One challenge that every sports coach eventually must face is making practices fun. While repetitive drills are necessary for building skill and muscle memory, when players become accustomed to certain drills they are more inclined to turn their minds off and go through the motions. Instead, coaches must continually rotate drills and add fun and exciting new ones to their practice line up to keep players focused and sharp. Feel free to use one of the following fun volleyball drills at your next practice to break up the routine and challenge your players in new ways.

Bingo Volleyball

For the first of these fun volleyball drills you will need a large sheet of white paper and a black marker. Begin by brainstorming a list of some of the crucial skills and moves that your players need help with such as perfect dig, block, spike, etc. Once you’ve come up with at least 25 draw a bingo card on the sheet of paper, filling each of the squares with one of the skills and post it next to the court.

Now divide your team into groups of six for scrimmage. The teams play against each other as if it were a regular match with one key difference: each time they successfully execute one of the aforementioned moves, they earn that spot on the bingo card. Players must call the move before the execute it to earn the spot on the card.

The goal is to make a line of 5, at which point all members of the team must yell “Bingo”. This game causes players to come up with a game plan that successfully incorporates the necessary moves to make a line of 5, which can often be radically different from their normal game plan.

Hit the Deck!

When searching for fun volleyball drills remember that the emphasis does not always have to be on hitting the ball. Volleyball requires many other skills that are often less recognized, such as the ability to drop and hit the floor without fear or hesitation. The following drill, which we call “Hit the Deck”, will help your players overcome that hesitation.

Begin by having your players jog on the spot. Either at the sound of your whistle or when you yell the words “Hit the Deck”, all players must drop to the floor instantly. If you’d like to up the competitive spirit of the drill, you can enforce a rule where the last player to hit the floor is out.

Building Defensive Toughness

The third of the fun volleyball drills I like to use to change up my practice routines is a simple variation on 2-on-6. For this drill, one team has 6 players and the other has only 2. To begin with, have the strongest players on your team as the outnumbered ones.

The 6-player team begins by serving the ball within two steps of a member of the 2-player team. The goal is not to try and humiliate the 2-player team; rather the goal is to have them get down and play defense. You’ll really begin to notice your players develop their defensive toughness after running the fun drill at a couple of your practices.

Here are some trivia and fun facts about Martini glasses that you may not know. Share this with friends and family whilst enjoying Martini cocktails. It will certainly add pizazz to a fun-filled evening.

1. The name Martini was derived from the city of Martinez, California circa 1887.

2. Early manuals for mixing cocktails in the latter part of 1800s suggest that a Martinez cocktail is made out of sweet Vermouth, gin, bitters and topped with a cherry instead of an olive.

3. The first official mention of Martini was in The New and Improved Illustrated Bartending Manual in 1888.

4. The slim stem of a Martini glass was designed in such a way so that your hand would not come in direct contact with the bowl containing the liquids.

5. If your hand comes in contact with the contents inside (via the Martini bowl), the warmth radiated will destroy the drink’s flavor and render it flat.

6. The Martini drink has along the years, become a symbol for elegant nightlife in general; this is why many American bars frequently display photographs of the conical-shaped glass for Martinis with an olive oil on their signage.

7. Sales of Martini glasses hit the roof after the drink was popularized in James Bond movies. The term “shaken not stirred” became an enduring catch phrase.

8. It is said that prominent figures like Frank Sinatra, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Alfred Hitchcock, Winston Churchill and F, Scott Fitzgerald drank their Martinis from classic Martini glasses.

9. The ample open top of the Martini glass is claimed to construct surface tension that conveys the bouquet of the gin and fashion an elegant exhibit for the olive garnish than a typical cocktail glass.

10. Ever wondered about the cone shape of a Martini glass? This is to keep the drink’s ingredients from separating.

11. Many believe that the Martini glass was invented during the Prohibition era; the wide cavity of the glass made it effortless to dispose of the banned alcohol during a police incursion.

12. Even from the Martini glass’s early days, its characteristic shape was meant to be both functional and visually alluring.

13. The Martini glass is the most well known type amongst all cocktail glasses.

14. The Martini glass is infamous because of its unique shape. The tip of the cone outlines an estimated 90 degree perspective at its cross section. Its sharp tapers make it different from other cocktail glasses.

15. An ideal Martini glass is 4 ounces. 6 and 8 ounce glasses are also popular for serving more contemporary mixtures.

16. Martini aficionados firmly believe that a perfect Martini drink must be served in a 4 ounce glass.

17. One very fashionable accessory to accompany a Martini glass is the stir sticks featuring glass olives.

18. Stemware charms are also popular. These charms are tenured to the stems of the Martini glasses so guests may recognize their drinks.

19. Because of the resurgence of Martini cocktails, Martini glass kits have become one of the most coveted gifts.

Looking for fun date ideas? When you have been in a relationship for some time it is easy to become complacent and spend less time together instead of more. Life gets busy and unfortunately, we begin to take each other for granted and put less effort into the relationship. A date night is a fantastic way to combat this problem and give the both of you some much needed time together.

Here are a few new date night ideas that will help bring you back together again.

Backyard Antics

You may be thinking that getting away is just too expensive; therefore, some of your favorite activities are simply out of the question. If you have a decent sized backyard, you might be surprised at the fun date night you can have.

Do you both enjoy camping but do not have the time or the money to head out for an entire weekend? Why not set the tent up in the backyard? Recapture your childhood with this simple “camping” trip! If possible, build a small fire to roast hot dogs and marshmallows. Who said you had to go a long distance to enjoy a night out under the stars?

If you would rather sleep in your own soft comfortable bed but need a fun date night idea, why not string up some romantic lights, (left over white Christmas lights will do the trick) and have a cozy dinner under the stars. You can make this as elegant or simple as you like, bring out the fine china or simple paper plates the point is enjoy the time together.

Local Fun

You may have more options than you have considered, particularly if you live in an urban area. Museums, local theater, concerts in the park and annual festivals are all fabulous ideas for a fun date night. Of course, you should both be at least a little interested in the activity, if you find contemporary art a bit boring you may want to skip that type of showing. Check your local paper or city website for fun date night ideas.

Dance Lessons

Have you ever considered learning ballroom dancing? Most people would not consider a class as a fun date night idea; however, it could work for you and your partner. You will get to spend time together, learning something new and most importantly holding each other through the steps. This can actually forge a stronger bond, while being great fun as well. Later, once you have graduated, you will have yet another tool in your date night handbag.

Games

If you and your partner are able to compete and not draw swords, games are a fun date night idea. This activity is not for every couple however, as highly competitive people or those who are easily hurt when they lose will not find this a very conducive date night activity. For those who can compete, laugh and still love board games, bowling, miniature golf and even a rousing game of one on one can be a great alternative date.

Conclusion

Too often people think dates have to be a spectacular event at the best restaurant followed by a movie or theater production and while that is all nice it is by far not the only way to have a great time together. Get creative when planning your date nights, think about what each of you enjoy or are passionate about. Some couples have the time of their lives serving at a local homeless shelter or walking the dogs for the Humane Society. The important thing to remember is to have a good time.

One thing that kids love as much as they love their favorite snacks is Christmas, so why not put those two things together for some extra holiday cheer? Festive treats will make the little ones even more excited about the holidays! And if you make them yourself, you can make them as sinful or as healthy as you want!

Here are some fun holiday snack ideas for kids that you can try:

Fluffy Hot Chocolate

Make it a family tradition to enjoy a delicious cup of hot chocolate by the fireplace or while watching a festive film! This may seem like ordinary hot choco, but the vanilla and melted marshmallows set it apart!

What you need:

• 4 cups 2% milk
• 1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
• 8 tsp sugar
• 4 tsp baking cocoa
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix together the milk, miniature marshmallows, sugar and cocoa in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for about 8 mins or until the marshmallows are melted. Remove the mixture from heat then stir in the vanilla extract. Pour into mugs, top with a few miniature marshmallows and a little candy cane if desired.

Stacked Cookies Christmas Tree

Make this a fun family project – you bake the cookies and the little ones can help stack them to look like trees then decorate. Then you would have made some lasting memories, plus a delicious Christmas treat!

What you need:

• 1 tube refrigerated sugar cookie dough
• 1 can vanilla frosting
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 9 unwrapped Rolo candies
• Smarties candies
• Necco wafer candies
• Green colored sugar
• Red nonpareils
• Yellow food coloring
• Water

Place cookie dough in a large bowl and allow to soften in room temperature for 5-10 mins. Prepare dough to make 18 cookies each from 3 round cookie cutters (2in, 1 1/2inc and 1in). For the remaining dough, make 9 star-shaped cookies (from 1/2in star cutter).

Sprinkle round cookies with colored sugar then bake. For the stars, add yellow coloring to a small amount of frosting then pipe onto cookies. To assemble the “trees”, pipe frosting on top of a Rolo candy, top with a 2-inch cookie, pipe frosting on top and bottom of a wafer then top with another 2-inch cookie.

Repeat steps with the 2 1 1/2 and 1-inch cookies. Attach stars on top with frosting then decorate with nonpareils.

The economy has hit the nation very. Families are having a hard time paying bills. People are finding it very difficult to even find a job to pay those bills. With all the financial strain, people are spending less and less. The average family with two parent income are trying to save every penny. In the process of saving and not spending, the children suffer. The children feel that there isn’t enough activities for them to do because almost everything requires money. Families are not going on vacations like they use to. The children are faced with talking on the cell phones, playing video games, are spending more time surfing the Internet. Parents are at their breaking points of financial struggle and do not know what to do to bring the family back together again. There is hope for the family. In this economy, families think that they have to have a lot of money to spend time together. This isn’t so! Just need to be creative and come together. Bring the family together and plan. Be spontaneous! Be positive! Let everyone bring their ideas together and have fun while doing so. This will bring the family together tonight!

Be creative! There is a lot that families can do together in spite of the current economic down fall. Families can come together. They can plan different activities to do that don’t require a lot of money. In the warm sunny months, instead of cooking inside families can go to the park and cook out on the grill. This doesn’t require money. It requires food, fun and laughter! The second thing a family can do is have “family night” once a week. On this night the family can spend time playing board games, watching a family movie, or just talking about different things. This night can also be a night with no computers, cell phones, or video games unless playing them together. This can be a family night filled with fun and excitement for the whole family. The children will love it! They may even share the fun news with their friends. A family can also go out for dessert after dinner one night. Buy a dollar ice cream cone for the whole family and sit in the parking lot of your favorite fast food restaurant and just enjoy each others company.

Spending time with each other shouldn’t be hard work. It doesn’t have to cost a lot money either. This financial down fall has a lot of families splitting up instead of coming together. Money is one that keeps the family balanced or tear it apart. But the bond, love, and laughter should keep the family growing and going strong. Don’t allow money to drive a wedge between you and your family. Spend as much time together as possible. Single families can also incorporate a lot of activities with each other. It takes two in today’s household but single households can bond together as well.

It really doesn’t take much at all to enjoy the company of each other. It just takes determination, a willingness to do it and creativity. As your children grow older, they will never forget all the fun things and the time well spent with each other. This is what children remember the most. It’s not how much money you spent on them. It’s how much you spent with them. Sit down with your family and schedule your family nights. Schedule the menu and the budget for the night. Enjoy one another’s company. Love hard. Laugh often. Hug all the time. Always show your love.

It might sound intimidating, but with the right planning and proper preparation, planning a baby shower can actually be a fun process.

Here are some helpful tips on how to plan a fun and memorable baby shower:

Decide on a date and time

If you are planning for it to be a surprise, aim to hold the party sometime in your guest of honor’s 7th month in pregnancy – the perfect time where the pregnancy is safe and she’s still comfortable to move around. Involve the husband in the surprise to make sure that your chosen date and time are ideal (and ask about gift ideas, too!). Otherwise, ask the mommy-to-be when she’ll like to have the baby shower!

Set a budget

You don’t have to carry all the expenses all by yourself (unless you can and you’re willing to!), you can ask your close girlfriends to pitch in financially. The first step is to come up with the guest list. You can create the list on your own if it’s a surprise baby shower or ask the guest of honor if it’s not. Knowing how much you have to spend and how many people to serve will make the next steps easier.

Decide on the venue and theme

Based on your budget, choose a suitable venue for your baby shower. Depending on your budget, it can be at a café, restaurant or even at one of your friends’ backyard. As for the theme and decorations, take into consideration what the mommy-to-be likes. It can be as simple as a color theme based on the baby’s gender. Make sure you buy the flowers on the day of the party!

Plan the menu

Don’t plan a complicated menu! Go for comfort food – salads, sandwiches, mini sliders or even pizza! If you’re holding the baby shower in a backyard, a barbecue would be nice. But also make sure to ask your guest of honor for her input!

Create the program flow

Baby showers are not complicated. They usually consist of fun games related to pregnancy and babies, opening of gifts, giving advice to the mommy-to-be and generally just friends celebrating new life. Do research for fun games, good music and other forms of entertainment. Don’t forget the party favors!

Follow these simple steps to planning a fun and memorable baby shower and you’re sure to have a blast, especially your guest of honor and her guests!

Planning and hosting a party is a lot of work. You would have to consider the decorations, plan appetizing dishes and think about entertainment for your guests. What more if you’re throwing a party for kids? Yikes! You would have to be more thoughtful of your menu and make sure you provide enough entertainment to keep them from being bored.

But don’t fret – with careful planning and right preparation, here’s how to host the best party for kids:

Decide on a time and date

The first most important step in planning an event is to get everything in order. Deciding on a time and date for the party means you know how much time you have to prepare for it. Don’t forget to factor in nap times – younger kids need about an hour or two to rest in the middle of the day for good energy!

It also allows you to make the other big decisions for the event. Once you know when the party’s going to be, you can move on to choosing the venue, the theme and the food.

Create a To-Do List

Once you’ve decided on the major decisions mentioned above, it’s ideal to map out everything you need to do. A to do list would be extremely helpful so that you won’t forget anything important, from ordering (or baking) the cake to buying game prizes. At this point, it would also be ideal to create your guest list then sending out the invites, which you can do through Facebook!

Keep the menu simple

The good thing about planning a menu for children is that you don’t need to whip up fancy food. Plenty of them are picky eaters so it’s best to just stick to simple, familiar food like burgers and fries, hotdogs, mac and cheese and the like. Don’t forget the dessert because kids love their sweets – ice cream, donuts or cake would do the trick!

Prepare games and entertainment

This is probably the most important element in a party for kids since they easily get bored – entertainment. With all the energy that they have, you might as well put it to good use and let them have fun with a few party games. Put on some good upbeat music and allow for some play time, too!

Planning and hosting a party for kids don’t have to be hard, as long as you’re prepared and organized!

Belly dancing for many women is fun, fun, and more fun. The American female thoroughly enjoys the movements and the music. But when she mentions that she will be taking classes, often times it is not well received by family and friends.

Why?

It is because of malicious stories, false stereotypes, and misinformation about dancers and these falsehoods which defeat or brand potential students. Being a belly dancer in America does not automatically mean being a stripper or a prostitute. (Unfortunately, these viewpoints exist in Middle Eastern countries). Women enjoy dancing and this dance can offer an enjoyable physical outlet of dancing freestyle to music.

The challenge of accomplishing muscle control and certain athletic maneuvers is attractive. Belly dancing is not for everyone as it is considered a difficult and complex dance. For this reason, the faint of heart do not pursue it. Those who do love the challenges and have the necessary discipline and patience will accomplish and succeed learning this ancient dance art.

The cabaret style or night club dancing is the form of dance which takes much criticism because of the costuming and performing in public. It is the attitude of the dancer who selects being a performing artist and sets high standards as a professional dancer or lowers her standards to do otherwise. It is the individual who makes the choice, but unfortunately, all are blamed because of one.

Not every person who takes belly dancing is going to be a public performer. Generally speaking women take lessons for personal reasons.

Reasons for taking lessons:

1. They may wish to dance for self-expression
2. Explore other creative outlets such as costuming and making jewelry
3. Dance with other women who also enjoy this dance
4. Entertain a husband or a lover
5. Lose weight, tone their figures, flexibility
6. Gentle exercises for medical problems
7. Pregnancy exercises, menstrual relief
8. Cultural and historical interests
9. Preparation of muscles for other dance activities
10. Become comfortable with a female body
11. Relaxation

There are many styles to choose from and the costuming will change accordingly. In America there are instructors for any style which is of interest to you. Americans can choose Egyptian, Lebanese, and Turkish cabaret, Middle-east folkloric and ethnic, and American folkloric.

You can be assured that once you make a decision to belly dance and receive support from other women you will be glad that you did so. A new world of creativity and making new friends will have you forgetting about the negative publicity. Millions of women worldwide participate in this dance. And the number one reason is “Fun”.

I often hear from people who are facing a separation and who don’t necessarily agree with the reasoning that their spouse is offering up. And even if they do see some validity to their reasoning, they often just don’t how to change who or what they already are.

Here’s just one example. I might hear from a wife who says: “after the holidays, my husband told me that he had something to tell me which he knew was going to upset me. He said that he has held off on saying anything because he didn’t want to ruin my holidays. Anyway, he said that he has been planning to leave me for a while. But he hesitated to say anything because he knows that I am not able to change my personality. He is basically telling me that I am not any fun whatsoever and that he has been taking a very honest look at his life and what he wants for his life to look like. He says that he just can not continue to live his life without making fun and pleasure a priority and he does not think that he can do this being married to me. He stresses that he doesn’t want to hurt my feelings, but his assessment of me is that I am not any fun at all. He says that I am always overly serious, don’t know how to make or take a joke, and just generally bring him down. Honestly, it was very painful for me to hear this. I admit that I am a serious person. But I always felt that this is why my husband and I were such a wonderful match. My husband is a jokester and very jovial. I love being around him because he makes me laugh. I never realized that he expected for me to make him laugh. He never complained. And I certainly would not call myself a negative person. I am not a pessimist. I’m just not naturally someone who makes fun my top priority. I love that my husband brings this lighter side into my life. And I’m devastated that it is starting to sound like I might not have it in my life anymore. I don’t know how to ward this off. I could try to be more fun loving and to cultivate my sense of humor. But I’m not sure that I could pull it off. I don’t know if my husband is really willing to separate or divorce me because I don’t know how to have fun. This scares me horribly. And it hurts.”

Evaluating The True Problem: I can certainly understand why it would hurt. And this situation is especially tough because it’s mostly outside of your control and it is benign. He’s not saying that you are a bad person or that you have done anything wrong. He’s basically telling you that he doesn’t think that your personality fits with his. This can make things feel quite personal and it can make you feel a little helpless because you’re not sure how you can even begin to change this.

I think that a good first step might be to ask yourself if this has always been a problem. I suppose there might be a situation where a man would have married a woman who he thought never had any fun, but I would think it would rare. I would think that the most likely scenario is that it wasn’t a huge problem when the couple was first dating. Typically, when people are deeply in love and firmly connected, their differences are actually seen as assets rather than major problems. It’s typically only when problems begin to erode the marriage that the differences in personality become real issues.

Of course, I can’t possibly know your husband’s thought process, nor can I predict how serious he may be about separating, but if it were me, I would prioritize taking a very honest look at your marriage and asking yourself if there is more going on than just your personality differences.

Taking The First Steps: It makes sense to try to bring a larger sense of play and fun into your marriage if you have that opportunity. If your husband doesn’t leave immediately, then you have a chance to show him some real changes, but I wouldn’t go overboard here. You can’t expect to suddenly become a comedian and have him believe that this is genuine. But you can make an honest effort and have him appreciate the same.

And better still, if you are able to restore some of the intimacy and the connection, then I would be willing to bet that both of you might find that the lack of fun wasn’t really the problem – the lack of connection was. When a couple is firing on all cylinders, a sense of play is almost automatic. They flirt and joke with one another because this is just a natural extension of their feelings. You don’t really have to work at it when your relationship is close and fresh. The point that I am trying to make is that if you are able to restore the intimacy, you might find that the “not having any fun” issue will take care of itself.

There are so many fun and interesting things to do in this small, beautiful town of Dillon Beach, located on the beautiful Marin County, California Coast. Plan a wonderful visit for a family reunion, a Girl’s Weekend, or a corporate retreat. Vacation rental homes abound here, everything from a small beach cottage to grand, beautiful homes which comfortably sleep up to 12 people for weekends or weekly rentals. There are so many fun activities, so will want to return again and again, year after year. Here are just a few things to enchant you with your Dillon Beach Vacation:

Hiking

At the top of the bluff of Oceana Drive at the end of the street, you go through a cattle gate. To the left, there is a gorgeous view from Eagle Rock, overlooking Bodega Head and the gorgeous Tomales Bay. You’d think you were in Scotland, but it’s just over an hour’s drive from San Francisco! There are some deer trails you’ll see, follow those to the right and you’ll come upon a fire road. Go left, and you’ll come to the Estero in about a mile. Lots of good sticks and rocks along the way! Fun for kids of all ages. Dogs love this hike!

Another great hiking area is Pt. Reyes National Seashore Visitors Center. It’s a beautiful 45 minutes drive from Dillon Beach. There are fun trails – make sure to go on the Earthquake one, and then go to see the Miwok village as well. You can drive on along Tomales Bay to an adventure to climb the 300 steps down to the Lighthouse. Look along the drive for a glimpse of the Tule Elk which run free, and listen for the barking of the Sea Lions along the shore.

Towns

If you’re heading down to the National Seashore Center, plan some time in Pt. Reyes, it’s a cute little town with some fun shops. Be sure to visit Toby’s Feed Store. There is a park behind Toby’s for kids. Bovine Bakery is well known, and good! Locals keep their own coffee mugs on hte shelves, so bring your own to feel a part of things. Next door is a great bookstore to explore.

Tomales has the world’s best bakery, however. Open only Thursday-Sunday you need to get there early, before they sell out! The William Tell has just been redone and is quite good. you can now sit outside for a BBQ oyster treat. The deli is great for sandwiches, which you can take across the street to the park and let the kids play. Don’t miss the hot lamb sandwich! In the opposite direction is Native Plants Nursery which is fun to explore.

Petaluma has a great old downtown area. Cute shops, antiques and great restaurants. It was not damaged much by the 1906 earthquake, as so many areas of the North Bay and San Francisco were, so the buildings are among some of the oldest in our area. Known for it’s past chicken industry, it still hosts ” Chicken and Egg Days”, with a fun parade and family activities honoring the popular poltry of yore.

Other fun towns to explore – the small town of Bodega (not Bodega Bay) is where Alfred Hitchcock filmed “The Birds”. Sebastopol has a great downtown, plus loads of antique shops along the Gravenstein Highway. Healdsburg is a great place to visit, the town square is lovely with shops and restaurants to explore.

San Francisco is a fun day’s outing away. You can explore Golden Gate Park, with the museums or The Exploratorium at the Palace of Fine Arts. Chinatown, Fisherman’s Wharf and Ghirardelli Square are all fun to explore.

Winetasting

So many to choose from! While Napa is most famous, and only about 45 minutes away, locals really prefer the area closer to Dillon Beach. Sonoma county rivals Napa is world class wines. Go to the Alexander Valley, Russian River Wine Road, or try some of the smaller boutique wineries in Sebastopol.

Dillon Beach

If you want to stay close to home, just try our beach! You can have a fire in a firepit, and your dog can enjoy the beach too. The north end of the beach often has great tidepools for exploring. The dunes are so fun to run & up down, but make sure to not allow children to dig too deeply, sand moves and can easily collapse a hole.

You can walk south along the beach to Lawson’s Landing, the campground. There is a pier where you can fish or crab. Clamming is also popular here. There is a fee to drive to the landing.