(A big “thank you” to our friends at porch.com for sponsoring this post!)

Moving is stressful at best (we don’t need to remind you about the countless reports that have been commissioned on that). However, when you are relocating to a completely new area, you have even more factors to fuel anxiety.

Even with help from pros like those at Den moving companies, there are a lot thing you need to sort out before committing to a big move.

Research, A Lot

First, you need to invest some serious time into conducting the right type of research. That includes making getting information from non-biased sources or people who know the area but don’t have a vested interest in having you move there. This might mean speaking to several real estate branches in various areas. You can also look into statistics about areas you are considering. Learning about things like the median price and sized of homes, average commute times, access to goods and services, and crime statistics can provide a big overview of an area.

Are there any warning signs?

Once you think you have found your area of choice, continue to scrutinize it. After all, a mistake at this point could be costly and keep you from enjoying life in a new city.

Are there an unusually high proportion of people interested in moving away?  Does it look like a place where you would feel comfortable living? Do you want to live in an area with meticulously groomed landscaping? Or are you more interested in finding a neighborhood where people are playing outside with their kids? If the neighborhood doesn’t “feel” right when you actually visit it, it’s probably worth reconsidering whether you’re willing to making a short commitment to rent—or a long term investment if you plan to buy a home.

What will the area offer you?

Of course, you can live in the “best” neighborhood in the land, but that doesn’t mean to say that it is suitable for your needs. If you are the young and trendy type, there’s every chance that you will want bars, coffee shops and the like on your doorstep. Or you might also want to focus on finding an established neighborhood with mature trees.

If you’re considering an upscale neighborhood that will likely stretch your budget a bit, also consider other costs you may incur as a result of relocating to that area. Will the property be expensive to maintain in a manner that will meet community standards? When you compare yourself to your neighbors, will you feel pressure to purchase more expensive cars and furniture?

If you have children who will attend nearby public or private schools, try to learn something about the school culture. Will you feel comfortable having your kids in that environment? Even if you’ve selected what’s commonly considered a “good” neighborhood, you need to make sure it will really be the perfect place for your unique family.

How does it impact your work life?

Finally, you don’t want to base your choice of location only on the proximity to work. However, you do need to make sure the commute will allow you to still have a good quality of life. In some cities, even a five-mile commute can take hours to complete. That means you distance isn’t the most important factor. Use a software, such as Google maps, to see how long the driving time is estimated to take during the times you will most likely be traveling to and from work.

(A big “thank you” to Review Critic for sponsoring this post!)

Review Critic offers in-depth, unbiased reports to assist you in making educated choices when it comes to choosing the right supplements for your body.

They also provided us with six great “clean eating” recipes you can feel good about sharing with family and friends.

Chia Pudding with Almonds, Figs and Strawberries

Ingredients:

2 dried figs (sliced)

¼ teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon honey

1 cup almond milk (unsweetened)

3 tablespoons chia seeds

10 almonds

3 strawberries

Method:

Combine the figs, vanilla, honey, almond milk and chia seeds in a small bowl. Stir well and refrigerate overnight in a container. Chop the almonds, slice the strawberries and add them to your chia mixture the next morning.

Hot Chocolate

Ingredients:

1 square dark chocolate (70% or more cacao)

1 cup almond milk (unsweetened)

Method:

Heat the chocolate and almond milk in a saucepan and enjoy!

Dark chocolate has immense health benefits. It is a powerful source of antioxidants and contains high amounts of selenium, zinc, potassium, manganese, copper, iron and magnesium. It can further improve brain function, lower blood pressure and even improve your mood. It can help you to relax, destress, and acts as a powerful aphrodisiac.

Banana Strawberry Smoothie

Ingredients:

½ teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup almond milk (unsweetened)

½ banana (frozen)

5 strawberries (chopped and cored)

Method:

Put all the ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth.

Mango Sorbet

Ingredients:

½ banana (frozen)

1 mango (peeled, cut in small blocks and frozen)

25 tablespoons of cold water

Method:

Combine the frozen banana and mango in a food processor and blend until the mixture looks like sorbet. If the mixture is too thick, add one tablespoon of water at a time as you feel is needed.

Chocolate Pudding

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons cocoa

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

2 Medjool dates

½ cup almond milk (unsweetened)

½ avocado

Method:

Mix all the ingredients in a blender until smooth.

Tomatoes with Tuna Melt

Ingredients:

2 tomatoes

1 can of tuna

3 teaspoons olive oil

1 teaspoon mustard (Dijon)

⅛ teaspoon paprika

1-ounce mozzarella cheese (or any other white cheese alternative)

Method:

Preheat your oven’s broiler. Cut a small slice off each tomato’s top, so that the seeds are exposed. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Be careful not to tear the sides. Put the tomatoes on a baking sheet.

Use a fork to mix the paprika, Dijon mustard, olive oil and tuna together in a mixing bowl. Spoon the tuna mixture into the tomato cups.

Broil the tomatoes for a few minutes until the tops of the tomatoes start to brown and shrivel and until the tuna is warm.

Sprinkle the grated mozzarella cheese on top and broil again until the cheese has browned and melted.

Serve while it is hot!

What are some of your favorite healthy recipes? We’d love to have you share! Comment below.

24 Of Our Best Party Food Ideas and Super Bowl Snacks

1. Game Day Favorite Philly Style Cheesesteak

Let’s start off with a sports favorite.  The classic Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich.  This mouth watering tailgating/ sports party favorite has been on the menu for decades.  This sandwich carries all of the comforting deep sauteed flavors that will leave you and your guests very satisfied especially on Super bowl Sunday.

2. Super Bowl Snacks Football Sugar Cookies

Dessert snacks anyone?  The football sugar cookies are great grab-n-go snacks when cheering for your favorite team during the day.  A nice pop of sweet sugar cookie for anyone to enjoy from the adults to the kiddies.  Not only are they simple to make but even better to taste so give them a try on the party day.

3. Super Bowl Food Easy Chicken Parmesan Garlic Bread Pizza

Who doesn’t love pizza?  The chicken Parmesan pizza with garlic bread is great if you have a multitude of guests or if you are just flying solo.  The recipe is simple with all of the traditional ingredients of herbs, crispy chicken, and chicken that will shoot your tastes buds through the roof.

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4. Super Bowl Appetizer Pulled Pork Sliders

Here is another recipe for your party food ideas that will become a super bowl favorite in your household.  The slow cooker pulled pork sliders are fill with the down-home barbecue that everyone will love to enjoy.  Pull pork bathed in sweet and spicy barbecue sauce and topped with creamy coleslaw.  Yum!

20 Super Bowl Appetizers Ideas from Blogger Friends

1. Crispy Baked Buffalo Chicken Tenders
2. Coconut Shrimp
3. Cole Slaw Chicken Sliders
4. Fajita Bowls
5. Hot Crab Dip
6. Spicy Thai Chicken Wings
7. Cowboy Caviar Recipe
8. The Best Philly Cheesesteak Egg Roll Recipe
9. Twice Baked Potatoes
10. Blue Cheese & Balsamic Steak Sliders
11. Hot Swiss Cheese and Bacon Dip Recipe
12. Cheesy Crab Bite Appetizers
13. Cajun Glazed Bacon
14. Polenta Footballs
15. Taco Salad Mini Bites
16. Pizza Bites
17. Beer Cheese Dip
18. Spicy Buffalo Cheese Dip
19. Ultimate Easy Nachos
20. Chicken Sliders

Looking for more delicious recipes for your game day celebration?

Try these Empanadas and Pigs in a Blanket recipes.

Super bowl Sunday is on the way and you don’t have to be unprepared for it.  try out some of these party food ideas on the table and see what a difference it will make on game day.

Now that you have the snacks and appetizers, what about Football themed desserts?

See our 21 Favorite Football Themed Dessert recipes

For more great Super Bowl snack ideas visit our archives.

75 Creative Christmas Stocking Stuffer Ideas 

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15 Christmas Stocking Stuffers Ideas for Teens

1. Apple iPod Shuffle 2GB
2. Retro Vintage Two Tone Sunglasses
3. Panasonic ErgoFit Earbud Headphones
4. Boys Camouflage Trifold Wallet
5. Fandango Gift Card
6. Top Secret Lock and Key Diary with Invisible Ink Pen
7. Funky Socks 2 Pack
8. 101 Real-World Tips for Teenaged Guys Paperback
9. Bath Bombs Gift Set
10. Vinyl Skateboard Guitar Travel Case Decals
11. Knitted Beanie Cap with Scarf Two Peice Set
12. Hot Designs Glitz and Glam Nail Art Pens
13. Fujifilm Instax Mini 7S Camera
14. Teen Coloring Book
15. Let’s do this! Gold and Purple Sparkly 18oz Confetti Loop Water Bottle

15 Christmas Stocking Stuffers Ideas for Kids

1. Disney Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Memory Match Game
2. Schylling Classic Tin Kaleidoscope
3. 3 Bees & Me Bath Toys
4. Toddler Girls Beanie Hat and Easy Mittens
5. Holiday Counting Chunky Book
6. Pull Back Trains Assorted Colors
7. Non-Skid Toddler Crew Socks
8. Moonjar Classic Moneybox: Save, Spend, Share
9. Disney Frozen 6 Piece Lip Balm Gift Set
10. Finger Printing Monsters Art Set
11. Stegosaurus Plush Stuffed Dinosaur
12. Brush Buddies Shopkins Sonic Powered Toothbrush
13. TruKid Bubble Podz, Yumberry 24 Count
14. WIND-UP Toys Stocking Stuffers
15. Olivia Helps with Christmas Board Book

15 Christmas Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Him

1. Bath & Body Works Signature Collection Noir for Men Gift Set
2. Beard Balm
3. Stanley 4-in-1 Pocket Screwdriver
4. Hawk-Spruce Extendable Back Scratcher
5. RFID Blocking Mens Wallet
6. NFL Toothbrush
7. External Backup Power Pack
8. 3 Pairs Thermal Wool Socks
9. Bacon Flavored Toothpicks
10. LUX Essentials Pop ‘N’ Catch Magnetic Wall Mounted Bottle Opener
11. Wood Wayfarer Sunglasses by Eye Love
12. Paracord Survival Bracelet
13. Barrel Aged Cocktail Kit
14. Fog Free Shower Shave Mirror
15. 10-in-1 Stainless Steel Manicure Set

15 Christmas Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Her

1. 4 Wine Stoppers by Clever Leigh
2. EOS 2016 Limited Edition Holiday Lip Balm Sphere Collection 3-Pack
3. Soothing Therapeutic Gel Eye Masks
4. Wearable Nail Polish Holder
5. Wonder Woman Knee High Shiny Red Caped Socks
6. Electronic Callus Remover
7. PRO Beauty Sponge Blender 4pc Set
8. Inflatable Bath Pillow with Feathers
9. Vera Bradley Small Cosmetic Bag
10. Bath Bomb Gift Set
11. CoverGirl The Super Sizer Fibers Mascara
12. Konjac Natural Exfoliating Facial Sponge
13. Cooling Workout Towel
14. Hair Towel Wrap
15. Detangling Brush

15 Christmas Stocking Stuffer & Gift Ideas for Friends

Need Christmas gift ideas for friends, neighbors, co-workers? We have just the gift idea!

1. Toblerone Swiss Milk Chocolate 6 Bar Gift Set
2. Inspirational Quotes Hardcover Book
3. Peanuts Gang Hot Chocolate Gift Set
4. Led Light Telescoping Handle Magnetic Pickup Tool
5. Handmade Multilayer Charm Leather Bracelet
6. Morning Medicine Glass Coffee Mug
7. Essential Oil Carrying Case & Stainless Steel Diffuser Bracelet
8. Handheld Milk Frother Wand
9. Striped Multicolor Reversible Knit Leg Warmers
10. Sneaker Balls Shoe, Gym Bag and Locker Deodorizer
11. Laptop Keyboard Light
12. Flip-Top Sport Infuser Water Bottle
13. Set of 2 Nonstick BBQ Mats
14. Monkey Slingshot
15. Pulled Pork Shredder – BBQ Tools for the Grill

Food Ideas for Christmas stocking stuffers:

Every child enjoys treats on Christmas and what better way to light up their faces, than with yummy homemade recipes?

Practical Christmas gifts for kids:

How about gripper socks that you make yourself with puffy paint in their favorite characters? What a great ideas for any age child and will keep their feet warm too!

Need Christmas Gift Ideas for your Holiday Party?

We’ve gathered our favorite Etsy friends’ shops for party favors, Christmas invitations, and more!

Take a look at these Christmas Party Ideas to celebrate the season and host the perfect party.

For more holiday ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

34 of Our Favorite Fall Apple Recipes

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 4 Stagetecture Fall Apple Recipes We Love!

1. Mini Apple Pie Recipes: Apple Tart Recipe

If pies and tarts hold a special place in your heart, making this recipe will be a breeze. Aromatic and delectable, your kids will gobble it up. You can top it with apples, nuts, and even syrup. The best thing about the recipe is that you can tweak it to make your personal dessert. For a perfect outcome, follow the instructions in this post: Fall Dessert: Apple and Butter Tart Recipe.

2. Sweet Caramel Apple Fantans Recipe

If we were to choose one word to describe these Fantans, it would be fantastic! These delicacies perfectly blend caramel and apples. You will be licking your fingers after you eat them. The glaze completes them beautifully adding a soft texture. Learn how to make the Fantans with this recipe: Fall Dessert: Sweet Caramel Apple Fantans Recipe.

3. Apple Crumble Bars Recipe

If you are looking for a dessert that will warm your heart and sate your appetite, this is it. The crumble bars are perfect for those with busy schedules as they can be eaten on the go. You can make them on a weekend, freeze them, and warm them whenever you want to eat them. Unlike their name, they do not crumble and stay intact in cold or hot conditions. Here are the directions: Fall Dessert: Apple Crumble Bars Recipe.

4. Apple Dessert Recipes: Sugar-Free Applesauce Cake

When most people think of cake, they think of getting fat. This is because most cakes are filled with sugar, a major contributor to weight gain. But what if you could literally have your cake and eat it too? Well, if you’re determined to lose weight, here’s a cake you can eat and not feel guilty afterwards. And the good news is that it tastes just as sweet as regular cake. Get the instructions here: Sugar Free Dessert: Applesauce Cake Recipe.

30 Fall Apple Recipes from Blogger Friends

1. Apple Cinnamon Muffins Recipe
2. Peanut Butter Apple Smoothie
3. Easy Skillet Apple Pie
4. Caramel Apple Smoothie
5. Caramel Apple Cookies
6. Cinnamon Apple Muffins
7. Apple Caramel Pie Bars
8. Apple Pie Smoothie Recipe
9. Fresh Apple Cake With Apple Cider Glaze
10. Favorite Caramel Apple Blondies with Browned Butter Frosting
11. Almond and Apple Cake
12. Apple-Raspberry Pie
13. Apple Cheddar Bread
14. Apple and Cheese Danish
15. Apple Pie Pancakes
16. Apple Pie Baked in the Apple
17. Butternut Squash and Apple Soup
18. Eggless and Dairy-Free Caramel Apple Doughnuts
19. Easy Apple Cider Donuts
20. Easy Apple Crisp
21. Apple Cinnamon Roll
22. Caramel Apple Napoleons
23. Hot Apple Pie Dip
24. The Perfect Apple Dip for Fall
25. Pumpkin Apple Butter
26. Roasted Butternut Squash with Cranberry-Apple Walnut Stuffing
27. Apple Spice Marmalade
28. Caramel Apple Tarts
29. Caramel Apple Cheesecake
30. Apple Pie Lasagna

While fall brings with it a chill in the air, it also brings with it many delicious foods that can be used in different recipes. Apple is one of them. If you love apples, use them creatively in these recipes. Your family will love each one, and they will become your go-to fall apple recipes. Celebrate the season stylishly with these flavorful delights.

If you love apples then Fall is the perfect time to get out and experiment! We are sure you will find a few of these apple recipes become your seasonal favorites.

Easy Fall Decorating Tips for your Home

To help you get started, we traveled back in time on Stagetecture to bring you the best and easiest fall decorating ideas. Take a look!

Add Autumn Floral Arrangements

A vase of happy fall seasonal flowers such as sunflowers or colorful fall foliage can instantly enliven any room. It will help to create a beautiful and elegant atmosphere and bring in lots of energy. Colors like yellows, reds, oranges, and purples are perfect for the autumn season Just make sure to keep the blooms fresh by changing the water every few days and removing the leaves below the water level.

Decorate with wallpaper in the bathroom

The bathroom is the best place to experiment when it comes to using wallpaper. As there aren’t many furniture pieces and colors in this area, busy wallpapers really seem to work. However, try to choose fall themed prints and colors such as leaves, harvest and more. Also, opt for quality wallpapers to ensure easy removal after the season.

Fall decorating tips: update with candles and scents  

While candles look great any time of the year, they are just perfect decorative pieces for colder months as they suggest light and warmth both the things that nature does not offer during this season. Team it up with colorful scented potpourri, pine cones, and seed pods to create a vibrant focal point. Pick scents like pumpkin, cinnamon, or apple to provide a seasonal touch. However, make sure to stick with one or maximum two aromas at a time to avoid mixing of fragrances.

Use literary accents for Fall decorating

Decorating for fall cannot get easier than this. Simply cut out F, A,L, and L out of craft paper and get it framed or tied in a string. Pick autumn inspired colors for craft papers to really get the feel of the season.

Finally, it’s time to bid adieu to warmer months. So, get started, use these fall decorating ideas and fill your home with scents and sights of the season. The best part is it’s easy, inexpensive, and fun. Have more interesting ideas to share? We are hearing through comments.

For more fall decorating tips on Stagetecture, click here.

If buying a house is only going to be made possible with a generous inheritance from your parents or a lottery win, think again. There are several ways you can own a home while you’re still young. Take a look at these first time home buyer tricks that can help.

How to Afford to Own a Home By Age 30

Buying a House: Consider investing with friends and family

Buying a property on your own can be tough financially. That’s why more homeowners are investing in property with friends and family. It makes sense to share a load of the costs in return for a bigger house or a property in your desired location.

Consult with your bank to find out what loans allow you to buy with a friend or that have a reduced risk if your parents are prepared to be a guarantor. Remember to draw up the right legal documents should ownership problems arise like if someone can no longer finance the loan or wants to sell. Here are some good tips to remember when buying a house with family members.

How to Buy a House: Try your hand at “rent-vesting”

If you simply can’t afford to buy into the suburb you want to live in, try your hand at rent-vesting. This means you buy a property to rent out and rent a place in a location you like. You get to live in a place you love and someone else is contributing to your loan repayments. You could also be enjoying some tax deductions too!

Just remember to look for property in areas that have a high rental demand. You don’t want to own a home that can’t be rented out. Rent on top of full loan repayments will be a disaster.

Consider Buying a House in another locale

Living in cities or premium suburbs can be expensive wherever you live in the world. Moving out of town to a country area could be a great way to make buying a property more affordable. Take land for sale in the Geelong region for example. It’s much cheaper to buy in this regional area than purchasing a property in the middle of Melbourne.

Our advice is to look for areas that have great amenities like shopping, schools and public transport, and areas with an hour or two from a major city. This will make the transition to country life much easier and a more appealing investment long term.

For a First Time Homebuyer – Get the right tools

Sure, it’s a nice thought to be able to own a home, but not realistic for many young buyers. Purchasing a renovator’s delight that needs work can be a great way to get your foot in the real estate door. You have two options when buying a home that needs some TLC: Firstly, you could get on the tools and flip the property quickly and reinvest or you could hire a custom home builderƒ and create a home you want to live in for many years to come.

Either way, make sure you crunch some numbers before you invest as renovating can drain the bank very quickly!

Save Up Money to own a home

If moving back in with your parents isn’t an option, saving money on rent through house sitting may be a great option. Becoming a house sitter allows you to live on your own without the added expenses. This means you can save the money you’d be paying in rent and bills to put towards buying your own home.

Housesitter.com has some good resources on how you can become a housesitter.

Our tip is to look for the more long-term house sitting gigs and set up a plan to put the money saved in rent into an investment fund. This will help you save money while still having a place to live. This especially works in locations where homeowners travel much of the year and need dependable people to watch over their homes.

For more home real estate and first-time home buyers tips, look through Stagetecture’s archives.

Healthy living has always been a struggle in my family. Having a family history of diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and cancer has always been a major concern of mine. Through regular exercise, eating on a regimen that fits my blood type, body type, and characteristics and being open to new healthy living experiences has made me and my family healthier in general! That’s why I was excited to pair up with NOW Foods to travel to Bloomingdale, Illinois, right outside of Chicago to see how they make their wellness, beauty, sports and food products*. Take a look at my awesome nutrition and health-filled time I had and how you could win a $500 NOW Foods prize pack to enjoy with your family.

*Please note: Dietary supplements are natural products that are not intended to treat, diagnose, cure or relieve the effects of diseases, ailments, etc..  Please consult a physician or health professional for your own dietary and health goals. 

NOW Foods #Giveaway for YOU and My Healthy Living Experience

The moment I got into my room I was greeted with the most amazing two bags of NOW Foods products! I was amazed… and you will get a chance to win your own products too! From snacks and quinoa cups to supplements and beauty products for the whole family… I could tell this was going to be an awesome event.

All of my products couldn’t even fit in the picture

Our First Night Starts Off with Meeting the CEO and an “Iron Chef’ Healthy Food Event

It was an exciting event because I got to meet other bloggers who were from all types of backgrounds and blog genres: healthy living, recipe creation, family and home lifestyle like Stagetecture.

The first night we all met to meet Jim Emme, CEO of NOW Foods and the recipe and development team to have an “Iron Chef” event! It was so much fun to see how their natural food products are perfect if you need:

• Their Living NOW products are certified gluten free, certified kosher, sugar-free ( as well as a better tasting stevia), pasta – tastes like wheat ( but is gluten free)- made without corn- better for those with wheat and corn intolerances.

Suzy Sing, Recipe and Development Chef made us a delicious dinner that was PURE comfort food but made with all NOW Foods healthy ingredients.

All images by Stagetecture.com

Healthy Living Starts with a Healthy Mind & Body

After a wonderful night, we all headed to bed because Friday was going to be a whirlwind of events.. like waking up to a 6:45 am yoga/pilates/cardio workout on the terrace overlooking this gorgeous golf course at Eaglewood Resort.

Our morning yoga and pilates was great! I was so sore for the next two days I could tell I used muscles I had never used in my regular workouts. Between the gorgeous sky, the cool, crisp air, and our Yoga Instructor – Vanessa Mackay’s pumping music, it was the perfect start to the day.

We Learned How to Make our Own NOW Beauty Recipes!

After our morning yoga, we learned how to make our own roll-on essential oil blends as well as hand foaming soap! These are great recipes if you like using essential oils or if you like giving beauty products as gifts. My personal favorite beauty product is the shea butter lotion. It smells like heaven and every time I put it on it lights up my mood. Healthy living isn’t only about eating and exercising, it’s also about making yourself feel good, right?

Here are a few healthy living notes I learned about the NOW Beauty Products:

• NOW Doesn’t test on animals, they only test on people. Their products are gluten free and they make sure all of their products are pure.
• They have products for kids, teens, and adults including kids mouthwash, toothpaste and
• Did you know your skin is the largest organ? Your skin can be exposed to over 200 chemicals on skin per day. WOW!

Next Stop: Touring the NOW Foods GMP Facility:

After the beauty products seminar, it was time to head back to our rooms to pack up and head to the NOW Foods plant tour. This was going to be good! Take a look at just some of the wellness supplements and sports nutrition supplements products they create at their plant.

We walked through the Bloomingdale plant to see how they make their supplements, powders, foods, beauty products and more. They actually make 1,400 high-quality, natural and affordable products. Isn’t that insanely awesome?

The picture on the bottom right of the image above are solid marble tables that ensure all of their weighing and testing are exact. My analytical/architectural nerd side found this fascinating.

NOW Foods offers Healthy Living Supplements, Beauty Products, and Natural Food Ingredients

My husband and I use to always get NOW Foods products at our local health food store, but never realized the wide array of products they truly have. Whether you are trying to find supplements to help you lose weight, gain muscle, replace vitamin deficiencies or help your overall mental well-being, there are products to assist with your goals.

It was truly a pleasure learning how the NOW Foods stands by their motto of “Living Happy, Living Health, Live NOW”. From the staff and the quality testing to the countless number of quality-assurance tested practices that go into every product, it was quite an amazing event. I encourage you to follow NOW Foods on their social channels below and visit their website to see how you can start living NOW.

Healthy Living Starts Here: Follow NOW Foods on their Social Channels

Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram accounts. All of their social channels are a great way to keep up to date on their latest products but to also get inspired on how others in the NOW Foods community from around the world are living healthier lives!

Here’s Your Chance to Win! Now Foods Giveaway – Product Pack valued at $500!

Note: Contest entrants are only eligible to win once per sweepstake, per household as part of a campaign sponsored by Influence Central

Official Rules for the NOW Foods Products Prize Pack:

1. Contest starts on Sunday, August 13th and ends at 12 am, Wednesday, August, 16th 2017.
2. Please follow the Rafflecopter directions below and enter as many times as you’d like, once a day, between the afore mentioned dates.
3. The winner will be announced on Stagetecture.com on Wednesday, August 16th.
4. The winner should live in the Continental United States and have a postal address, not P.O. Box address for NOW Foods to ship to.
5. The winner should contact me by using the Contact Form here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more healthy living tips on Stagetecture, visit our wellness archives here.

Top 10 Back to School Essentials for College Dorms

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See a list of the Top 5 College Dorm Rooms Essentials here –> Top 5 Dorm Room Essentials

Don’t mind Monday’s when they look like this ? Happy 4th of July! Last day to shop our 20% off sale with code FIREWORKS ?

A photo posted by dormify (@dormify) on Jul 4, 2016 at 6:23am PDT

1.) Bedding

Comforters, sheets, and pillows are essential for college dorms. Ensure you find out the size of the beds from the college or university before you buy bedding. (My son’s dorm has extra long twin beds, and that was essential when shopping for a sheet set!). They are often called ‘Twin Extra Long”. We love these extra long bed skirts to hide all of your stuff under your dorm bed.

Image via: Etsy – Dorm Room Bed Skirts

2.) Bath Linen

Bath towels – Washcloths, hand towels, and bath sized towels are crucial in dormitories and they can never use enough. (Considering they probably will do laundry once a month). Ensure you buy quality towels that are absorbent and can withstand the abuse of a college student. Trust me they will be used for more than just drying off from the shower.

3.) Shower Tote for College Dorms

Whether the dorms have communal showers or individual showers connected to the rooms, having all of your shower tote essentials in a tote or caddy is essential. Opt for a mesh one or a material that can dry easily to prevent getting mildewed and gross from moisture.

4.) Over the door mirror for your College Room

Full length mirrors are often forgotten but are essential to see your ENTIRE body. (Many college students seem to think all you need to see is your face!) Whether you opt for a full-length mirror that can hang on the back of a closet door, or you buy a framed variety that can hang like a picture, a mirror is often forgotten but will be used by everyone on your dorm room floor.

uptown girl ? click link in bio to shop

A photo posted by dormify (@dormify) on Jun 27, 2016 at 2:46pm PDT

5.) College Dorms Alarm Clock

Waking up in the morning, or even at night will prove to be essential in college. Ensure you have a good alarm clock that plugs into the wall and not run solely on batteries is brought to college. Don’t depend on just your cell phone or your roommate to wake you. Alarm clocks with multiple alarms can prove to be helpful, so you don’t have to reset your alarm for each new time. See ways to personalize your dorm room here.

6.) Hanging Clothes Organizer

Make the best use of your small closet with a vertical hanging organizer for your shoes, sweaters and foldable clothes. The hanging clothes organizer will keep all your belongings orderly and will help you cram more into your closet than you first imagined. Need more ideas to get your dorm room organized for cheap?

7.) College Dorms Laundry Bag

Laundry is one of the most dreaded chores to do at college (at home too!) Make the chore easier with a good laundry bag – multiple ones is a good idea. Ensure they have sturdy handles and rolling varieties may prove to be handy if your laundromat is within your dormitory.

Image via: Etsy – Hen House Originals – Dorm Essentials Laundry Bag

8.) Coffee Maker

Coffee, Tea, and water may prove to be the best drinks to consume at college (we won’t mention the alcoholic beverages). A coffee maker that doubles as a tea maker could become a college student best friend, late at night or early in the morning. Opt for a variety that has an alarm or even a travel sidecup like the Hamilton Beach coffee maker.

9.) Portable Laptop Desk Holder

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College students spend a lot of time in the bed… not just sleeping, but studying, eating and everything else. A laptop desk for writing, resting a laptop, or just having a flat surface other than your desk can prove to be essential. Creating a productive study area can be hard. This desk will help make life easier. These can be found at most houseware stores in the back-to-school area.

10.) College Dorms Floor and Table Lamps

One of the most underrated essentials for a dorm room is table and floor lamps. Whether you are trying to study, or need an extra light near your bed or sitting area, the overhead fluorescent fixture in the room will not be sufficient, and it will wake up your roommate! Opt for a few lamps that are versatile and don’t require strangely sized bulbs!

For more college dorm ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

30 Fun Beach Activities for Kids this Summer Vacation

Keep the kids occupied this summer on the beach with these fun activities:

1.) Take beach pictures and build a sandcastle:

Make it a competition between two different sand castles, or give the kids a time limit to finish. Need kids beach toys? WE love this one with a zipper bag.

2.) Oil drilling:

Tell the kids they have five minutes to dig as deep in the sand as they can – the winner is the deepest.

3.) Summer vacation activity: Build a Sandman:

Build a traditional snowman model…using sand. This one works best if you bring a carrot for his nose. Then sit back and watch the double takes. Build a sandman with these cool beach shovel and pail sets.

4.) Sand sculptures:

You can get really creative with these, sculpting turtles, aliens, or anything you want. Decorate with shells and pebbles for added effect. There’s some inspiration here.

5.) Everyone loves body-boarding:

A body or boogie board for a child should be less than £20. Check out this site for tips on how to teach your kid to body-board.
Once they’ve got the hang of body-boarding, you might want to try surfing. There are some good tips about modifying an adult longboard to suit children here.

6.) Beach activities – Try castle battles:

Two teams build a sandcastle each, about 20meterss apart, and place a flag (or towel) on top. Each team has to get the other’s flag. Very simple and a lot of fun.

7.) Play beach games like Sand Bullseye:

Draw three circles in the sand and collect some stones and shells – players have to throw the stones into the circles for points (one for the big outer circle, two for the middle circle and three for the center circle).

8.) Ping pong race at the beach:

Dig a series of sloping channels of equal length and big enough to take a ping pong ball. Put a colored ping pong ball at one end of each channel and race each other blowing the ball down the channel to the finish.

9.) Beach volleyball:

Bring your own net or improvise with windbreakers or picnic baskets.

10.) Nostalgic Beach activities: Cricket or rounders:

Bringing a soft ball and a bat is best for either game, but if you’re playing impromptu you can improvise with what you find on the beach – a piece of driftwood for a bat and a crumpled drinks can for a ball.

11.) Beach activities treasure hunt:

One of the oldest and best – hide objects and coins in the sand for the kids to find. Get a pre-made treasure hunt for kids, here.

12.) Bowls:

Invest in a set of plastic bowls and bring it to the beach with you, or improvise with a few plastic bottles and a tennis ball.

13.) Fill a bucket relay:

Place small plastic beach buckets about ten meters from the water, one bucket for each team. The aim is to be the first to fill the bucket with water from the sea, using only hands to carry it.

14.) Frisbee:

Have one person in the water and another on the sand and toss your favorite frisbee back and forth. We love this glow in the dark frisbee!

15.) Limbo:

Get two people to hold a stick, or tie a ribbon between two trees, and have players go under it as it gets lower and lower. This is great for the beach as the soft sand means no-one’s afraid to fall.

16.) Squirt ball:

Bring water guns and a beach ball to the beach, and draw a line in the sand for each team. Place the beach ball between the two lines. Players have to use the squirted water to get the beach ball over the other team’s line.

17.) Beach Activities: Enjoy the sand with sand memory:

Draw two 4×4 grids in the sand (or smaller for younger children), and get the other team to look away while you place shells on some of the squares in one grid. They have five seconds to look at where the shells are before you cover the grid with a towel, then recreate the pattern on their own grid.

18.) Jewelry making:

Look for shells with holes in them and thread them onto a cord to make a necklace.

19.) Sand art:

Draw pictures in the sand using hands, sticks or shells. You can draw a frame first that each child has to draw their picture inside, or judge the best picture.

20.) Speech pics:

Sit with your back to the players and describe an image in your head or one you have on a piece of paper. Players have to draw their version of it in the sand – the winner is the one whose picture is closest.

21.) Seek and retrieve:

Assign a part of the beach as a boundary, and tell everyone to bring back the most interesting thing they can find within the boundary area. Bonus points for whoever gets back first.

22.) Fly a kite:

If it’s too windy for volleyball, get the kite out and fly it on the beach.

More Beach Activities:

23.) Sharks and minnows:

Get everyone into the water and designate one person as the shark and the rest as minnows. The shark stands in the middle of the group. On ‘go’, the shark has to catch the minnows.

24.) Towel tag:

Dip a towel into the water and roll it up, then tag people by throwing the towel at them. If the towel hits them, they’re ‘it’.

25.) Beach Activities – Try a foot race:

Have a race at the water’s edge, where the sand is wet and harder to run on.

26.) Beach ball bash:

Stand in a circle and hit the beach ball to each other, counting out loud how many times it can be hit without falling. Try and beat the record, or have players shout out something as they hit the ball.

27.) Sand hopscotch:

Draw a hopscotch grid on the sand and use shells as markers.

28.) Beach activities: Moat and bailey:

Build a sandcastle a couple of metres from the water’s edge just before the tide comes in, and get the kids to protect it for as long as possible from the water. They can build a dam of shells, rocks and seaweed, or try a moat for the tide to go into.

29.) Sand Twister:

Draw a Twister board on the sand, using symbols such as crosses, squares etc instead of coloured circles. Assign ‘right foot, square’ and so on.

30.) Collect beach treasures:

See who can find the most interesting beach treasures. From seashells and starfish to beach glass.

For more travel ideas on Stagetecture, click here.