The Sentimental Meaning Of Flowers Written by Gina Stathopoulos
For me certain types of flowers bring back a flood of memories. I remember in my early teens visiting my best friend who had moved to country. We would spend hours in field next to her property, talking and picking petals of daisies in a game played by many, he-loves-me, he-loves-me-not. This memory can rushing back two days ago when I was waiting in line at supermarket and happened to glance at bouquets for sale. Amongst mixed bouquets, there were daisies. This flower has special meaning in my heart. I associate it with my best friend who I lost to a car accident when we were both 17. Flowers definitely bring an emotional response and we remember our happy and sad times through them. The first time I inhaled sweet fragrance of a carnation I was enthralled. It happened when my father, took us to Greece to visit his parents. As a 7 year old, this strange land captivated me. I vividly remember my first response when we made our way up hill where my grandparents’ house was, to find myself staring up at handing grapes from porch roof and carnations which were planted along edge of porch. Blood red, I can still recall their sweet aroma. They were pride and joy of my grandmother who nurtured them and allowed me to help care for them. I had been instantly impressed by this glorious flower, not having seen it before.
| | New Mom...New Baby...New Debt?Written by Susan Koiner
Ah, there is nothing like being an expectant mom. Along with your expanding waistline comes ever growing list of products for you and your new bundle of joy. Preparing for a new baby can be a costly experience, especially in areas of clothing and nursery furniture. The good news is that it does not have to be!Let’s talk about buying baby clothes...think RESALE! Every new mom gushes over adorable clothing available for babies, but they often come with a not so adorable price. Resale clothing costs a fraction of retail price. Buying resale clothing does not equal buying trash! Moms sell their baby’s clothing to resale stores for a variety of reasons. Babies outgrow clothes so quickly (normally before they show any wear) they simply cannot use them anymore. Many precious newborns receive more clothes than they can wear in a season (everyone loves to buy baby clothes for shower gifts–they are just too cute!) that cannot be returned and they end up in resale stores with tags still on! If you have time and know what you are looking for, you can find plenty of designer and brand name clothing for a steal! Buy now...save later! There is more beauty to changing of seasons than just landscape! As temperatures change, so do prices of baby clothing! Most stores slash price of their clothing up to 75% by end of season to make room for new clothes. Take advantage of this by buying a size or two larger than your baby’s current size for him/her to wear next year. The savings are amazing! Another large expense when you are preparing for a new baby is furniture for nursery. A good place to start when considering which pieces to buy is determining how much room you have to work with? Do you have a large room or do you need multipurpose furniture? A crib is a necessity and a given; however, you can pick and choose other nursery pieces. Combination pieces such as dresser/changing table combos are available at some stores and can save you from buying two pieces. Cribs with attached drawer space that convert to toddler beds are also available and will save you a lot of space. Thinking ahead when buying nursery furniture will save you both time and money in future. By buying a combination piece of furniture for your nursery, you eliminate having to sell furniture you no longer need, as well as spending time looking for and more money on new “big kid” furniture.
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