Most families live for the week or two they get to head out on a vacation during the summer months when the kids aren’t in school and workloads are kinder. Whether your annual trip takes you to the mountains, the beach, your relatives’ home, or a major amusement park, it’s amazing how much time, energy, and money are set aside — over $1,000 per person on average in the U.S.

That amount seems especially exorbitant when you stop to consider the fact that the bulk of your family’s summer isn’t going to be spent on vacation; most of your time is going to be spent just hanging out at home. Doesn’t it make sense to commit some time, energy, and money there so you can be sure to make the most of it? Here are five ways to enjoy the summer while you and your children have the run of your house and yard.

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It’s January, which means it is officially the season for setting personal goals, but when you have two full-time jobs ― your career and motherhood ― adding any new objective to your jam-packed schedule seems impossible.

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Searching for ancestors has become an increasingly popular activity in recent years, especially after the introduction of TV shows such as “Who do you think you are”. The growth of the digital world has also made becoming an amateur genealogist a little easier as there are now so many records available right at your fingertips. If you have always liked the idea of investigating your family tree, but have not known how to go about it, we are going to take you through some of the top tips that it’s useful to know.

Generally, you can make a start to researching your family tree on your own; although you may need to enlist the help of some professional genealogists along the way. Of course, you can also do this if you want to know what your family tree looks like but do not want to do too much work yourself. If you do want to make a start yourself then here are some tips on how to begin.

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