Family
7 Ways to Foster Long-Distance Friendships
As adults, think of all of the friends that we have accumulated in our neighborhoods, schools, places of worship, and employment over the course of our lives. Then consider how many of those people from our past that we still have as saved contact numbers in our cellular phones. When we leave those various locations that once bonded us together with close friends, we often let life happen, and we lose track of those people that meant the world to us.
Let’s not let the same vital friendships fall to the waist side for our children, nieces, and nephews. Being a friend that stays in the loop becomes even harder when a young person gets separated from their buddies by a long distance. Help the children and teenagers in your life learn how to put more commitment into their social bonds by utilizing these seven ways to foster long-distance friendships.
1.) Facetime Games
If a childhood friend lives hours away, it makes having spontaneous visits nearly impossible. If kids used to love playing games together, don’t assume that they have to be face-to-face in order to have fun like they used to. The internet can bridge those gaps of mileage and make it possible for children to make use of games to play on Facetime.
There are plenty of educational games that teach about vocabulary, math, food, and even animals to make that time online not only friendly but beneficial.
2.) Videos and Videochats
Did you or your friend move to a new home? Use the visual capabilities of FaceTime to give a tour of your new apartment or house to share this transition with your friend from afar. You can also enjoy new moments that your friend is going through, such as their favorite new store, meet their new friends, or see new projects that they are working on and be their cheerleader.
Feel closely connected by walking each other through the most recent people, places, and things that you are experiencing.
3.) Keep in Contact
You don’t need to wait until you and your friend are both free and available to see each other and stay up-to-date with each other. You can start the group chat to share new pictures and personal news that may not get put on social media.
Group chats are a great way for kids to learn about and respect each other’s privacy. Part of fostering a strong friendship is being comfortable enough with each other to be able to share information that isn’t meant to be posted publicly.
4.) Long Distance Activities
Another activity to maintain a strong long-distance friendship is by making the time to start watching the same TV show instead of just viewing it alone. Then you have the opportunity to have a debate about it afterward and share your ideas and feelings on the characters, acting, and storytelling.
5.) Accept the Distance
It is a normal feeling to become sad when distance separates a friendship. But what you don’t want to do is remain stuck in that sad place. Create the bright side of your shared story by accepting the fact that the distance is there and that your friendship can remain intact as long as both people put the effort in.
Is it possible to plan a trip to see each other during the holidays or during the summertime? Also, don’t become jealous if they make new friends. Be happy for them and make time to keep in touch.
6.) Make Time Together Count
If the time comes that the distance between you and close friends becomes not just far away but also very expensive to see each other, it will become important that you foster long-distance friendships by making new memories when you see each other.
Be sure to plan a special together at least once a year. They can come to visit you or vice-versa. There is also the opportunity to pick an amusement park or a city that you both would love to visit and meet there. Create special memories that you both can share forever.
7.) Send Gifts
Be sure that you don’t let birthdays or holidays pass by without sending your long-distance friends gifts. By sending gifts to friends when special days come, you can remind them that they still matter to you and haven’t been forgotten.
It takes effort on both sides of a friendship to keep it going once there is a considerable amount of distance between the pair. If a friend hasn’t contacted you in a long time, remember, that doesn’t automatically mean that you aren’t friends any longer.
People get busy, and sometimes they get overwhelmed by sad moments such as having a family member pass away, making them less social than normal. Don’t just wait for your friend to do all of the calling. Make an effort to stay in contact and find ways to have fun from afar.
My biggest guilty pleasure is watching East Idaho’s Secret Santa video’s on YouTube. Watching these men and women who are so deserving be seen and heard fills my heart with such joy. Sometimes the thanks is just around the corner.
The Secret Santa is a native Idahoan who lives in eastern Idaho. The money comes directly from him – not some program, organization, charity or trust fund. The recipient’s must live in eastern Idaho and have a true need. If you wonder what a “true need” is or are unsure if your nominee will qualify for a gift, submit your nomination.
The Secret Santa looks for responsible and deserving citizens who have done everything in their power to care for themselves but ill fortune or unfortunate situations have put them at a significant disadvantage. In the past, Secret Santa has provided cars, washers and dryers, furniture, special computers, dental care, diapers, gas and grocery cards and other items.
Recipients of gifts are not taxed by the IRS. However, on some large gifts over $16,000, the giver must pay a gift tax to the IRS. Secret Santa pays all necessary gift and sales taxes. Many wonder if Secret Santa gets a tax break on the gifts he gives away. Since these are gifts, and not business expenses, Secret Santa cannot claim these as tax deductions. He receives no tax benefit whatsoever.
Secret Santa and EastIdahoNews.com have been surprising people in need since 2015. That year, Secret Santa gave away $100,000. The amount has increased every year since then.
Secret Santa tells us about one Christmas when he was a young man living temporarily in a foreign country. Since he was away from home, he was not expecting any gifts but on Christmas morning, when he sat down for breakfast, there was a present on his table. It was not an expensive gift and it was anonymous. It was the only Christmas gift he received that year and it had a big impact on him. He did not know who it was from, but he knew someone loved and cared about him. That lifted him up beyond what anyone could imagine. To this day, he has no idea who gave him that small gift. But it still brings a flood of good feelings to him every time he relives that moment.
Today, there are countless people around him who love him, and he wants others to know that there are people who love them and care about them. He believes that giving anonymously with no expectation of receiving anything in return is the ultimate expression of love and caring. He wants others to have the experience that he did as a young man over 50 years ago.
Secret Santa appreciates anyone who wants to help, but he is not asking for donations. He encourages you to find someone in your own community who needs help and bless them – then pay attention to how that brightens your day. His message to the world: Everyone can be a Secret Santa!
Letters to Secret Santa can be sent to:
East Idaho News
c/o Nate Eaton
390 West Sunnyside Road
Idaho Falls, ID 83402
neaton@eastidahonews.com
My friends and I were headed to Bethesda, Maryland to Walter Reade with Camp4Heroes to bring Christmas To Our Vets.
Our driver decided to take us to the historic charm of Annapolis since two of us had never been there. Along the shores of the Chesapeake Bay is nestled just 32 miles from Washington, DC and 26 miles from Baltimore.
This bustling port town formed in the 18th century, is a National Historic Landmark, America’s Sailing Capital and one of the top waterfront destinations in the United States.
The US Naval Academy has been training officers for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps since 1845.
If you love the water there are several water taxi’s available.
Margarita and the tree
I loved the music notes that adorned the spruce
The town was adorably set up for Christmas.
Margarita and the loaded Bloody Mary
Shrimp Po-Boy with Cheese Grits
Crab Eggs Benedict With delicious Cheese Grits
Crab Dip and Chips
Famous for its fresh-from-the-bay seafood. The food is sublime. We went to the Iron Rooster and will definitely be coming back.
Called a Museum Without Walls, Annapolis has more 18th-century brick buildings than any other city of comparable size in the nation including the homes of Maryland’s four signers of the Declaration of Independence.
The Maryland State House is the oldest in continuous legislative use. The Banneker-Douglass Museum documents Maryland’s African American history from the 1600s to the present day. Housed in an old oyster packing plant, the newly redesigned Annapolis Maritime Museum & Park chronicles life on the Chesapeake Bay then and now.
The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center invites visitors to explore its 2,650-acre campus that spans forests, wetlands, marshes and 15 miles of protected shoreline.
I can’t wait to come back and attend the second largest Renaissance Festival.
22 days to go! Every year people panic to find the perfect gift. We at T2C have been collecting idea’s all year long to bring you the perfect gift guide at all price levels. When you’re at the end of your rope trying to find the perfect Christmas present this year, come to this guide for some great suggestions.
Vital FlexCore uses advanced EMS technology that sends electric pulses to stimulate your abdominal and arm muscles. When your muscles receive the pulse, they contract and flex — as if they were lifting weights. It basically mimics a high-intensity workout by targeting and stimulating vital core and arm muscles, but without the strain and injury of an intense workout.
Here are some of the benefits:
- Increase your strength – For those approaching middle age, maintaining strength in your muscles is key to preventing age-related muscle atrophy and avoiding diseases like type 2 diabetes, arthritis, and osteoporosis. The importance of keeping strong is also undeniably linked to emotional and mental health.
- Lose weight – Vital FlexCore boosts weight loss by promoting muscle stimulation, allowing you to burn fat and extra calories stimulating your muscles to burn calories efficiently, shedding those extra pounds.
- Tones and defines muscles – Vital FlexCore targets specific muscles, helping you achieve a more defined look by increasing muscle density, toning, and sculpting your muscles so you not only look better but feel better too.
- Increase range of motion EMS technology can help improve your range of motion and consequently your flexibility by working on muscle elasticity and joint mobility, so movement becomes more comfortable.
- Help cramp relief – For those approaching middle age, maintaining strength in your muscles is key to preventing age-related muscle atrophy and avoiding diseases like type 2 diabetes, arthritis, and osteoporosis. The importance of keeping strong is also undeniably linked to emotional and mental health.
- Increase natural blood flow – Muscle contractions stimulated by Vital FlexCore increase blood circulation, reducing muscle soreness and promoting a healthy heart. By using Vital FlexCore, you’re providing muscular support while also being proactive about maintaining a strong heart.
It’s also 100% safe for people of all ages with no side effects. EMS technology has been around for years, and was even used by Bruce Lee in the 70s to supplement his workouts. The engineers behind the Vital FlexCore took it even further by improving the tech and making it portable, as an all-in-one muscle workout machine that melts fat and strengthens muscle in no time. It’s a body hack to turn you into a muscle-building powerhouse minus the gym fees!
It’s easy to use just place it on your belly and arms, press a button, and you’re ready to go. There are 10 intensity levels and 6 unique modes to choose from, so you’re free to customize your workouts as you see fit. No stress or hassle—just a simple and effective way to get in shape!
The cost is $69.99 for the basic. $79.99 with arm and gel added.
This is a perfect idea for a gift for the tequila lover in your life. The new 1800 Tequila x Carmelo Anthony Holiday Drop Shop celebrates the best taste in tequila and in life this holiday season.
As part of 1800 Tequila’s passion for sports and dedication to its community, all apparel proceeds from the 1800 Tequila x Carmelo Anthony Holiday Drop Shop will directly benefit The Carmelo Anthony Foundation to provide communities better access to recreational activities such as refurbishment of local basketball courts.
Featuring a partnership with brand tastemaker, 10-time NBA All-Star, and entrepreneur, Carmelo Anthony the 1800 Tequila x Carmelo Anthony Holiday Drop Shop showcases tasteful gifts for tequila, fashion, and sports fans alike.
The 1800 Tequila x Carmelo Anthony Holiday Drop Shop is a limited-edition apparel capsule collection featuring four bespoke items designed and produced in collaboration with Carmelo Anthony and his apparel lifestyle brand STAYME7O. The 1800 Tequila x STAYME7O collection includes: 1800 Tequila x STAYME7O Varsity Jacket (hero product), 1800 Tequila x STAYME7O Hoodie, 1800 Tequila x STAYME7O Snapback Hat, and 1800 Tequila x STAYME7O Embroidered Fabric Patch.
Consumers can purchase apparel from the 1800 Tequila x Carmelo Anthony Holiday Drop Shop through various bundle sets ranging from $75 – $295 while supplies last. Sign up to get notified for early purchase access on 1800Tequila.com/HolidayDropShop.
23 days to go! Every year people panic to find the perfect gift. We at T2C have been collecting idea’s all year long to bring you the perfect gift guide at all price levels. When you’re at the end of your rope trying to find the perfect Christmas present this year, come to this guide for some great suggestions.
If someone is in pain what better gift is relief? Get relief from chronic pain with the help of Mode’s natural nano CBD products, you can also get relief from anxiety, stress, and sleep disorders.
I personally tried the CBD Gummies For Sleep ($44.95). I am a person whose brain never shuts off. I also was having pain, that was walking me up. I took one and woke up the next day feeling rested, relaxed and ready to start my day. These include CBD, melatonin, Valerian Root, PassionFlower, L-Theanine, Chamomile and GABA.
There is also CBD Roll On for Back Pain 500mg ($49.99). This is a stick formed cream made of beneficial and organic plant extracts that will help relieve ease muscles, neck, joint, abdomen, and back. It also comes in 1000mg ($69.99)
Finally there is Nano CBD Tincture Isolate Spectrum 1500mg ($154.99). This helps relieve: Anxiety, stress, chronic pains, sleep disorders, and depression. Water soluble add it to your favorite food or drink and feel the effects of calmness.
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