The hot July weather brings plenty of cool deals:

Fourth of July deals

• Boston Market is offering family meals at half price on Independence Day.

• Lowe’s Home Improvement is giving a 10 percent discount to all veterans who served honorably and who present a valid Form DD214 or other proof of service.

Other July deals

• It’s National 7-11 day on July 11, and 7-Eleven convenience stores are serving up free Slurpees.

• July 11 is also National Cow Appreciation Day. Wear your cow costume to Chick-fil-A and get a free meal.

• Celebrate National Cheesecake Day June 30 with half-off a slice of cheesecake at the Cheesecake Factory.

Etc.

• Shop now for great deals on outside furniture and grills, as well as shorts, bathing suits and T-shirts. Think about buying now for your child’s 2015 summer wardrobe.

• As soon as the Fourth of July is behind us, retailers will start gearing up for Back to School. But don't buy yet – better deals await.

• The produce aisles are exploding with deals on seasonal items such as tomatoes, melons, corn and berries. Now is a great time to freeze or can items.

Source: and complete article here

Here’s a rundown of four foods that will help flatten your tummy:

• Pineapple – It’s loaded with a chemical that promotes digestion and eases bloating.
     
• Fennel – It acts as a natural diuretic, which means it helps your body get rid of the excess water that causes puffiness. If you're not a fan of the licorice-like taste, try celery, which works also.
     
• Plain yogurt – Any kind of yogurt will do as long as the container’s label says it has live and active cultures. These live and active cultures improve digestion.
     
• Ginger – It keeps gas at bay and is also considered to be an “edible amphetamine,” revving your system up and burning a few extra calories along the way.
• Source: (Redbook)

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How do you stay married? One way is to be sensitive to each other’s needs and to compromise every now and then. That means taking turns getting one’s way, or finding a third way that suits you both.

1. Trust. Our marriage space is sacred and private.

2. Restraint. We resist temptation and remain true to each other.

3. Intimacy. We are open with each other.

4. Priorities. We both put our marriage first.

5. Difference. We respect each other’s differences, and know that difference lends interest.

6. Sameness. We share basic values, some interests, and tastes.

7. Communication. We speak up and communicate our needs, likes, dislikes, agreements, and disagreements.

8. Fairness. We play fair.

9. Respect. We demonstrate it.

10. Emotion. We get mad at each other sometimes; we are human.

11. Reconnection. We get un-mad. If it takes a day or so, we live with it and work on letting the anger go.

1. You have so many things to focus on besides some guy’s neuroses. The more brain space you devote to this bs, the less you have left for useful knowledge like basic geometry or getting a raise at work or how to make an awesome grilled cheese-and-avocado sandwich. 

2. The single life isn’t as bad as you think. An emotional palate-cleanser between relationships — like spending an hour or two browsing Anthropologie without your ex sitting in a pretty chair at one of the designated Boyfriend Stations and whining about wanting to leave — is fun and essential. 

3. Don’t forget all the fighting and despair that came before the breakup. Looking back at y’alls relationship with rose colored glasses is silly. We both know that the weeks leading up to the end of the relationship were Where Fun Went To Die. 

4. This is prime motivation to transform yourself. You might be lying in bed eating a Sadness Burrito ™ now, but in five minutes you will have the sudden urge to train for a 5k and get a haircut. The Show Him What He’s Missing workout plan is more effective than living on kale chips and fish oil for a year. 

5. You dodged a bullet. At least you didn’t get married. 

6. You must, MUST unfriend him on Facebook. Right now, you might be like, “Whatever, I don’t want to be so dramatic, and it’s not like I check it anyway!” One month from now you will be crying in the work bathroom because some pretty  girl from a college you NEVER EVEN HEARD OF says something vaguely flirtatious on his wall and your co-worker Michelle will catch you and take you downstairs for shrimp salad not that this has happened to me. Yesterday. 

7. And don't fall into the trap of ragging on the girls you think he is with. It feels awesome to dis on some random Facebook stranger with your friends, but then you will feel sick and guilty of girl-on-girl crime. It's not her fault. In fact, you should be wishing that girl godspeed. She'll need it. 

8. Don’t check his Twitter obsessively, either. I see you. 

9. Avoid his friends, even if they became your friends. Don’t play like you are getting drinks with that one friend of his who sweats too much and always stares at your breasts because you’re good buddies. You’re doing it because you want to get intel. Stop it.

Winning is fun, but it teaches you nothing.

The key to surviving failure is to not take it personally

Ketchup is for French fries and hamburgers. Not dogs.

Grown-ups don’t know everything. Doing our best.

Yes, everyone is going to die one day and that really stinks.

You can be mad at someone and still love them. (At the same time)

New research shows that sending just one affectionate text message a day to your partner could significantly improve your relationship. Texts are linked with increased feelings of intimacy and closeness, and ultimately strengthen the bond between you as a couple.  People showing more affection are generally more satisfied with their relationship and that if you are  Further research has shown that if you’re satisfied, then you’re less likely to divorce.

Huffington Post asked  Facebook and Twitter readers to share the one piece of advice they'd offer fellow divorced folks looking to date again. See what they had to say below, then head to the comments and weigh in with your advice.

1. "Think of it this way: You know what you DON'T want. Now go out there and figure out what you DO want."

2. "Fix yourself first. When you're able to tell your story and not cry then you're ready to date."

3. "The dating scene has changed since you were last part of it. It takes time to process that along with everything you've been through with the divorce. Be cognizant of that and try your hardest to take things slow."

4. "Don't cling to someone new just because you're lonely. Be picky. Think long and hard about what you no longer want to invite into your life and once you have, don't compromise those things for the sake of companionship (even if it is super hot companionship -- sigh)."

5. "Only date when you're ready and know that the time it takes to be ready varies from person to person. Once you're open to dating, feel free to make mistakes and embrace this new phase in your life. I don't mean be completely hedonistic, but feel free to be adventurous and get to know new people."

6. "Date, date, date. But take time to make yourself happy first and don't expect the people you're seeing to help you get over your divorce. Dates are not band-aids."

It was a rough winter. Here are some tips for getting your feet in shape:

~Wear spa socks to bed: You can buy socks that are infused with oils and moisturizers, or you can also lather your feet with a thick lotion, then put on a pair of old socks. Do this for a few nights and your feet will look brand new.

  ~Soak feet in Epsom salt with warm water to soften feet by removing dead cells. Doing this regularly can reduce callous, heal dry, damaged skin, reduce inflammation and relive itching.

~After soaking your feet, use an exfoliating scrub to remove any rough patches that have accumulated over winter.

~Use a tinted moisturizer: Since your feet have been hiding in boots all winter, they might look extra pale. 

~Remove unwanted hair: Yeah, we know you're hiding toe hairs. Use small wax strips to remove them from the root (it's better than shaving).

Source: SheFinds.com:

On eof our listeners sent us this natural, non-toxic weed killer recipe after hearing our converation about not wanting to add chemicals to our yards. Safe for pets and kids, Thanks to Pam Ridenour!

1/2 gallon of Apple Cider Vinegar
1/4 c table salt
1/2 tsp Dawn liquid dish soap
Mix above ingredients in a spray bottle.
Spray weeds thoroughly.

1/2 gallon for around $6.40.  Works better than Round Up - kills weeds on 1st application. The Dawn dish soap strips the weed of its protective oils so the vinegar can work with deadly force. Safe for use in yards used by children and pets!

Sometimes,  the best advice, often, still comes from Mom.

Some will sit us down and spill the advice that their growing hearts have learned over the years. Some will be there to lift us up as we're starting to crawl underneath our covers to hide from a broken, tired heart. And some will just casually remind us as we're on the way to work on a Friday morning that it's important to find someone who makes you happy. That's all that matters (Thanks, Mom!).  Source: Huffpost Here's the top 10 pieces of Mom advice!

1. "What you put up with in a relationship is all you'll ever get out if it.." -Alex

2. " Look at her mother and you'll see her future." -Bryan

3. "'Don't rush It,.'" -Dan

4. "If it's not working now, it's not going to. (Amen, Mom.)" -Johnny

5. "See how they treat the waiter at the restaurant. It'll tell everything." -Cliff