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Category: Sample Work
Produce Guide: How to Pick and Prep Fruits
Fresh fruit brings seasonal color and taste to any meal or snack—a succulent peach smacks of summertime; a juicy red apple brings with it the flavor of fall. Whether you're picking from your own garden, a local market or the grocery store, make sure you're picking and prepping the freshest, most delicious fruits with helpful hints from gardening experts.
Produce Guide: How to Pick and Prep Vegetables
When it comes to picking and prepping vegetables correctly, it’s important to know the growing method, signs of freshness and even proper color of your favorite veggies. Before mixing up that salad with greens, peppers, tomatoes and radishes, learn some harvesting clues—such as peak seasons of vegetables—to ensure your meal is fresh and clean.
Weighing the Options Between Adoption and Surrogacy
A bouncing baby boy or giggling toddler girl can bring love and life to a household. For childless couples hoping to have a family, adoption or surrogacy can be their best options. The process of starting a family this way can be immensely rewarding, but there are also many challenges. "One of the biggest things prospective parents should consider when seeking a child through adoption or surrogacy is that it's usually a very, very long process from start to finish," says Christina Steinorth, a California-based psychotherapist and author of Cue Cards for Life. "It could be 18 months before you have a child, but often it's much longer—sometimes two years or more—before you'll be able to bring your child home with you." It is best to prepare yourself for a long waiting period, as well as for the costs that each option entails. Make an honest evaluation of your family's needs. Once you determine that adoption or surrogacy is indeed the right course of action for everyone involved, prepare for the life-changing journey to come. The process can be lengthy and challenging, but Steinworth says it’s ultimately "worth the wait."
The 411 on Adoption
When Denise Buzy-Pucheu and her husband, Cary Correia, contemplated adopting a child, they were adamant about researching the options and ultimately decided upon an international adoption. Ten years later, the Connecticut-based couple has expanded the family to five with 10-year-olds Ethan and Isabella, adopted from Kazakhstan, and 8-year-old Aeryn Elisabeth, adopted from China. “I would say, first and foremost to the newcomer to adoption, to get all the information you can read,” Buzy-Pucheu says. If you are considering adoption, it’s important to know what it entails. You should know how to find an agency, what national and international options there are and detailed information about the child you hope to welcome into your family.
5 Inexpensive Spring Activities For the Family
The sound of birds chirping and children giggling outside is a definite sign that spring is here. It’s the perfect time to spring your family activities into action. “Outdoor family days include renewing bonds, showing your children the importance of physical activity and giving them a chance to use their creativity,” says Aeva Gaymon-Doomes, a child psychiatrist in Chevy Chase, Md. Springtime activities, though, don’t have to be hard on your bank balance. Keep your family active and your finances in shape with family activities perfect for your budget.
Move Over, Mom: Book Clubs for Kids
School may be out, but your kids don’t have to put the books down. Group reading and organized book clubs with friends and neighbors offers children and teens a way to have fun while still learning during the summer months. Jump-start a summer reading program with fun discussions, activities and games that will leave a lasting impression well into the school year.
Learning in Disguise: 10 Kid-Approved Activities
While you and your children may be looking forward to swimming, games, and outdoor activities this summer, it’s easy to forget that learning doesn’t stop when the sun is shining. Don’t let your child forget the academic lessons from the school year. Instead, find ways to incorporate learning into the family’s summer plans with educational field trips and at-home experiments that disguise learning. “Don’t make it a learning activity,” says Dr. Leonisa Ardizzone, science educator and founder of Storefront Science. “Instead, make it an adventure.”
How to Train to Stay Healthy: Men Over 50
For men over 50, the most common barriers to healthy living and exercise revolve around lack of time and enjoyment. The good news is that for time-pressed individuals, you can train smarter instead of longer while enjoying your favorite activities, says Jessica Matthews, exercise physiologist for the American Council on Exercise. With a few changes to your daily routine, you can train to stay healthy and revive your mind, body and soul.
High Protein Breakfasts
If you find yourself dragging in the morning and experiencing the midday slumps at the office, it may be time to pump up your day with high-protein breakfasts. "Protein is not just good for the muscles, it's also good for satiety," says Kate Myerson, Vermont-based registered dietitian with Vtrim, an online healthy weight management program. Pep up your routine with tasty morning treats that will satisfy your taste buds and increase your energy level.
Shannon Philpott-Sanders 