Those of us with kids know how challenging it can be to get them excited about meal-time. Even more of a dilemma is making sure that they eat healthy food that they will also enjoy. With the kids out of school for summer vacation, one good way to keep them entertained and make sure they eat right at the same time is to make snacks together! Below are a few simple recipes that will make for fun and health-conscious treats that will please both you and the kids!
Ants on a Log
This is a classic snack that takes about 15 minutes to make, and actually looks like ants on a log! Kids love a snack that also gives them an interesting visual, and this one has been around for years. Simply take a celery stick, and spoon peanut butter (smooth or crunch will both do) into the celery. Then, place raisins along the peanut butter to be your “ants” and enjoy! If they don’t like raisins, try sugar-free chocolate chips instead!
Another great twist on the celery stick is a sailboat snack. This is another visual treat that also takes around 15 minutes to make. You’ll need a celery stick, peanut butter, and a fruit roll treat. Begin by cutting a 3 to 4 inch section of a celery stick, and spreading peanut butter in the groove of the celery. Cut a small triangle from the fruit roll snack and attach to a toothpick to look like a sail. Stick the toothpick in the celery and now you have a sailboat snack! It’s like a toy that the kids can eat!
This recipe is a little more involved, but the payoff is great fun for you and your kids! You’ll need hot dogs, hamburger buns, and cheese. This one takes a little time to cook, so the preparation time will be around 30 minutes. Start by cutting a hot dog down the middle, lengthwise. Then, cut each of these strips in half down the middle (lengthwise) again. Cut each of these 4 pieces in half to make 8 legs. Boil the hot dog pieces until they curl. Place the piece of cheese on half of the hamburger bun and then place the ends of the hot dog pieces onto the bun so the curled ends stick out of the sides. If you want, try placing the bun and cheese in the microwave or oven for a moment so the cheese melts slightly. Once this is done, cover your sandwich with the other half of the hamburger bun. From here, you can use ketchup or mustard to make eyes and a mouth on the top of the bun!
While chances are you won’t find this snack at the ballpark, it’s a great way to turn what many consider a fast food into a wholesome treat! This treat is quick and easy, and all you’ll need are hot dog buns, peanut butter, sunflower seeds, bananas, and jam. Simply spread a hot dog bun (you can use whole grain buns to make this snack extra healthy) with peanut butter, and sprinkle with sunflower seeds. Top that with a whole, peeled banana and a little bit of your favorite flavor of jam. Close the bun, and it’s ready to serve. This treat goes great with skim milk!
This is another fun, visual snack that doesn’t require any cooking time. You can make this treat in about 10 to 15 minutes, and will need apples, peanut butter, and miniature marshmallows. Begin by cutting apples into wedges. Smear peanut butter on one side of 2 wedges. Stick a few marshmallows on the peanut butter on one of the apple wedges and top with the other apple wedge, peanut butter side down. When you look at this it looks like a smile (the red part of the apple are the lips and the marshmallows are the teeth!)
For some living in an apartment community with a communal laundry room, the ins and outs of laundry room etiquette are either new or uncertain. The most basic rule of the laundry room is to be courteous of others. While many people know exactly how to navigate the communal laundry room, some have yet to be initiated.
Here is a brief list of do’s and don’ts of apartment laundry room etiquette to keep hassles or headaches to a minimum!
First of all, don’t leave your clothes in the washer or dryer indefinitely. This is inconsiderate to other people and your clothes will be removed by another impatient resident.
Instead, only do laundry when you have the time to see a load through the washer and the dryer. While it takes time, it beats having your clothes tossed aside or collecting mold from being left in the washer for too long.
Unless you have the time to immediately dry your clothes after washing them, just hold off!
To go hand-in-hand with the first rule, don’t throw somebody’s clothes on the floor!
Be patient if a machine has been in use for a while. If you notice that a machine has been stopped for over an hour and is still occupied, put them aside in a neat pile. Or take the clothes inside and put them in a plastic grocery bag. Leave them by the machine for the resident who may have left them there.
This will ensure their clothes are not soiled by putting them on the floor, and you can then move on with doing your laundry.
Before doing laundry, make sure you have enough quarters to wash and dry your load.
You run the risk of annoying other tenants if you’re constantly asking for quarters because you’re a little short! Grab any spare change out of your cup holders, break a few dollar bills for quarters at your local convenience store, or go to the bank to buy quarters. Make sure that you have enough change to do laundry for quite some time.
Some management companies, like 1st Lake Properties, no longer utilize quarter machines. Instead, residents buy electronic keys which keep a balance of credits used, thereby removing the need to haggle for quarters. In these instances, make sure you keep track of your balance and reload when necessary.
Decide whether you want to leave your hamper in the laundry room based on the amount of time it will take you to do your laundry. If you think you might be late getting your clothes, leave it next to your machine in case someone needs to move your clothes out.
Also, on the subject of hampers, don’t use someone else’s hamper! If it is left behind for a week or more, you may consider throwing it out.
Using an old or discarded hamper can be dangerous, since you never know what’s growing in it or why it was left behind in the first place. However, even if you know who a hamper is for, don’t take advantage of someone else’s hamper without permission. This causes tension or confrontation with other residents.
Lastly, do not throw apartment trash in the laundry room trash cans!
Most communities provide these convenient cans for residents to help keep a clean laundry area. The only items which go in these cans are those associated with your laundry! Lint, dryer sheets, empty detergent containers, etc.
It isn’t pleasant for anyone to use a dirty laundry room!
We love this suggestion from Apartment Therapy for using vinegar in wash loads for fresh and clean laundry.
As with most things in life, common courtesy is the key. As long as you and other apartment residents are respectful and conscientious when navigating the laundry room, this sometimes tedious task can run a whole lot smoother!
Getting familiar with your new neighbors is a fun and interesting part of apartment living. Not only does it help to add a sense of community, but it’s a great way to make new friends as well! Neighbors can help you look after your apartment when you’re away on vacation, can join you for holiday get-togethers, or they could even connect you to a job opportunity or other like-minded people! But, how do you greet the new neighbors? It can seem tricky if you’ve never had to do it before, but when it comes to saying hello, keeping it simple is always best!
A Friendly Greeting Will Do
The classic greeting is always effective! Simply going over and saying, “Hello” can break the ice and start a conversation. Ask where they’re from, remember their name, and find out what you two might have in common. Easy-going conversation is best, and it’s important not to pry or get too nosy when making your introduction. Keep it casual and friendly!
Win Them Over with Sweets
Another good way to say hello is to bake cookies or treats! Almost everyone enjoys a home-cooked treat, and it’s a great way to make a first impression. Even if they can’t eat the goodies you bring, they will more than likely understand and appreciate your nice gesture.
Host A Meet and Greet
If you already know other neighbors in your apartment complex, try hosting a meet-and-greet. Invite the neighbors you already know as well as your new neighbors to your apartment. This could make it less awkward if you’re not inclined to introduce yourself one-on-one, and it shows your new neighbor that he or she has a friendly welcoming party living in the complex as well.
Lend a Helping Hand
If your neighbor is in the middle of moving, try asking if they need any help. If you’re capable of helping, especially with heavier items, that can go a long way toward fostering a sense of trust and friendship right away!
Consider Stopping By, But Be Considerate
When making your introduction, it is a good idea to choose a time when you know they are home but will not be overwhelmed. For instance, dinner time is not the best time to stop in and try to strike up a chat, and anywhere from 2:30 to 3:30 pm is probably not best if your new neighbor has children getting off of school. Anytime between 10am and 2pm are generally the best times for the weekdays or the weekends, if your new neighbor is home.
Make the first move when meeting your neighbor for the first time! Don’t wait for an invitiation in; new neighbors are often fairly embarrassed by the state of their home for the first few weeks. Moving in and organizing can create quite a clutter! If you want, ask your new neighbors over for a cup of coffee or a meal one day. Having them over to your apartment diffuses the embarrassment of them having to explain their move-in clutter and can allow you to get to know each other in a friendly space.
However you choose to say hello, make sure your new neighbor feels at home! A close-knit sense of community is one of the great aspects of apartment living!
On May 26th, some of Metairie’s “most wanted” went to jail for a great cause!
Participants in The Lock-Up Luncheon at Zephyr Field were “arrested” and brought to the field, where they had to call friends for “bail money”. All of the proceeds from the friendly bail money went toward helping those with Muscular Dystrophy. The event raised $43,098, with the funds raised from jailbirds going toward 30 minutes of research, 5 or more minutes of research, annual flu shots, physical therapy sessions, support group sessions, and the Children’s MDA Summer Camp.
Muscular Dystrophy affects people of all ages and races worlwide. Its incidence varies, as some forms are more common than others. The most common forms of Muscular Dystrophy occur in children. Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy alone affect approximately 1 in every 3,500 to 5,000 boys, or between 400 and 600 live male births each year in the United States. All of the various forms of the disease are inherited and involve a mutation in one of the thousands of genes that are necessary for muscle integrity. Many cases of Muscular Dystrophy occur from spontaneous mutations that are not found in the genes of either parent, and this defect can be passed to the next generation.
The proceeds from this great event will help in many ways. Some of the money will go to clinics that provide skilled and specialized medical care. Other portions of the funds raised will go toward cutting edge research and investigation into treatments for MDA and potential cures. Funding from the enent will also aid in obtaining equipment that will help those afflicted with the disease in coping with challenges. A camp also received a portion of the donations, which will help children with Muscular Dystrophy have a barrier-free week of fun, friendship, and much needed laughter!
For more information on how you can help fight Muscular Dystrophy and make a difference in your community, visit www.mda.org. There you will find information on how MDA makes a difference to people around the country and in your area! Three cheers to all the participants who helped raise awareness and aid in the care of those with Muscular Dystrophy! The event was a fun time for a great cause.
Apartment living, at first glance, can seem almost deceitfully easy to keep clean and maintain. For the most part, apartment living does make it easier to stay organized and maximize space. However, apartments can descend from havens of tidiness and efficiency to messy chaos quite quickly without a watchful eye. This can occur because of the space of your apartment, your busy lifestyle, or having visitors. With a little elbow grease and a plan of attack, you can turn your messy apartment into a tidy living space in no time.
If you aren’t in the habit of cleaning regularly, your apartment has probably accumulated dirt and grime in places you never think about. It’s important to get at the deeply embedded dust and dirt first to maximize future cleanings. To leave that old dirt behind would make any future cleaning you do fairly ineffective. Places like ceiling fans, window shades, air vents, and those cracks between the stove and counter tops can be oft forgotten and therefor prime candidates for collected dirt.
You should remove everything from your shelves and cabinets to clean them. Picking up items and dusting or wiping as you go will lead to spotty work and missed spots. You might also consider washing or dusting the items on your shelves before replacing them back to their original spots. If you find yourself with an abnormal amount of dust in your apartment, check your air filter and replace it if it’s overdue. Old air filters can collect dust that will disperse throughout your apartment, making it harder to maintain.
Deciding your first area of attack can be difficult. Often, when looking over a messy apartment, the task can seem overwhelming. Most likely, you’ll want to first take care of things that are creating bad smells first. Take out the garbage (and clean your trash can, if necessary), clean out any rotten or moldy food from the refrigerator, empty out any old containers of food and wash them thoroughly, make sure kitchen sponges aren’t stinky, and if you have pets, clean their areas.
Litter boxes, puppy pads and bird cages, for example, can really become a mess if they aren’t given enough attention. Once you take care of obviously problem areas that create smells, the entire freshness of your apartment changes for the better. With larger problems like smelly areas and deeply embedded dirt already cleaned, the rest of your cleaning might look much easier.
Whether you live alone, with a partner, or with roommates, setting aside time to clean will help keep the mess from piling up. Creating a plan with housemates can help alleviate cleaning stress and keep each person accountable if you live with others. Try giving each person his or her own workday, specific tasks, or particular rooms to keep clean.
Whatever system you choose, make sure the apartment is cleaned once a week. It doesn’t take long for clothes to pile up on the floor, garbage to overflow, or dishes to fill the sink. If you tackle the mess at least once a week, cleaning will become a simple matter of maintenance instead of a chaotic emergency.
Once you’ve taken the time to clean and organize your apartment, take the time to enjoy it! Having a clean apartment means you’ll be more comfortable, and you won’t have to scramble if guests come over without much notice. In the end, your apartment should feel like home. What better way to treat yourself than to relax after a hard day in a clean, cozy space that you can call your own?
1st Lake Properties | P. O. Box 73709 | Metairie, LA 70033 | info@1stlake.com
