Keep Outdoor Entertaining Areas Safe For Children

If you are thinking of revamping your outdoor area to install play equipment for children there are a few things you should consider to ensure the safety of young ones, and those young at heart!

 Here are some of the things you should consider:

 1. Check the play area - Ensure the area where you intend to install the play equipment is clear and free of any hazardous items like loose rocks, nails or other debris that may cause accident or injury.

 You should also check the position of the play area from various viewpoints both inside and outside your home to ensure that you have a clear viewpoint of where children will be playing at all times.

 This grassy backyard is the perfect area for a childrens play area and offers entertainment for the kids while the adults enjoy some downtime in the outdoor living area.

 2. Choose child-safe materials - Children are notoriously experimental when it comes to the world around them. If it doesn't first go in their mouth they are soon making all sorts of weird and wonderful things with the bits and pieces they find on the ground and around their play areas. This can lead to serious health issues if the materials they find contain potentially lethal substances such as lead. Always check the labels on products and materials you are selecting just to be sure.

 3. Look for quality play sets and check it twice - While children's play equipment is constructed with safety in mind as a parent you always want to step it up a notch and set your own safety standards.

 Check play areas for sharp edges and if they can't be removed cover the area with thick rubber to make it safe for children to use. Heavy duty rubber mats are also ideal underneath play equipment to reduce the impact of falls and at the bottom of slides to minimise the risk of injury.

 4. Install safety railings - We insist that workmen use scaffolding and safety rails, so why don't we insist on it for our children who are much more exposed and unaware of the dangers around them. Play equipment that includes slides are an accident waiting to happen with smaller children climbing to reach the top and pushing each other to get there first. Safety railings give you added peace of mind and give your children extra protection from falling down.

 5. Maintenance is paramount - Check play equipment weekly for breaks, weak spots and potential hazards. Loose areas should be fixed immediately before children plan in the area. Dangling ropes should always be carefully checked to ensure they are firmly attached and secure, for added safety remove ropes from access when children have finished playing. Play areas are an ideal way to keep little ones entertained while you enjoy a BBQ on the patio or an afternoon with a few friends sitting under your verandah. Ensuring play areas are safe makes the backyard a fun place for the whole family.

 Copyright (c) 2013 Strong Life Patios

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How To Enjoy Your Own Party With Easy Entertaining Recipes

Even just a few shorts years ago, when you wanted to entertain friends, you may not have thought twice about picking up the phone and making reservations at a nice restaurant. Unfortunately, that's all changed. Now, you may entertain friends at the upscale restaurant on occasion, but these days you lean more towards entertaining at home, purely for economic considerations.

Well, this is not such a disaster. In fact, you can organize a dinner party at home that vies with, or even surpasses the carefree restaurant experience. Here's how to make home entertaining a gracious and memorable event.

 You should think first of all the kitchen conveniences and appliances we now have at our disposal. In the economic heydays, we used our bread makers, convection ovens and do-ahead recipes to make everyday family meals a stunning success. As an example, bread makers have 'dough only' settings, as well as bells which alert us to the proper time to add fruit, nuts or cheese.

This great appliance gives you the wherewithal to produce artisan breads your guests will surely applaud, with just a few minutes of your time. As well as also for the Convection ovens are another handy appliance when you're entertaining at home. You can roast a gourmet chicken dish in no time at all, with very little supervision required on your part. And likewise to do-ahead recipes, there are literally thousands of delectable dishes which may be prepared ahead of party day and are actually enhanced by sitting in the fridge, marrying seasons and flavors to perfection.

 Well, entertaining at home used to summon up visions of long hours at the stove and last-minute preparations which left us worn out before the party ever began. Wanting to provide a top-notch meal for our guests seemed beyond our reach or reserves of energy. This is simply no longer the case. When you throw a party, at some point everybody has to entertain in their home.

This event can be a wonderful time if you know how to plan, cook and serve the meal. Of course, you want your guests to enjoy good food and have a good time. What you might not realize is that your guests also want to enjoy your company and conversation as well. If you spend all your time in the kitchen, continuing to fuss with this or that last-minute dish, you're robbing your guests of your company and it's not much fun for you either! Here are some tips for throwing a party you can enjoy too.

 The secret? Easy entertaining recipes! These great recipes for entertaining are designed to make the day of your party a relaxed affair. Main dishes that you prepare ahead of time may be gourmet concoctions you can prepare at your leisure anywhere from one to three days prior to party day and which benefit from waiting in the fridge before being served. In fact, every gourmet cook knows that the flavors of almost any complex meat dish improve when the meat, seasonings and sauce 'marry' for a day or two sitting in the fridge.

Some examples include Cajun-style gumbos, chicken and lamb currys, osso bucho and French ragouts. These easy entertaining recipes make stunning entrees with exotic taste results you wouldn't get if you cooked and served on the same day. Here are some of the luscious desserts, which includes cheesecake or four-layer cakes can be baked and frozen a week ahead of time.

Cheesecake may be made, ready to serve, before freezing. Just remove it from the freezer a few hours before dinner and top each serving with a dollop of glazed fresh strawberries. Your cake requires just a few minutes time to assemble the layers with fruit filling and whipped cream, topping it off with chocolate frosting. Cakes assembled while frozen are easier to work with and make impressive desserts.

 Another easy entertaining recipes for side dishes include roasted potatoes, rice pilaf and cold pasta salads. Roasted potatoes require little more than popping them in the oven. You can cut the potato wedges the night before and store them, covered in water with a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice. This makes for a crisper potato when roasted. Rice and pasta salads are usually better the next day.

 Apparently, a visit to the deli counter can supply a sumptuous selection of appetizers, from cold cuts and cheeses to antipasto platters and crab cakes. Large cooked shrimp on a platter with a choice of a couple of dips and gourmet crackers are wonderful munchies, as are Nicoise or Kalamata olives and marinated mushrooms. The basis of your choices on the occasion, either it's a casual of fancy easy entertaining recipes allow you to attend your party and have as much fun as your guests. By party day, all you need to do is choose a nice outfit, greet your guests and mingle!

 The main course is the main event, and will make the most impression on your guests; so it’s worth putting some extra care into choosing what you serve. With a little careful coordination and planning, entertaining at home can be a snap. Once you realize that entertaining at home can be so easy, it will also be apparent that not only are you saving lots of money, but your guests may also enjoy the conviviality and comfort of your gracious home more than going out.

 Having a few ideas and the supplies to match will ensure your friends always feel welcome. But above all, being prepared will allow you to enjoy the most important ingredient whenever you entertain, your guests. When the party's over, you simply slide into bed with happiness for a successful party you have.

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Making E-learning Fun and Entertaining

For homeowners who want to create a beautiful outdoor space, a decomposed rock granite patio is an inexpensive, attractive option. This material is readily available in almost any area of the country, and is loved by landscapers and do it yourselfers alike for its ease of use and low price per ton.

The reddish brown color of decomposed rock granite gives any patio a European feel, instantly creating a sophisticated outdoor space.If you are thinking about adding a patio to your backyard, decomposed rock granite should be your material of choice. Depending on the area in which you live, this granite may or may not require the addition of a hardening additive.

Entertaining Things You Can Teach

In areas that are exposed to a moderate amount of rainfall, packed decomposed granite should hold its shape and easily support any activity. However, if your area is known for getting a lot of rain, a hardening additive should be used. These additives are low cost, easy to use and available through most hardware and home improvement stores.

They will allow the decomposed granite to set, making it as hard as concrete. While you will get the durable benefits of concrete, it will retain the beautiful color that has won granite decomposed so many fans.After your patio has been installed, it will require very little maintenance.

These patios make the perfect setting for outdoor barbeques or cocktail parties, and with the addition of a few lights, a decomposed granite patio will become your chic hangout of choice.

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Entertaining House Guests - Making Them Feel at Home

Inviting friends and family to visit overnight in your home requires a little preparation to make your home feel welcoming. In this article I'll share some tips to making your guests feel at home.

1. Preparing the guest room

Whether your guests are staying overnight or for a few days they will need space to hang their clothes so make sure you have spare hangers and space in the closet. Guests staying for a longer period will also need somewhere to store their luggage.

Make up the bed with fresh clean linens and if you can put a variety of pillows out so your guests can choose the ones they prefer.

A bedside lamp and an alarm clock will also be appreciated.

If there is space on the dresser a vase of fresh flowers will make the room even more welcoming.

2. The bathroom

Place some fresh fluffy towels in easy reach and make sure you have fresh soap at the sink. Shampoo, conditioner and shower gel will be appreciated and you might like to have a spare toothbrush and toothpaste as these items are easily forgotten when packing for a trip. Make sure you have toilet tissue available, and female guests might also appreciate a hairdryer.

3. Visiting children

If you have children coming to visit then make sure you have a variety of toys, books and even craft items available to entertain them during their stay. You'll need to think about them at meal times too as children can often by picky eaters.

Spending some time preparing your house in advance of the visit will make your guests feel at home and more relaxed so that you all enjoy spending time together.

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