The growing popularity of environmentally-friendly homes that save money has many homeowners jumping on the “green” bandwagon. Ben Tracy reports. Learn more at www.greenstreetdev.com

Summer celebrations are the most waited occasion for everyone. These celebrations are mostly in the form of large family gatherings with lots of food, fun, enjoyment, music, pool time and dance. If you have a family with strict schedule daily nine to five routines or even later than that then you must plan for a wonderful relaxing weekend family celebrations. Make these summer celebrations amusing and entertaining for your kids and adults alike.

Here the problem arises that is “how to make the summer family celebrations wonderful?” Some of my ideas or you can say a checklist is as follows:

1. Keep your menu as simple as it could be, but never forget to make it healthier, refreshing, delicious and tempting.

2. First of all gather every possible family member, discuss about the venue or just arrange the most suitable one and invite everybody.

3. Sit back and plan for the food; more specifically refreshing, delicious summer food. Start from the fresh fruit smoothies and fruit juices like mango juice, pineapples juice, and fresh orange juice, orange, strawberry and pineapple smoothies.

4. Next ask your close family members to bring a salad or dessert of fresh summer fruits if they offer to contribute.

5. Another wonderful idea is to arrange for a fresh summer fruit bouquet or fresh summer fruit basket made up of fruits like mango, kiwi fruit, pineapples, cantaloupe, grapes and orange wedges.

6. Also try to get fresh bouquet of chocolate dipped strawberries and bananas for your kids and chocolate lovers. 7.Making of summer Gift Baskets with Fresh Fruits.

8. Arrange a BBQ grill, but try to marinate the meat one night before you leave.

9. Always pay special attention to the arrangements like seating, dancing, dinning and relaxing.

10. Most important is “Never forget to take extra spoons, folks, cups, napkins and plates”.

11. For your safely purpose always take a first aid box with you.

12. Arrange some music system and outdoor games for fun time.

13. Giving Summer Gifts to kids.

These are some of the points I wanted to share with you to make your summer celebrations memorable with your beloved family.

All those BBQs and summer pool and beach parties with so much food! Everyone goes to at least a few of those each summer. Well, the food your splurge on while at those fun-filled events may be less than helpful for your weight loss goals during the summer months.
The usual offerings include plenty of chips, fried foods, soft drinks and liquor. With all those temptations, it’s definitely easy to forget about your weight loss program and healthy nutritional plan. But there are alternatives to those unhealthy, unhelpful foods!
Stick with fresh fruits and produce during the summer months! Why? They are in season, which means they’re of the best quality during the summer, which also means that they’re the cheapest during the summer. These fresh fruits and produce provides plenty of nutrients for your body, such as antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and fiber. Some of the best fruits to eat:
Watermelons, in particular, are full of juice so it will satisfy your thirst and sweet tooth at the same time! Another great offering usually found at most summer gatherings that won’t hurt your weight loss efforts.
Fruits of all types can be made into chilled drinks and desserts, which can add a nice ending to your summer events. Instead of overly sugary, highly processed soft drinks make some awesome fruit iced drinks.
Salads are refreshing, nutritious and very versatile! There are so many different ways to create a salad that you’ll never run out of options. Fruits, nuts, and cooked meats can be added; it’s not advised to add cheese though if you’re trying to lose weight.
Grilled vegetables are really great for barbecues, perfect straight from the grill. You can grill practically any vegetables and they’ll taste just fantastic! From peppers, onions, carrots, garlic, zucchini, and even lettuce. The best oils to grill them with are either extra-virgin olive oil or coconut oil.
Soups can also be great summer foods simply because there are also plenty of variations for this as well. But this type of summertime soup is not one that you’d find on your grocery store shelf. Summertime soups are based on broths, like beef, chicken and vegetable for starters. Other types of summertime soups are the quite popular dessert soups made of refreshing fruits and vegetables.
There you have it! Use summer’s wonderful fresh fruit and vegetable bounty in your weight loss program and you’ll be definitely on your way to fast and easy weight loss for the summer!

You don’t need to starve yourself on a crazy fad diet if you want to look leaner and sexier in your shorts or swimsuit this summer. The secret to weight loss is to choose healthy foods and to take in fewer calories than you burn.
It’s just easier to make better food choices in summertime, when heavy, high-calorie dishes seem less appealing. The best foods for weight loss in summer are light, refreshing and, most important, keep you out of the hot kitchen. It’s just best to go fresh!
The single easiest way to trim calories from your summer diet, experts say, is to load up on nature’s perfect foods. Produce is at its peak in summer. Delicious fruits and vegetables abound at farmers’ markets and in your local grocery. Besides high in nutrients like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber, these foods choices are also much lower in calories than traditional comfort foods.
Any in-season produce is sure to taste delicious and add flavor to your favorite dishes in abundance. You will find that including these amazingly tasty fresh treats will begin to shrink your belly fat and give you more energy throughout your days.
Oranges and apples can be eaten for fall, and load up on fresh berries, melons, greens, tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, beets, pea pods, and all the super-nutritious and low-calorie fruits, greens and vegetables that grow in your garden.
Be sure to visit your local farmers market if you have one and support the local farming community. You will not only save a TON of money by doing this, but you will be contributing to local produce supply which means fresher fruits and vegetables for you next season!
The fresher your choices are…the more your weight loss efforts will become apparent. All without using any extra crazy weight loss programs!
To keep your cool and cut your time in the kitchen, start with prepared produce, such as cut-up fruit and washed greens. Add rotisserie chicken, prepared soups, and pre-threaded kabobs when you need something a bit heartier. Pre-prepped foods may cost a little extra, but they save time in the kitchen.
Here are some great fat loss picks for some of the best foods to help with weight loss during the summer. Be sure to use your outdoor grill for a great change of taste!
Best Summer Weight Loss Food No. 1: Chilled Soups
All kind of produce in cold soups are great low-calorie dishes. Chilled soups like gazpacho or cucumber-dill that contain lots of chunky vegetables are a great way to start a meal.
Research shows that a low-calorie, broth-based soup at the beginning of the meal will fill you so you eat less at the meal. This is a common trick that celebrities use to slim don quickly.
Best Summer Weight Loss Food No. 2: Watermelon
Who doesn’t love diving into a crisp, juicy slice of watermelon when it’s hot outside? I know…crazy question.
Half of the watermelon comes from water. It’s a wonderful way to satisfy thirst and a yen for something sweet. Be sure to choose organic produce sources for better tasting, healthier results. The biggest thing with fruit is to make sure that fruits are not genetically modified (GMO). They are usually higher in sugar.
Best Summer Weight Loss Food No. 3: Grilled Veggies
A plate of grilled vegetables is a summertime must-have if you want to turn up those fat burning abilities. Keeping a plate of grilled onions, bell peppers, zucchini, carrots, eggplant, asparagus, and garlic in your fridge is a great way to keep a healthy snack on hand whenever you need it.
Best Summer Weight Loss Food No. 4: Salads
Salads are probably one of the best diet quick fixes available. Including just 1-2 salads per day in your diet can be enough to start losing weight even if no other modifications are done to the diet. The key is that your diet must be done right!
To make a healthy salad give the produce a quick rinse; slice up some grilled chicken/beef, dice, toss fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds with some salad greens and a lemon and olive oil, light raspberry or ginger vinaigrette. The key is to avoid adding cheese or conventional dressings to your salad. They will ruin the fat burning properties of the salad.
Flavoring your salads with herbs from the garden so you can go light on the dressing is a good idea. When adding meats or fish to your salad you will find that the salad becomes very filling and satisfying.
Best Summer Weight Loss Food No. 5: Low- and No-Calorie Beverages
Stevia sweetened coffee drinks, teas and go down so easily, especially when it’s hot outside. But the key is to use the herbal sweetener Stevia and avoid all processed sugar drinks and artificial sweeteners. Recent studies show that artificial sweeteners can be just as bad for your metabolism as sugar!
Beverages can be the sole reason for any summer time weight gain. So it’s key to keep them in check by using water as your stable beverage of choice and only drinking sweeter drinks that you yourself have sweetened with your own Stevia packets.
Best Summer Weight Loss Food No. 6: Fruit-Based Desserts
Keep your cravings under control by substituting all sweets with healthier, natural solutions such as grilling fruit with your favorite meals. You will find that partially caramelized fruit can be a very satisfying and yummy alternative to ice cream. Also try cooling mashed avocados for a unique and tasty choice!

• Designed to accommodate laptops with up to 17 screens
• Features the Targus patented Dome Protection System to significantly reduce the chance of laptop screen damage; The molded rubber-like tread at the bottom of the case provides additional shock absorption
• Front flap pocket allows for quick access to your airline ticket or passport; includes a back slip pocket, pen loops, mesh pocket, key clip, business card holder, five CD/DVD sleeves and two large mesh pockets for additional storage
• Constructed of durable 1680D polyester w/ 330D nylon twill

Product Description
The Targus Blacktop 17″ Deluxe Laptop Case with Dome Protection offers unique style in a highly functional case. The patented Targus Dome Protection System prevents scratches caused when the screen is forced into the keyboard during travel. The padded compartment keeps your laptop safe during travel, while the durable nylon materials and signature rubber tread around the outside of the case provide a stylish design element and shock absorption. This case includes… More >>

Targus Blacktop Deluxe 17 Laptop Case w/ Dome Protection CPT401DUS