Apartment Blog

Green doesn’t just have to be the color for your party, make it the theme!! Green living can extend to how you entertain! Making it green is easy on the environment and easy for you to do! Mimicking the tips we’ve already given you for St. Patrick’s Day Party Ideas, we’ve matched some eco-friendly ones. Check out these tips:

Tip 1: Invitations
As I always suggest, send out electronic invitations. Besides giving your party a more casual tone, you also save on paper that is just going to be thrown out later.  Or if you’re party is going to be formal and dictates having an invite, try to use recycled paper invitations.

Tip 2: Decorations
Just for the sheer expense, I always try to recommend fun crafty ideas for holiday decorations. Take a look at our St. Patrick’s Day Party ideas. But it turns out, not only will these save you money; they are also more environmentally friendly! Making your decorations would be a creative and a fun thing for you and your friends or kids to do.  And as much as it hurts, my favorite party staple that I always recommend–balloons–is actually pretty bad for the environment! They often end up in the ocean where they are consumed by sea life, which eventually die from balloons blocking their digestive system. So looks like all my ballooning days are over! 

Tip 3: Food & Drinks
A cute and easy idea to avoid waste is serving finger food. By serving finger food, you alleviate the need to have utensils or plates.  Your guest can just have their little sandwiches, cheese & crackers, cookies, chips on napkins.  And if you want to save on purchasing cups, offer your guests canned or bottled beverages. You can recycle them when they are done!  Wow, this tip allows you to save on a little bit of money as well! Cha-ching!

Tip 4: Entertainment
If you’ve read our blog about St. Patrick’s Day  Party ideas then you know we suggest doing contests, having music or a movie playing in the background.  These ideas don’t require too many materials. But another idea I’d like to add is doing Karaoke! You don’t necessarily have to have a machine (although it helps), but just grab a bunch of your already ‘tipsy’ friends for some movin and groovin and perhaps a little singing!  This should make for a lot of entertainment!! 

While we are making suggestions about how to make your St. Patrick’s Day party more eco-friendly, please remember these tips can certainly be used for your other parties.  If you’re having a Birthday celebration soon, think about using some of these ideas. Not only are you helping the environment but you also may be saving some money in the process!! Bonus!!

Source: Progressivekid.com

You have enough on your plate this month with Easter rolling around, pictures needing to be taken and baskets to be assembled. Why not have your little ones help you out this Easter dinner? Below are really easy and simple recipes for you and your little helpers!

Edible Easter Bunny Salad



Ingredients:
Pear halves
Raisins
Miniature marshmallows or cottage cheese
Lettuce
Apple slices or Almonds

Directions:
Place a lettuce leaf on a plate. Add the pear half on lettuce, for body. Insert raisins for the eyes and nose. The ears are made from apple slices or almonds and a miniature marshmallow or cottage cheese become the bushy tail.

Banana Pops

Ingredients:
• 2 Bananas
• Honey (or melted chocolate)
• Dessicated Coconut (or rice krispies)
• Popsicle sticks
• Plates
• A baking dish lined with baking paper
Directions:
1. Peel the bananas, then cut them in half and push Popsicle sticks into the bottom of both pieces of banana.
2. First, Roll the bananas in some honey, and then in the coconut.
3. Place the banana pops on a baking tray lined with a sheet of baking paper and then freeze.
4. Your banana pops will be ready to eat the next day

Source: dltk-kids.com & amazingmoms.com

Want to get your kids involved on this lovely holiday? Then get out some construction paper, glue, scissors and your creative flair because the following ideas require a bit of imagination on you and your kids part!

Make Valentine’s Day Card for your family & loved ones

○ Using construction paper, glue, scissors and whatever decorative element you can get your hands on, make a Valentine’s Day card! Doesn’t require much, just a bunch of love and time!

Make Someone a Coupon Book (help around the house, get out of jail free card,

whatever!)

○ I’m seriously contemplating doing this for my boyfriend. A bunch of coupons for ‘not doing the dishes tonight’ or ‘free night out with the guys’. Both inexpensive and exactly what he’d like! (permission from me to get out of doing chores)

○ You can get really creative & specific with this for the person you’re making it for! (i.e. If making it for mom, throw in a few ‘I’ll do the dishes’, ‘not make a mess’, ‘clean up after my own toys’, etc.)

Create Beaded Jewelry Crafts

○ Go to your local craft store and pick up a variety of beads and string. You and your kids can create one of a kind jewelry pieces for each other or their friends!

Handprint Poems

○ When you come up with enough creative writing to write a poem for your loved one, make sure you display it properly by putting it on a hand printed cut-out! (trace your own hand to make it personal)

Bake Valentine’s Day Cookies

○ You can use the store bought ones, or create your own. Regardless this activity with kids will be super fun and very yummy!!!

Personalized Valentine’s Day Candy Jar

○ This will be super fun for your kids to create. Get various sizes of jar/containers, ink/paint & stamps. (This will get messy so make sure you have a cleaning station prepared and newspaper down on your surface)

○ Let their imagination run wild!! After its dried, fill the jar with all sorts of little candy treats!

These crafts allow you and your kids to get in the spirit for this lovely day! Let us know your fun craft ideas!?

Okay, so I was searching on the web and I found this cool article on MSN.com. (I copy and pasted the text for you below.) As you all know, my boyfriend and mine’s favorite Christmas movie is the Grinch. Read what the article says about Grinch lovers like us and figure out what your favorite Christmas movie says about you!!

Article:

By Margot Carmichael Lester

Your new guy says he can’t get through the holidays without watching A Christmas Story at least three times (he even has the leg lamp). Or it’s your new lady friend who sings all the tunes from Santa Claus Is Coming to Town in the shower. We asked pop culture mavens Alexis Bondoc, columnist for IntrepidMedia.com, and Ian Williams, an author/director/filmmaker, how a person’s all-time fave Christmas show reveals his or her dating M.O. Read on for some intriguing insights!

A Charlie Brown Christmas
Alexis: The fella who never misses this show is probably a classic guy who already knows how to dress and laugh. Slip him a CD by Vince Guaraldi (who did the jazzy numbers on the show) as a gift.
Ian: If your girl loves this show, deep down, she may want to don a black turtleneck and get existential—this show has a message. But she always has time to dance (who can resist that music!) and maybe she can make clouds of dirt like Pigpen.

A Christmas Story
Alexis: Aww… He’s got a wistful, nostalgic sense of humor and can probably remember every Christmas morning growing up. But, more importantly, there’s more than a slight chance that he didn’t get that one certain gift that every other kid on his block got — the Radio Flyer wagon or the super-cool robot set — and can still remember that deprivation NOW. Will you be the one to indulge him now?
Ian: Your romantic partner is something of a happy medium: corny, yet cool. Not cool in a desperately hip way, but subversive enough to keep things interesting. She hasn’t forgotten what the wonders of childhood were like—and doesn’t want to.

Bad Santa
Alexis: If this is your guy’s favorite seasonal show, then hold your horses. This guy is the Anti-Santa who would probably be happy to make a bunch of gift deliveries with a bottle of Jack Daniels. His ideal vision of Christmas probably involves telling little kids they don’t need Barbies or that Mickey isn’t a real Mouse and that he lives next to a 7-Eleven instead of the North Pole. Run, run, run. Unless you’re happy spending your time with the embodiment of Life’s Little Destruction Book…
Ian: Most likely, your lady was waiting for a movie like this long before it came out. Finally, someone told a Christmas story without much of a moral… and with lots of cringing along the way. Not one for nostalgia, your girl probably wants to order Chinese food rather than prepare a feast. If you are equally dark in your outlook, well, merry, merry!

How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Alexis: You don’t have to worry about this guy at all. He’s offbeat, sure, but he’s got a good heart. He probably loves celebrating Christmas with a delightfully creative and witty sense of humor instead of tradition. He’ll probably surprise you with completely novel ways of marking the holiday season.
Ian: The girl who loves this one is a sucker for ritual, and why not? We all know what happens to the Grinch, but the magic is in the retelling. The Whoville song is treacly and boring, but the Grinch’s theme, with jazz glissandos and rich baritone, make it a yearly must-see. But you must ask this woman: Does she identify with the Grinch… or the Grinch’s poor dog? That will give you some important clues!

It’s A Wonderful Life
Alexis: If your guy likes Frank Capra’s all-time classic, you can put good money on the fact that he’s as classically appealing as Jimmy Stewart—and probably as thoughtful, too. Thoughts count a lot with this kind of guy; make sure yours are up to snuff.
Ian: Like Crowded House sang, “Wherever there is comfort, there is pain,” and don’t your baby know it! She gets It’s a Wonderful Life as it was meant to be: not a sing-songy holiday card, but a deeply sad reflection on dreams deferred. She’s a deep-thinker… and probably a keeper.

Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer
Alexis: Any guy who picks this stop-animation classic is probably as unique as little Rudolph is. He probably celebrates Christmas — and lives his life — with a playful and creative streak. I mean, this is a guy who lives for the island of misfit toys and the Bumble! He’s probably quite a character.
Ian: Yikes. Easily the most anesthetized and goofy of the Xmas specials, Rudolph has the subtlety of a “Hang in There!” cat poster. Repetitious and cloying, it goes down like a bowl of red frosting. Your girl might be cute, but she’ll put antlers on your dog and giggle like she was the first to think of it. Consider yourself warned!

Santa Claus is Coming to Town
Alexis: The guy who loves this one is manly enough to really get down with Christmas and the classics, especially if he’s a Fred Astaire fan. This guy truly loves the holiday. You will celebrate every possible tree-lighting, sidewalk chorus group, eggnog-pouring moment, and you will do it with a smile on your face.
Ian: If your baby’s favorite is this one, she’s probably a Goth chick. No other Santa origin myth is quite so dark. Sure, Fred Astaire narrates, but St. Nick as an unwanted orphan? Hunted like a criminal? We knew Santa’s psyche was complicated, but we didn’t know he needed therapy.

Now, we’re not saying you should take any of these interpretations as the gospel truth. There are, of course, exceptions to every rule. But you should learn a little about yourself. What’s more, adding these insights to other information could help you figure out if you and your sweetie have a future full of holly-jolly Christmases together—or if your holiday honey will leave you feeling like your heart got run over by a reindeer. Ho ho ho!

Margot Carmichael Lester’s work also appears in Go magazine.

Did you know that Life is good^® has a Pumpkin festival?  Did you know that they hold a Guinness World Record of over 30,000 pumpkins being carved in Boston?? That’s amazing!!

It’s true, though.  Since 2003 over 225,000 people have attended a Life is good Pumpkin Festival for pumpkin carvings, games and live music. The event has raised over one million dollars for various children’s charities.

In 2007, Life is good Pumpkin Festival will be held in 8 different states, including: Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Texas and Virginia. The beneficiary of the proceeds from these events is HomeAid; a leading provider of housing for today’s temporarily homeless.

According to Life is good, thousands of pumpkins were carved and lit, and thousand of children’s lives will be touched as a result of the money raised and donated to kids in need.

For more information about the festivals in your area, visit www.lifeisgood.com

Hope everyone has a safe and Happy Halloween!

From your friends,

ForRent.com

Source: www.lifeisgood.com

When thinking about getting a companion for your apartment, make sure you consider all the factors, especially when thinking about purchasing a dog. Such factors include your lifestyle, your finances and your environment.

You need to consider your daily schedule before you bring a dog into your home. If you are a very active person and are rarely home, it may not be fair to the dog. If you have several kids be sure and take into account the additional demands a dog brings. Once you’ve thought about your lifestyle, you can then think of what type of breed would work best (should you still choose to get a dog). Know the potential problems of getting a dog and the specific breed that may work best, before bringing one home. This will eliminate the possibility of it not working out and having to find a new home for your pet.

Having a dog is a financial commitment. Similar to having a child, a dog has financial needs that rely solely on you!! They have to go to the vet for shots when they are sick, be fed when they are hungry, and be bathed when they are dirty. On top of the necessary items, there are additional expenses such as daycare (if you chose), toys, training, and the cost of your time. So be sure that you are financially able to care for the dog before you bring him/her home. That too will eliminate the possibility of it not working out and having to get rid of it later.

And of course, you need to consider your environment. Make sure you live in a pet-friendly apartment community and check if there are any restrictions with animal breeds and sizes. You don’t want to get a medium size dog if your apartment community only allows dogs below a certain weight! On top of the rules inside the apartment community, make sure that the environment you live in has places for you to take your dog. Research if there are any dog parks near by or certain routes best for taking your dog for walks.

As a dog owner, a two year old Chihuahua named Bailey, I know the demands on my time and finances he makes, but I also know the true joy I experience by having my little guy. So be certain that you have thought about the factors involved of having a dog, or any animal, before bringing your pet to your apartment! Search for pet-friendly apartments for rent on ForRent.com via our optional search criteria off of the home page.

No matter where you are, you have neighbors. At work, it’s the person in the next office, at school it’s the student sitting near you and at home it’s the person renting the apartment next to yours. The awkward first encounters between you and your neighbors are always hard to get over, but eventually will help you in the future. Who else will check your mail when you’re on vacation or jot notes down when you skip class?

Everyone has heard the horror stories about neighbors. So to avoid any of those potential problems, here are a few tips for getting to know your neighbors:

Tip 1: Introduce yourself
The first day you move in will obviously be a busy one, but maybe the second or third day you should go an introduce yourself. Nothing elaborate is needed, just a simple ‘Hello, how are you? I just moved in next door’ type thing will work. Breaking the initial barrier will help prevent any awkwardness in the future when you see him/her.

Tip 2: Wave
Doing such a simple gesture will go a long way in maintaining a relationship with your neighbor. Think about it, wouldn’t a nice wave in the morning to say ‘how are you?’ be a pleasant way for you to start your day?

Tip 3: Pick up your pet’s messes
If you happen to live in a pet friendly apartment, please pick up their messes. This not only will help your neighbors out-so they don’t have to watch exactly where they are stepping-but will also improve the look of your apartment community!

Tip 4: Set up play dates
During the initial introduction, you made one of the first few days you moved in, you should have been able to find out if your neighbor has any children. If they are roughly the same age as your children, make a play date for the kids to get together. Or if they don’t have any children, maybe you both could visit a local dog park with your animals? Doing this will help you get to know your neighbor better as well as allow your children (or pets) interact with others.

Tip 5: Visit the area and all its amenities
You didn’t search for an apartment that has access to a tennis court, pool or fitness center not to use it, did you? Utilize the amenities your apartment neighborhood offers. If you go to the fitness center often, you’re bound to run into some regulars or visit the pool during the summer and chit chat with other sun bathers. You will start to create relationships with others and this will give you an overall comfortable feel in your new apartment home!