpies, cue some Michael Jackson music enter cute blondie on pink skates, do a little roller dance routine.

Having my own cute little blondie who loves pink I went straight to the Skorpion stand to find out more. This girl must have been only 7 but looked really comfortable and stable on a stage and dancing. Down on the stand I spoke with some of the guys, one of whom was the owner and designer all the way from down under in New Zealand. Their instructor richard Humphrey took me for a spin on the adult model (skorpion Quadlines) to show me just how stable they actually are. Well I have never really skated before but in only 10 minutes with Richard I was all good. Thanks to Richard!! The Skorpion Quadline skates are like a super trendy updated version of the old style roller skates; you wear your own shoes and buckle yourself to the footplate with easy to use ratchet bindings, like snow boards or if you’ve ever done that.

The SKORPIES kids skates footplate adjusts to multiple sizes which is great for us parents so our kids can grow with you rather than have to keep buying new skates, they even have their own version of the old style wing nut on the underside for the footplate. The salepersons dream that I am I ended up purchasing a pair for my daughter and a pair for myself both in Pink. My daughter took to her SKORPIES like a duck to water, and now we make time to go out skating together, it’s awesome to get out of the house and do something really fun together.

I say roll-on our next vacation so we can get out every day.

Play has developed from mother crouching on the floor of her kitchen coaxing her toddler to stack one more block on the tower. A whole modern generation of babies is enjoying a more elevated kind of play. This elevation has nothing to do with enlightenment or studying skills but everything to do with bringing play off the carpet and onto childrens table and chairs.

This holiday keep a few bread, and your aching back! Your child will love a play table that combines the fun of sand and water.

Sand and water tables are only that: a play table with compartment for a grimy area as well as a water lagoon. There are a few kinds and each are amusing. You can add up a few sand accessories and put up sand castles any time of the year.

Children, particularly younger children adore these sand tables. They are a great idea for Christmas because the play is more full of life than many of the indoor games kids undergo until the sun shines and the park dries out.

To be sure of the specific age ranges of the sand and water table you plan to purchase check the manufacturer’s recommendations. A lot of children from toddler ages beginning about 18 months right on up to 5 years of age adore playing with the kids table and chairs.

Toddlers love to stand; a table allows them to play on their feet. This is approximately enough of a novelty to keep them engaged all by itself. Children also love to play in the water. A table offers a dependable place for water play. You can let them splash to their hearts content without a lot of worry .

The sand is an extra factor of play. They can make use of their hands to create castles, turrets, roads and bridges or any other thing those clever two-year-old brains conceive. Setting the sand and water together ensure a long lived game.

They can bathe the sand from their fingers in the water and use the water to dampen the sand so their building efforts will unite together. The major pro is that a table offers outdoor pleasure year round.

There is a bit of a chaos factor. If your child gets too excited you can end up with more sand and sea on the carpet than on the tabletop. To ease this possibility set the table on a hard surface, a tarp or a rug that you won’t care getting wet and sandy.

To get a sand and sea play table you can try out your neighboring toy store or the toy department of a large national department store. The trouble here is that unless you initiate your holiday shopping in June these tables might be out of stock. You should be able to find an unusual personalized childrens rocking chair that is sure to become a keepsake.

Check the net . Out of season stuff are abound year round on the web. It might even bring about to your favor . Net pricing might be cheaper even after shipping costs, particularly when toy sites are putting their finest offers forward as they compete for business of holiday shoppers.

Relocating with a child can be extremely hectic for any family. You have the frequent potty breaks, the continuing question of “are we there yet”, and the child thinking they are starving every time they go by a fast food sign. The key to stopping most of these issues is proper preparation.

Take the time to arrange your route including rest area stops; this will get rid of the stress of having to find a restroom. You should include a package just for your children with snacks and small toys to play with throughout the trip; this will help them stay occupied. If your move is going to require a moving truck rental your kid is not going to have much comfort in the cab. You should think about playing games with them as you drive, like guessing games about what you see, or even having them try to find all 50 states worth of license plates throughout the trip. If you are only going to require a day trip or less, it may be helpful for you to wait and drive at night, as you would have the advantage of avoiding heavy traffic, and having your child asleep.

Another key to proper preparation is to do your research to locate truck rentals for moving that fit within your budget, yet have the room you will need for all of your things. If at all possible, you will want to keep your move down to one trip to have it be cost effective. One way that you could do this is pack as few boxes as you can. In other words, if you have a lot of fragile things, don’t pack them alone. Save a few boxes by utilizing your small towels to wrap the fragile things. You would be surprised at the little things you can do to save space.

With proper preparation, cheap moving trucks can be located. There are companies that will offer deals of unlimited mileage for local use. You may also find deals on weekly truck rentals that you wouldn’t get on just a couple days rental. You would benefit by looking at your local companies to see which ones offer the best rates on mileage, as this is where we end up spending more than we want to. You may also find a company that offers a discount through your current employer. You would be amazed at the amount you could potentially save.

These days children are really clever. They begin learning with computer at the age you were not able to walk and talk yet. However, you could teach your children to learn even at a faster rate. No, we are not suggesting buying a computer as a birthday present for your two year old son. We are merely suggesting teaching your children how to develop their fantasy world. I have seen so many places, I have travelled so many worlds, I have won so many wars, I have healed so many people when I was only a small kid. And yes, kids can easilly accomplish impossible and unexplainable things because parents can teach them to use powerful imagination.

Would you want to see your children to become a doctor or a nurse? With pretend play toys it is easy to do - your son could pretend to be a doctor and your daughter could pretend play a nurse, your home could become a hospital and all your friend instantly would become your children’s patients. With the high quality equipment (pretend toys) they would be able to go to war hospitals and to heal a lot of injured soldiers. You could even take a part in their game: a story narrator explaining how things work. How can you check a pulse, how can you inhale deeply - there are a lot of things that your children can learn just by playing with pretend play toys.

Or instead of taking part in historical war, your children could become a family doctor. Just imagine, you are lying in your bed and reading morning newspaper, while your little children are preparing medicine and trying to do a massage for you. It is very easyto guide your children to the right direction when they are playing with pretend toys. If you would like your children would do something differently, just say “real doctors would let patient rest for a while (while you finish reading that paper) after he is treated”.

With appropriate doctor pretend toys i.e. doctor handbag you kid will not only pretend to be a doctor. Remember, pretend toys allow you actually to feel like one. It it easy to engage a group of children in the game (hospital can hire five different doctors). Children will not only enjoy the game, but they will experience what does it mean to work as a team, or even how to become a leader. Pretend toys (and specific pretend games as pretending to be a doctor) allow children to develop their inner fantasy world and to learn things faster.