Current and longstanding issues on the subject of astrology consist of a wide range of arguments about its negative, destructive nature in general, as well as negative, destructive practices which are alleged to be associated with it. While on the practical end of the spectrum one might be duly cautioned about such factors as unscrupulous individuals who claim to be knowledgeable and professional in the field of astrology while in fact are nothing more than con-artists attempting to scam curious and/or desperate potential clients into paying for their services, an equally-valid argument about the practice of astrology is that a person may be prone to becoming dependent, and using it in a negative manner, such as using “what the horoscope says” to rationalize or justify wrongful behavior and traits which they should be attempting to change.

However, in discussing arguments against the belief in and practice of astrology, there is nothing that holds more weight, power, and expressing of influence, than that of the religious sector known as Christian Fundamentalism. Although both the Old and the New Testaments contain detailed references to the belief in and practice of astrology, the fundamentalist interpretations of the subject are decidedly different from the references written in the Bible. While the Biblical references to astrology range, in various parts and situations, from pointless and benevolent to wrong to powerful, fundamentalism takes the angle that astrology is not only Godless but one-hundred-percent evil and demonically-inspired.

Preferring to categorize astrology in the same terms as other forms of the occult and supernatural phenomenon, Christian Fundamentalism believes and teaches that practices as simple as reading one’s horoscope in the daily newspaper is a matter of opening oneself up to the evil spirits known as demons. Fundamentalists believe that in practicing astrology one is making himself to be a channel for demons and, therefore, open to all of the power and influence of satan himself.

Fundamentalist Christians place astrology in the same category as sorcery and enchantment, connecting the same negative view to all of these subjects. They state that if a person dabbles in astrology, he will soon find himself under the control of a “strange, evil power,” ultimately becoming fatalistic and unconcerned about the prospect of his own death.

While some passages in the Bible may speak of the impotent nature of astrology, such as stating that an astrologer does not even have the power to save himself, much less anyone else; and that when relying on astrology one’s focus shifts away from his reliance on God, it is generally just the fundamentalist segment of the population which deems the entire concept to be evil, and choosing to be influenced and led by satan. It may be interesting to note that the Bible itself, even where clearly stating the potentially-negative aspects of astrology, does not make any such connections.

If you would like your little girl to feel like a princess for a day, why not throw here a princess party? This party is excellent for little girls aged pre-school through about fourth grade, depending upon the maturity of your child and their friends who will be in attendance. A princess party is a time where you can treat your child like royalty and indulge here in her every wish, within reason of course. A princess party is one she is sure to remember and treasure for the rest of her life.

The first thing you will want to do before the party is to decide on the decorations, activities, and food which will compliment your princess party theme. Take out a sheet of paper and a pen, and start taking notes and brainstorming ideas which you can use to meet your own home and specific needs. This will help you to create a shopping list for your party and a timeline to get everything accomplished.

As for d’cor, just about anything goes to decorate your castle, otherwise known as your home. Using a lot of pink and purple is always a good choice for a princess party. You can use pastel pink and purple steamers and balloons along with a matching tablecloth and napkins. For a nice added touch you can use complementary colored plates and cups. You can also tie your napkins with a nice fancy ribbon which is only fit for a princess and her castle.

If you have pink or purple fabric on hand, you might want to cover your party room chairs with it and tie it into big bows at the back. If you do not have any fabric, check your local thrift stores for a sheet in the right color which you can cut up and use for the day.

For your princess party invitations you will want to ask your guests to come dressed in their best outfits and ready to be pampered for the party. Or, simply let them come in their everyday clothing and add to their outfit when they arrive. You can purchase inexpensive feather boas which the girls can wear around their shoulders for the party and then take home afterward. Also readily available are simple tulle skirts which can transform their outfit into one fit for a princess. A good idea is to have each guest in pink while the guest of honor is in purple, or vice versa.

Once your guests arrive you can have them decorate their own princess cone party hats with such items as gems, confetti, and feathers which you have purchased from the local dollar or discount store for the purpose. Once their hats are decorated, then you can staple on streamers or ribbons to the top of the hat so that they flow out when they move or twirl.

A fun game to play is “Princess May I?”which is the same on the old traditional game “Mother May I?” Have the guest of honor be the princess and allow her to play the role of the mother in the more traditional game.
Once your craft project and game are done, then it is time to seat your princess on her own thrown to enjoy a nice tea party. The best foods to serve are sandwiches cut into hearts or stars with cookie cutters. The beverage of choice could be a pink lemonade served in either fancy plastic glasses or in tea cups.

Your cake can either be a princess or a castle. Both options are fairly easy to make, or they can be purchased if you so choose.
If your local stores carry pi’atas, you can fill one with candy such as gold chocolate coins, ring lollypops, and candy necklaces to help round out the theme and give the girls something fun to do. They can take home the candy from the pi’ata in their very own princess goodie bags.

A favorite theme among those holding camping birthday parties is that of a trail ride. With this you can bring your gear along with you, ride horses, cook, eat, and sleep under the stars. If you don’t have a trail ride, horses, or long trails in the wilderness nearby don’t despair. With a Dutch oven, an open fire, a few sticks, and little bit of imagination you can have your very own cowboy camp out birthday bash celebration. Don’t forget the fixin’s for some s’mores while you’re making plans and be sure to have a camera handy as you create an unforgettably fun birthday bash and camping party for that special guy in your life. Be sure to include a few tall tales to share around the campfire. Now might be a great time to brush up on your Paul Bunyan and Pecos Bill stories.

A military camping birthday party is another great camping party idea. Right now boys need good solid heroes and the military is a great place to find them. If you have friends or family that are serving over seas this might be a great way to help your little guy bring them closer to home for an evening and could be the best birthday memory he’ll ever have. Set up pup tents, visit your local military supply or surplus store for MREs (meals ready to eat), have everyone wearing their favorite camouflage, and have an army green face painting contest before bed time.

A safari camping theme is another great theme for a terrific camping birthday party. Begin by having everyone dress appropriately for a day underneath the hot African sun, khakis, and an appropriate hat work well. Create a safari pack (goody bag) for all the kids including really chip binoculars, a net for catching stray bugs (really great for lightening bugs at night), safari themed stickers, and a picture frame that is worthy of a fearless safari adventurer (you’ll definitely want to send them home with photos of their safari attire). Set up camp for the evening and serve animal crackers for dessert. You can populate the tent with stuffed animals of favorite safari animals and supplement the adventure with a trip to the zoo for even grander effect and more fun.

If none of these are getting you very excited you could always go with a Rocky Mountain sort of theme for your camping birthday party. Be sure to have plenty of stuffed black bears and have everyone wear red flannel and denim. This is a great and fun sort of adventure for the little men in your life and a great fun party idea. It also presents a few wonderful photo ops for souvenirs and your very own memory book. Have the tents pitched in the backyard and the grill should be set up to feed your hungry mountaineers. If you are fortunate enough to have a creek on your property or live very near one you could even have your ‘adventurers’ go panning for gold.

A camping birthday party presents endless opportunities to put your imagination to work creating a new and wonderful theme. Even if the weather, for some odd reason, doesn’t want to cooperate you can bring your great outdoor adventure inside and still have a grand time. If you live in an apartment or an area in which you are uncomfortable having a camp out, there’s no reason you can’t have a wonderful camp “in”.

When it comes to determining if you should take parenting classes, to prepare for the raising of your new baby, many parents are unsure. If you are one of those soon-to-be parents, you may want to examine the advantages and disadvantages of parenting classes. These advantages and disadvantages, a few of which are outlined below, may help make making a decision a little bit easier for you.

As for the advantages of taking a parenting class, you will find that there are an unlimited number of them. Although you may have babysat children in the past, parenting is much different. When you are a parent, you are responsible the safety and the well-being of your child. While this task may seem like an overwhelming one, you do not have the option of backing out on this one. For that reason, you should take any steps necessary, including parenting classes, to prepare for this venture.

Another one of the many benefits to taking a parenting class, before the birth of your first child, is the information that you will walk away with. Many parenting classes focus on a wide range of issues. In a parenting class, you may learn how to properly change a diaper, lay your baby down for a nap, as well as feed them in a healthy way. In addition to educating you in a classroom setting, you will also find that many parenting classes give you hands on learning. This is often done with the use of baby dolls.

Networking is another one of the many benefits to taking parenting classes before the birth of your child. You may actually be surprised just how popular parenting classes are. Whether you live in a large city or a small town, there is a good chance that your parenting classes will be filled to capacity with first time mothers. While you may not necessarily think about this at the time, this is a great opportunity to meet new people and develop new friendships. If you do not have any friends or relatives who are parents, this may be a concern of yours.

The affordability of parenting classes is another one of the many advantages of or benefits to taking a parenting class. As previously stated, parenting classes come in a number of different formats, as well as costs. It is possible to find parenting classes where you are required to pay a small fee, often less than a hundred dollars. With that in mind, it is also possible to find parenting classes that are free of charge. These free parenting classes are often made available through non-profit organizations.

While there are a number of benefits to taking a parenting class, to prepare for the birth and upbringing of your first child, there are also a number of disadvantages or downsides to doing so as well. One of those downsides is the meetings. Parenting classes vary, but many have multiple classes in a short period of time, like a month or two. You will want to attend each and every one of those classes to absorb as much information as possible. Preparing for the birth of a new child, especially your first child, can be a busy and hectic time in your life. For that reason, you may not necessarily have the time to devote to parenting classes.

The above mentioned advantages and disadvantages are just a few of the many that exist, concerning parenting classes. The upbringing of a child is an issue that you, as a soon-to-be mother have to deal with. For assistance, you may want to turn to a locally offered parenting class.

If you can keep your eye on the prize, having fun at your own party, then you can organize it in a way where you actually can enjoy your own party right along with your guests.

As I said previously, the key to the host enjoying their own party is organization. If you take the time to get organized before the event, then you can enjoy your party. Here are some tips to help you out.

Party Planning Tip ?Make a master list of everything you need to do and purchase for your party. From this list you can easily create a timeline which allows for time to clean, de-clutter your home, shop for food and decorations, decorate, and cook.

Party Planning Tip-Decide if you will be making your own food or buying it prepared. Some things, like veggie trays, meat trays, and even cakes can be purchased inexpensively from stores like Costco for about what you could make them for. Decide early in the process if you will be making your food or buying it ready made to save time. Look at the actual costs as well as your time when you are making the decision.

Party Planning Tip - Take advantage of anyone’s offer to bring something for the party. Having many people bringing just one simple dish to share can save you a ton of time and energy. If your party will be all good friends and family you can even suggest they bring something with them if they have a signature dish that everyone in attendance just loves.

Party Planning Tip -Shop as far ahead of time as possible for non-perishable items. Save your last day shopping for such things as fresh fruits, vegetables, flowers and pastries or breads from the bakery.

Party Planning Tip -If you do not have table linens, but don’t want to use the paper ones, sheets work very well as alternatives. Also, make sure to place some felt or other heavy material under your table linens so your tables will not be damaged by heat or moisture.

Party Planning Tip -If you hate to clean your house, or your party is approaching and you are running out of time, arrange to have your home professionally cleaned the day before your party. In addition walk around your home and remove any unnecessary clutter from shelves and other surfaces.

Party Planning Tip -Let your spouse and children help you prepare for the party. Assign each a task and then simply make sure that it was completed. Remember that your guests are not coming over to inspect your home, they are coming over to enjoy your company.

Party Planning Tip -If you have a pet, make sure that you have plans for how to handle their needs during your party. For a cat, you may wish to close a door to their favorite room and allow them to stay away from your guests.

Once the big day of your party arrives, if you find yourself running around and not enjoying yourself, start delegating out tasks to people who ask if they can help you, or to your spouse or children -don’t try to do everything yourself!

As you can see, the key to an enjoyable party is to organize, do the best you can, and then let others help you when they ask. Follow these simple tips and you will have a great party that even you as the host can enjoy.

Here are some guidelines that will help you plan:
1) Collect the rates
2) Allowed ages
3) Special highlights
4) Size of the group
5) Timings
6) Eating facilities

Inform your support group of all these details well in advance so
that the necessary circulars may be sent out. On the appointed
day, arrange to meet with other parents and children in a
particular place. Plan the mode of travel and reach the place at
least 10 minutes in advance.

The field trip is not just fun. So, let your kids bring their
writing material. Allow them time to stare and admire. Do not
hurry them along. Collect data beforehand so that you can clear
doubts. Get help from a guide, if necessary. And most importantly,
have fun and enjoy the time you spend with your children.

The best day to plan your Italian-American dinner party is one in which your guests will have a long time to linger around and enjoy all of the food you have to offer them. In Italy, this day of the week is generally Sunday. The informal gathering usually starts around one, since many people attend morning mass services, and doesn’t end until the evening time when it is time to take your children home to bed.

Your own Italian-American dinner party can be one of comfort and relaxation. The focus should be on the food rather than on the table and room decorations. Your tablecloth should be simple white linen and flowers for the table are unnecessary. The best centerpieces are a bowl of nuts, some fresh breads, dishes of grated locatelli or parmesan cheese, and simple crushed red pepper flakes. Your dinner service can be your everyday dishes and even the incorporation of simple plastic dinnerware for the children.

The beverage you will want to serve at your Italian-American dinner party is a simple wine. Italian people enjoy wine with their meals and the wine is an excellent compliment to the various Italian foods you will be serving. For those guests who do not drink alcohol, consider having some soda and bottled water available as alternatives.

The first course of food for your Italian-American dinner party should be an antipasto made up of meats (ham, salami and prosciutto), marinated vegetables, cheeses such as provolone and mozzarella, and roasted red peppers. Your antipasto course can be served on a tray or mixed together in a bowl with an Italian dressing poured over it.

The second course of food for your Italian-American dinner party should be a simple Italian soup. The soup should be served in small bowls so that everyone in attendance doesn’t become too full to enjoy the next courses of your meal.

Generally after serving your antipasto and soup, then comes the main pasta and tomato sauce dish. The most popular options for your pasta dish are homemade ravioli, lasagna or manicotti served with a meat sauce which may or may not include meatballs. To accompany your main dish you might choose to serve such foods as sweet potatoes, artichokes, salads or string beans. While you want the focus to be on your main dish, you also want your guests to have some variety to choose from at all times.
For your desert course at your Italian-American dinner party, you should choose something from the following list: fresh in season fruits, figs, cakes, cookies or an Italian pastry. Because your guests will likely be very full, plan to serve desert at least one hour after the main meal, and allow for it to be something light rather than something rich and heavy.
It always amazes me that the above is the typical Sunday for most all Italian families. How they manage to eat all of this food, week after week, and yet not gain a lot of weight is a serious mystery to behold. However, for your once in a while dinner party, a traditional Italian feast makes a wonderful, and simple, menu which will be enjoyed by both the adults and children in attendance.
The most important thing you need to remember about hosting an Italian-American dinner party is that it is all about your guests and the food, not about the cleanliness and order in your home. Cook some good food, and enjoy your friends and family.

1. Baby’s first tree. Okay, so maybe you won’t be trekking into the wilderness to cut a fresh tree this year. Baby’s first Christmas tree can still be special, and this one won’t break the bank or your back.

Choose an artificial, table-top tree and decorate with baby items. Brightly colored rattles, binkies, and teething rings give a festive touch and can be put to good use later. Top it off with a diaper angel. To make, take a cloth diaper, stuff with a small handful of cotton balls for the head, gather cloth together beneath the head, and tie with a festive bow of green and red curled ribbon. Using a yellow pipe cleaner for the halo, shape a four- to five-inch piece into a circle and poke the remaining straight section through top of diaper fabric, securing to angel.

Once the celebration is over this year, the tiny tree can be the basis for a lifelong family tradition. Put the tree up every year and, as your child grows, let her decide how to decorate it.

2. Wrapped in swaddling clothes. If your church holds a Christmas program or indoor live nativity, volunteer to provide the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, along with Mary and Joseph. A real baby adds depth to your church family’s celebration and will make a memorable experience for your family, too, with little effort required on your part.

Not quite up to going out? Recreate the scene of that very first Christmas on a smaller scale, of course, in your very own home. If possible, have a friend video record or photograph your portrayal to add to baby’s scrapbook.

Keep the spiritual meaning alive every year by making the family nativity a Christmas tradition. Bring the family together at the beginning of the holiday season and watch the video together to set the tone for your holiday celebrations.

3. Enjoy the eve. Spending Christmas Eve together at home allows you to focus on the quieter aspects of the holiday and what really matters. Hang a stocking with care and fill it with an ornament for each member of the family. Put the family stocking at the top of next year’s list of must-do traditions by surprising everyone with an ornament that reflects something you’ve done together during the previous year.

Before heading off to bed, share the Christmas story by candlelight. As Dad reads the story and Mom nurses baby, you’ll experience a special closeness and joy that you’ll want to repeat again and again.

So, if the usual holiday havoc has you thinking your newly expanded family will have to put the celebration on hold, think again. And make your newborn’s first Noel one you’ll all want to remember for years to come.

Most free greeting cards are sent through email rather than on paper. Free websites offer services to send free or inexpensive greeting cards via email to your loved ones absolutely free (or close to it). Many websites that offer these free services also offer other free services. For example, Yahoo, Google, and MSN all offer free greeting cards as well as many other services such as email and search engines. Other websites that offer free greeting cards are Blue Mountain Arts and Excite.

Free greeting cards are not as easy to find as they once were. Even just a few years ago free greeting cards could be found all over the net. Now, you have to really search, and the selection is not the greatest. The best online greeting cards are not free. The largest selections are reserved for the paying customer, while the free cards are more like a teaser.

These online websites allow for many features. Depending on the site, you can add many free features to your free e-card. Some of these free features include music, a personalized message, animated graphics, and other visual and audio effects. These features allow you to create a very personalized card that is much more special to the person receiving it that just a simple store bought card.

Another way you can get free cards is to make them yourself on a computer. You can get free templates for just about any word processing or desktop publishing software by doing a simple internet search. These free templates allow you to easily create cards on your home or work computer and print them on your printer, which is essentially free for you to use. Unless you print a lot of cards, the cost is so minimal it might as well be free!

You can also design your own free cards on your word processor. Simply set up the page as landscape, and format the page to consist of two columns. The left column is the back of your card. The right column is the front of your card. Create another page with the same format. The right column is your personal message, while the left column is where the poem or phrase of your card would traditionally belong. Print the two pages back to back, and fold it in half. A free greeting card, designed entirely by you and especially for that special someone!

No doubt about it, free greeting cards are the best way to send someone greetings for holidays, seasons, birthdays, anniversaries, valentines, Christmas, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, thank you, sympathy, or any other occasion!

You can find real astrology readings at websites online and by calling 900 numbers. Some of the astrology readings you find online will not be real readings. However, you can find some websites that offer real astrology readings.

The best way to determine if you have found real astrology readings or fakes is by the information requested. The astrologist should ask for your birth date, your birth place, and the time of your birth. Any information that you provide about your background, personality, or personal life will allow the astrologist to fake a reading.

There are better places to find real astrology readings, where you do not have to worry so much about getting a fake. There are two main places that you will easily find real astrology readings. A third option, harder to find, is also available.

The easiest place to find real astrology readings is at psychic fairs and pagan festivals. These events are crawling with those skilled in astrology and other forms of divination. From these practitioners you will receive none of the hype. You will receive some of the most accurate real astrology readings you have ever encountered. You will also find that the prices for these real astrology readings are somewhat less expensive than the readings you will get from phone lines and web sites.

Another place that you can easily find real astrology readings is at new age stores and occult shops. These stores usually have astrologists, tarot readers, and other divination experts available for readings. These are also some of the best astrology readings you will find anywhere.

There is a great benefit to using an astrology expert in your area found at one of these stores or shops. The fact that they are local means that you can go to them over and over again. When this is possible, you will save a lot of time and money by not having to start from scratch each time you get a reading. You will also save a lot of money, because these astrology experts often charge half what is typically charged at psychic fairs and pagan festivals.

Finally, you can find great real astrology readings through networks of pagan and Wiccan groups and individuals. Often these practitioners are difficult to find. However, if you happen to find one, or know someone who is involved in Wicca or paganism, you can get some of the best astrology readings from these individuals.

Most often these individuals will charge next to nothing for their services. They also take the art of astrology very seriously, and do not often use it to make money. This means that you will get a very lengthy and accurate astrology reading from these sources.