Having a baby shower can be one of the most exciting parts of preparing for your new little one. Celebrating with family and friends, playing games and the special gifts make baby showers a truly special occasion. Whether you are having a traditional baby shower, or a second (or third) baby ‘sprinkle’ there is a lot of work that goes into making sure that this is a memorable event.

6-8 WEEKS BEFORE THE SHOWER

If you are throwing the shower and you’re not the mom-to-be, confirm  the date with the mom, her mom, sister, bff, mother-in-law, etc.  Set the date and time, and decide on the venue.
Choose a theme. This should be gone over with the mom-to-be , you can find amazing ideas on Pinterest (which I will refer to several times over the check list!)
Make a guest list – check with Mom-to-be to see if she wants a co-ed baby shower, kid free, etc. This is HER day, so let her decide what works best!

3-5 WEEKS BEFORE THE SHOWER

Plan the baby shower events; like games and food!  This is the fun stuff! You can’t forget games like toilet paper rolls and the mom’s pregnant belly, candy bar ‘diapers’, so many! Here is a great reference for baby shower games, even some fun baby shower games for men who might attend your shower!
Besides games, there’s other things you don’t want to forget that will be super memorable for the mom to be.  Having your attendees fill out a ‘advice for Mom to be ‘ card, a ‘place your bets’ for delivery day , photo shoots with Mom to be (don’t forget family photos with her, her mom, her grandma, sister, mother-in-law, etc). You can rent a photo booth, or put someone in charge of photos. Don’t forget a good backdrop!

3-4 WEEKS BEFORE THE SHOWER

Buy party supplies! You may need to order somethings online (think Etsy!) to match your theme, or do something special for the mom-to-be.
Make or assemble all party decor, especially if you are DIY any project.
Purchase baby shower favors, as well as prizes for games.

Invites are especially important; you have to make sure it fits your theme, and represents the mom-to-be. Companies like Poster My Wall offer templates to help create a great baby shower invitation that goes with your theme in no time!

PosterMyWall is an amazing graphic design tool to customize thousands of different templates from baby showers, to birthdays, and even weddings! They are also great for small businesses. From my experience, ordering printed personalized invitations when time is of the essence (especially in todays market) being able to design and print your invitations from home is a no brainer!

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1-2 WEEKS BEFORE SHOWER

Shower food is very important – depending on the time of the shower, you may want to serve a light lunch/brunch, or even just appetizers – and of course sweets! There are some super cute and creative ideas, such as MOM-osa’s,  punch, fruit trays, skewers, veggie tray, and soo many cute treats like these baby rattle oreo pops . pacifier cupcakes, and the list goes on and on! Be sure to check with the mom-to-be about her and her guests dietary needs.

1 WEEK BEFORE THE SHOWER

Contact any guests who haven’t RSVP’d. Their invite could of gotten lost in the mail, opened by a kid or husband (I have had this happen!) you don’t want anyone missing such an important day , or feeling left out, so don’t forget this important step.

Lastly – enjoy! You put a lot of work into this shower, now enjoy the mom-to-be, and all the memories!

Consent is a buzz word nowadays, but the concept is nothing new. Consent is permission to move forward, it’s a green light, a go ahead. But when it comes to engaging in sexual intercourse, consent seems to get a little muddy for some people. The simplest way to define consent is as your partner actively agreeing to participate in sexual activity. If there is no consent, then it’s sexual assault or rape.

What is Consent?

When two parties agree to participate in sexual activity, that means that both parties want to be sexual with one another. Before any sex acts happen, both parties need to be certain that the other wants to be sexual. Consent should involve what each person wants and doesn’t want to happen. Giving and asking for consent is about setting personal boundaries and respecting one another. It should also be noted that consent is not a one and done activity. Consent should be given each time, with every sexual encounter. Do not assume that because they consented before, that they are willing presently. Intelligent sex crime attorneys can help you get clearer understanding about a specific situation.

Conditions

There are some conditions that go along with consent. Consent is never forced. It must be freely given. It doesn’t include any bait and switch tactics. If it was agreed that a condom would be worn, not using one is a breach of the consent. Consent is also something that can be reversed. A yes can turn into a no at any point during a sexual encounter, and that no should be respected and honored. It is a very specific thing. Consent only covers what it covers. For example, consenting to heavy petting does not mean consent to oral sex. Don’t be afraid to ask questions before and during engaging in sex acts. If you notice that your partner doesn’t seem engaged or is showing signs of discomfort, stop and ask if everything is okay. This can save you both a lot of unnecessary trouble.

Consent and the Law

It should also be noted that everyone is not capable of consent. States have differing ages for how old a minor has to be in order to legally give sexual consent. Any person over the age of 18 who has sex with a minor younger than the set age of consent is liable to face charges, be incarcerated and register as a sex offender.  Someone who is intoxicated or unconscious cannot legally give their consent. Developmental and physical disabilities can also mean that someone is unable to give consent. Vulnerable people, such as elderly persons who are not of sound mind and the physically ill are also incapable of giving consent. 

If you’re being accused of rape or sexual assualt, you don’t have to navigate the legal system on your own. You deserve proper representation. Although non-consensual sex is rape, there are nuances that just can’t be overlooked.

Chores can be a pain, regardless of if you’re a stay-at-home mom or dad, or if you come home from work at the end of the day. Not many people enjoy the cleaning, scrubbing, and sweeping that is required to maintain a healthy-looking home, but do it out of necessity. But are more benefits to these chores than simply cleaning the house. Many household cleaning activities are great ways to get quick workouts in, as they help get rid of calories. But which ones are the best for dealing with that stubborn muffin top?

Vacuuming

Sucking dirt and crumbs up out of the carpet can really work up a sweat. You’re constantly pushing and pulling a bulky machine across the carpet from room to room, which helps to tone your arms and melt calories at the same time. Conducting similar chores will help maintain your fitness, like mopping any hardwood or tiled floors, as well as sweeping.

Laundry

You might find yourself doing more laundry than you would like, but washing those spaghetti stains out of your shirt does more than make you presentable. Doing the laundry once or twice a week can add up to many burned calories. Between loading and unloading the washer, folding, hanging, and possibly ironing a mountain of clothes, you’re sure to lose a little extra weight–and have fresh-smelling clothes when you’re done.

Cleaning the Dishes

Nowadays most of us just throw our plates and silverware into the dishwasher, but there are still those who wash some or all of their dishes by hand. It might seem inconvenient, but on the bright side, think of the calories that are burned off by doing so? You can burn additional calories when scrubbing down the bathroom toilet and bathtub. All those dirty dishes can add up, and more dishes mean more scrubbing, which in turn results in leaner forearms–and shinier plates.

Mowing

Okay, so maybe you don’t actually mow inside your house, but it’s close enough. This seasonal chore typically only needs to be done in the spring and summer months for many people, but it’s one that leaves calories dripping off you–literally. It gets hot outside, and combining that with an hour of pushing a lawnmower through the yard can seriously help with weight loss. Even with a riding lawn mower, you’ll sweat enough to make some kind of progress! But if you don’t have kids to mow the yard and you find yourself using a classic push mower, you’re going to need a comfy pair of shoes. Not wearing a quality pair of sneakers can cause blisters, sores, and in extreme cases, bunions. If you notice a lump forming on the side of your foot, visit northwestsurgerycenter.com for information on how to deal with it.

Thoughts

While these chores aren’t going to give you the superhero physic you’ve always wanted, they are a great way to work on slimming down while getting some work done around the house. Doing this housework might not be the most exhilarating thing in the world, but at the very least you can feel good knowing you’re getting work done and looking good doing it.