Have you ever thought about spending your next vacation bushwhacking through the jungle in search of big cats? Call of the Wild from the latest issue of More magazine is a fascinating account by Katherine Lanpher of her recent trek through the jungles of Belize in search of jaguars.

Lanpher certainly has an adventuresome spirit, and her story is remarkable. If you’ve ever wanted to explore the jungles of Belize, there’s lots of practical advice included in this inspirational tale (and some gripping photos, too!). But even if the jungle isn’t going to be your next vacation destination, Lanpher’s tale of following her curiosity and passion will surely help motivate you to follow your own passions.

Look Inside >>  June 2009

The latest issue of Pregnancy has an article about the new roles fathers are more and more playing in traditional U.S. families. As a stay-at-home dad I could really relate to a lot of the points in this article and I very much agree that dads can and should play significantly different roles than what our own fathers did. Its certainly become commonplace for both parents to work outside of the home, and that requires changes in the traditional role of the wife handling the majority of household responsibilities.

While I can’t pretend to cook or clean as well as my wife, I think we’re eating just fine during this period in our lives when her job leaves no time for cooking. And the house isn’t that messy. But perhaps not surprisingly, There’s a New Mom in Town points out that in today’s two-worker households it’s not uncommon for the husband to feel like he’s doing twice as much as his father, but half as much as his wife expects! I can definitely relate to that…

Pregnancy is one of the titles that is available completely for free on Coverleaf to all readers. Check it out!

Look Inside >>  June 2009

Weekend Update from the latest issue of Family Circle proves that if you have two days and some creativity you can spruce up your home and furniture for the cost of some basic art supplies. Not being an especially creative person myself, I can’t imagine how someone could paint such delicate designs on a simple white table as shown in the article, but I did get lots of ideas for improvements to my furniture that I would be comfortable making on my own.

I really liked the effect achieved by painting broad stripes on an existing light-colored carpet. I also liked the way a dresser looked with different colored drawers, and these are changes I can do in a weekend.

Look Inside >>  June 2009

Inc. magazine has a fascinating profile of Zappos.com CEO Tony Hsieh, an innovative executive who is making the most out of the technological times we live in. Known for his aggressive use of technologies like twitter, as well as for fostering a compassionate, caring and unique workplace environment, Hsieh has grown Zappos.com from a small online shoe site to an major force in retail e-commerce. I found it really refreshing to learn things like Zappos.com doesn’t expect it’s call center workers to use scripts or timers (it’s all about the “personal emotional connection”).

Look Inside >>  May 2009

Memorial Day weekend is upon us, and like many of you I’ll be having friends over and firing up the BBQ. If you’re looking for a solid but affordable meal plan for a large outdoor BBQ, you should definitely check out Barbecue Bash from the latest issue of Better Homes and Gardens. They chart out a scrumptious sounding BBQ menu that will serve 12 for under $100!

By making some smart choices in the kitchen, and doing a little prep work, you’ll be surprised at how affordable and easy it is to host a large BBQ. There’s suggestions for salads, drinks, side dishes, and deserts as well as three different kids of ribs. The pictures have my mouth watering already.

Look Inside >>  June 2009

Looking for a fresh and fun location for your next scuba diving adventure? Belize sounds like a great choice, according to the Live-Aboard Guide to Belize from the latest issue of Scuba Diving magazine. Three of the four true atolls in this hemisphere are located in the Caribbean waters outside of Belize, and the area draws thousands each year for its rich and varied scuba diving. If you’re looking for an interesting and beautiful vacation, and especially if you like to scuba dive, Belize is a great choice and this guide can help you plan your trip.

Look Inside >>  January/February 2009

This month’s issue of FamilyFun has some good suggestions for fun and inexpensive family night activities. Three Fun Family Nights highlights three ways you can have fun around the house with the entire family and without busting your budget. For clear nights, a star-gazing evening can be educational and fascinating. You can also easily make a camping night in your backyard with some roasted marshmallows to add to the flavor of the evening. And for those nights you’d all rather stay inside, try a family movie night with popcorn and all the fixings.

Look Inside >>  June/July 2009

The latest issue of Maximum PC has a really helpful article on how to improve your PC’s performance without spending a dime! Make Your PC Better, Faster, and Stronger shows a bunch of things that can be done to improve a sluggish PC by just going in and changing software settings. From tweaking your operating system settings to compressing files to overclocking your processor, it turns there’s a lot of things you can do speed up that sluggish PC before heading off to the computer store to upgrade your system.

If you’ve been feeling like your PC is slower than molasses lately, you’ll definitely want to give these tips a try.

Look Inside >>  July 2009

Here’s another great find from Adrienne’s twitter feed about home remedies that actually work. (If you’re on twitter, you can follow Adrienne at a4coverleaf.) The latest issue of Ladies’ Home Journal features an article that presents some of the latest scientific research about home remedies and drug-free cures, and it’s well worth a read.

I knew about the benefits of eating yogurt when taking antibiotics, but I had no idea that toothpaste is an effective treatment for bee stings (it worked better than all over-the-counter insect sting medicine they tested!) or that liquid detergent can keep poison ivy at bay. Or that duct tape is better at removing warts than freezing them off. Check this fascinating article out, you may be amazed at what you can accomplish with ingredients you already have in your kitchen and bathroom cabinets.

Look Inside >>  June 2009

After his embarrassing and widely-reported incident of partying a bit too hard in a college dorm room, Michael Phelps is ready to get back to competitive swimming. Sporting News Today has a brief informative article about Phelps, the ban that was imposed after a photo of him smoking marijuana made the rounds, and how he’s feeling now that the ban is over. Hint: he’s ready for some serious swimming and competition. Click through to read Phelps to get Back in Competitive Pool in the always-free Sporting News Today.

Adrienne is on twitter and posting lots of cool links to Coverleaf articles like this one. You can follow her on Twitter at a4coverleaf.

Look Inside >>  May 15, 2009