Lifestyle
5 Essential Tips for Planning a Fun and Stress-Free Family Vacation this Summer
“Plan a stress-free family vacation with these 5 essential tips this summer.”
Summer is just around the corner and now it’s the perfect time to start planning a family vacation. Whether you’re headed to the beach or the mountains, a well-planned getaway can be the highlight of your family’s summer. To help you make the most of your vacation, here are five essential tips for planning a fun and stress-free family vacation this summer.
#1 Choose the Right Destination
Choosing the right destination is the key to a successful family vacation. Whether you’re looking for adventure, relaxation or a combination of both, there are plenty of family-friendly destinations to choose from. When selecting a destination, consider your family’s interests and priorities as well as your budget and time constraints.
#2 Plan Your Activities
Planning your activities in advance can help you make the most of your time and avoid disappointment. Some activities, such as tours and theme park visits, require advance booking, so make sure to plan accordingly. At the same time, leave room in your itinerary for relaxation and free time, as children can easily become tired and overwhelmed when too much is planned.
#3 Choose Accommodation Carefully
Choosing the right accommodation is crucial to ensuring your family’s comfort and enjoyment during your vacation. Look for a family-friendly hotel or vacation rental that offers amenities such as a swimming pool, playground, and a kitchen. If you’re planning a road trip, consider staying in a mix of budget-friendly accommodations, such as campsites or motels, to save money.
#4 Pack Smart
Packing for a family vacation can be a daunting task, but planning ahead can make it easier. Make a list of everything you need to bring, including clothing, toiletries, medication, and entertainment. If you’re traveling by car, consider packing a cooler with snacks and drinks to save money on meals.
#5 Stay Safe
Staying safe while traveling is essential to ensuring your family’s wellbeing. Pack a first-aid kit and any necessary medication, sunscreen, and insect repellent. Teach your children about basic safety rules, such as not talking to strangers and wearing a helmet when cycling. Additionally, make sure to have a plan in case of an emergency, such as knowing the location of the nearest hospital.
By following these essential tips, planning a fun and stress-free vacation can be an enjoyable experience for the whole family. Remember to choose the right destination that suits your family’s interests and priorities, plan your activities ahead, choose your accommodation wisely, pack smart, and stay safe while traveling. Preparing for your family vacation can be a daunting task, but putting in the effort to plan it properly can make the difference between a mediocre and an unforgettable trip. Happy travels!
https://stmdailynews.com/category/lifestyle/
https://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/family-vacations/family-vacation-deals-tips
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recipes
Tasty Twists on a Traditional Holiday Treat: 3 red velvet variations of seasonal sweets
(Family Features) Embrace the color and flavor of tradition this holiday season with new twists on red velvet desserts. These variations on the classic cake can take your celebrations to new heights by throwing it back to childhood with a little bite of the past.
Traditional Holiday Ideas
Take a trip down memory lane with “Cookin’ Savvy” and her delicious takes on tradition: Red Velvet Bundt Cake, Red Velvet Cake Balls and Red Velvet Cookie Cutouts, all of which make it easy for the entire family to join together for some fun (and rich homemade flavor) in the kitchen.
Find more “Cookin’ Savvy” recipes at Culinary.net.
Red Velvet Bundt Cake
Recipe courtesy of “Cookin’ Savvy”
- 1 red velvet cake mix
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 heaping tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup milk
- 3 eggs
- 1 stick melted butter
Frosting:
- 1 stick softened butter
- 1 package (8 ounces) softened cream cheese
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- white sanding sugar (optional)
- In mixing bowl, mix cake mix, flour, cocoa powder and sugar. Blend in milk, eggs and butter.
- Grease bundt pan with butter and pour in batter. Bake according to package instructions for bundt cakes then add 10-15 minutes. Let cool before icing.
- To make frosting: In bowl, mix butter, cream cheese and whipping cream. Slowly blend in powdered sugar.
- Ice entire bundt cake or place frosting in piping bag and pipe with back and forth “drip” motion. Sprinkle sanding sugar for sparkly snow appearance, if desired.
Red Velvet Cake Balls
Recipe courtesy of “Cookin’ Savvy”
- 1 red velvet cake mix
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 heaping tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup milk
- 3 eggs
- 1 stick melted butter
Frosting:
- 1/2 stick softened butter
- 4 ounces softened cream cheese
- 1/8 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, plus additional for rolling, divided
- Heat oven to 350 F.
- In mixing bowl, mix cake mix, flour, cocoa powder and sugar. Blend in milk, eggs and butter.
- Grease 9-by-13-inch pan and pour in batter. Bake 45 minutes.
- Remove from oven and use fork to crumble cake then place in large bowl.
- To make frosting: In bowl, mix butter, cream cheese and whipping cream. Slowly blend in powdered sugar. Mix frosting into bowl with cake.
- Form cake mixture into balls then roll in powdered sugar.
Red Velvet Cookie Cutouts
Recipe courtesy of “Cookin’ Savvy”
- 1 red velvet cake mix
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 heaping tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup milk
- 3 eggs
- 1 stick melted butter
Frosting:
- 1 stick softened butter
- 1 package (8 ounces) softened cream cheese
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- white sanding sugar (optional)
- Heat oven to 350 F.
- In mixing bowl, mix cake mix, flour, cocoa powder and sugar. Blend in milk, eggs and butter.
- Cover two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Pour half the mixture onto each sheet. Bake 25-30 minutes.
- Let cookies cool then freeze 1 hour. Use cookie cutters to make desired shapes.
- To make frosting: In bowl, mix butter, cream cheese and whipping cream. Slowly blend in powdered sugar.
- Using knife or piping bag, frost cookies. Sprinkle with sanding sugar for sparkly snow appearance, if desired.
SOURCE:
Culinary.net
At our core, we at STM Daily News, strive to keep you informed and inspired with the freshest content on all things food and beverage. From mouthwatering recipes to intriguing articles, we’re here to satisfy your appetite for culinary knowledge.
Visit our Food & Drink section to get the latest on Foodie News and recipes, offering a delightful blend of culinary inspiration and gastronomic trends to elevate your dining experience.
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Lifestyle
Take a Rest from Stress
5 strategies to combat stressful triggers
(Family Features) Stress, the physical or mental response to external causes like overwhelming work assignments or difficult life moments, can add unnecessary pressure to your day to day. While everyone feels stress from time to time, when left untreated or unrecognized, it can begin to wreak havoc in the form of anxiety.
In honor of National Stress Awareness Month, consider these strategies to combat stress from the National Institutes of Mental Health.
Learn Your Triggers
Different events and situations cause stress for different people. Knowing what triggers your stress to kick in – mounds of office paperwork, important financial decisions or hectic mornings, for example – can help you plan and prepare for stress-inducing moments.
Exercise and Eat Right
Maintaining physical health can be beneficial for mental health, too. Find time to do exercises you enjoy like walking, jogging, yoga or playing a sport. Identifying activities that bring you joy can make it easier to fit 30-60-minute workouts into your schedule without adding even more stress. Complement your workout routine with nutritional meals that help you stay on track with your fitness goals.
Practice Relaxation
Whether you find inner peace through journaling, breathing exercises, reading or some other form of slowing down, find what works for you and prioritize fitting it into your daily schedule. Relaxing activities help you slow down the pace of life, providing a chance to reset by doing something you enjoy.
Get Enough Sleep
A lack of quality sleep can add to stress. Creating a bedtime routine can increase your sleep habits and help you achieve the expert-recommended 7-9 hours per night. Put away electronics, which can interfere with your ability to calm your mind, and find an activity that puts you at ease like reading a book or listening to relaxing music. Ensure your bedroom is optimized for comfort by making it cool, dark and quiet.
Create a Network of Support
Everyone experiences stress. Reach out to family members and close friends you can lean on in stressful and frustrating moments. Share your feelings and encourage others to do the same, which can increase trust and help everyone in your circle cope in a positive way.
Find more ways to combat stress and care for your mental health at eLivingtoday.com.
Photo courtesy of Unsplash
SOURCE:
eLivingtoday.com
STM Daily News is a vibrant news blog dedicated to sharing the brighter side of human experiences. Emphasizing positive, uplifting stories, the site focuses on delivering inspiring, informative, and well-researched content. With a commitment to accurate, fair, and responsible journalism, STM Daily News aims to foster a community of readers passionate about positive change and engaged in meaningful conversations. Join the movement and explore stories that celebrate the positive impacts shaping our world.
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financial wellness
Financial Literacy 101
Financial Wellness
(Family Features) Financial anxiety is on the rise in the United States, making financial literacy – simply put, the ability to understand and effectively utilize various money management practices including budgeting, investing and saving among others – as important as ever.
In fact, 36% of the U.S. general population feel anxious about their current financial situations with 26% feeling strained, according to research from World Financial Group. Taking steps to become more financially literate and manage money more effectively can help.
While there isn’t one “right” way to gain financial literacy, these steps can help grow your understanding and confidence around your finances.
- Understand Your Finances
Understanding your finances and how your financial decisions impact your future self is essential for making appropriate choices. Without this understanding of your income and expenses, you become vulnerable to making the wrong decisions and can put yourself at greater risk in the future.
To further expand your knowledge base, consider taking a financial literacy quiz to test your understanding of concepts such as compounding interest, inflation and risk diversification. If necessary, don’t be afraid to seek the advice of a professional before making important financial decisions. - Take Control and Plan with Confidence
To take control of short- and long-term financial priorities and aspirations, individuals should plan ahead. Establishing these goals is the first step to effective planning, whether lifestyle goals, hopes for retirement or specific items you wish to acquire, such as a new vehicle or home. This approach provides a target for building your savings and protection plans. - Prepare and Plan for Life’s Unexpected Events
If not adequately prepared, unexpected events can have catastrophic impacts on household finances. For example, having to leave the workforce early due to illness could mean years of lost earning power, which could impact your short- and long-term priorities and aspirations. Therefore, it’s essential to ensure backup plans, such as a retirement account or life insurance that includes income protection if unable to work, are in place, if the unexpected happens. This “cushion” can contribute to greater confidence in your future financial outlook and stronger feelings of security going into waves of economic uncertainty.
Test your literacy to assess your understanding and confidence around finances at WorldFinancialGroup.com.
Photo courtesy of iStock
SOURCE:
World Financial Group
Our Lifestyle section on STM Daily News is a hub of inspiration and practical information, offering a range of articles that touch on various aspects of daily life. From tips on family finances to guides for maintaining health and wellness, we strive to empower our readers with knowledge and resources to enhance their lifestyles. Whether you’re seeking outdoor activity ideas, fashion trends, or travel recommendations, our lifestyle section has got you covered. Visit us today at https://stmdailynews.com/category/lifestyle/ and embark on a journey of discovery and self-improvement.
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