Articles written by Danielle Friedl

How To Guides |
Community

About me - Danielle Friedl

I am a full time mom to three wonderful little girls and am celebrating ten years of marriage to my husband, Jim. We tend to move around a lot and writing is my way of staying grounded.

This year I took on the role of Girl Scout Leader to my oldest daughter's

+ more bio information

RSS Feed

Travel > Travel Planning & Advice The essential packing list for day trips to theme parks: 1 of 21

When planning a day at the amusement park you want to make sure you bring along the essential items for everyone in your traveling party. The easiest and most comfortable way to tote your things is in a regular book bag or backpack, especially those with a main compartment for large items and a smaller compartment for things...
Arts & Humanities > Fantasy & Science Fiction Harry Potter: Theories on what will happen in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: 1 of 20

Since Dumbledore was hit with Snape's unforgivable Killing Curse in The Half Blood Prince there are still many people who believe that the great wizard is not really dead. It is painfully obvious at the end of Book 6 that Harry believes Dumbledore is dead, not the least of which is that he saw Snape kill him in cold blood wi...
Travel > Orlando Saving money on your Walt Disney World trip: 1 of 17

Walt Disney World is credited as being the most visited and biggest recreational resort in the entire world. The Magic Kingdom alone claims the number one spot on the world list of theme parks, clocking in at 17 million visitors in 2007. Droves of tourists flock to this magical wonderland year after year, contributing to the...
Creative Writing > Reflections Reflections: Why you should avoid gifts and toys that say "Assembly required": 1 of 16

Isn't it obvious? 'Assembly required' means you have to put something together before it can be used. Christmas morning is often a hectic, fast-paced, action-packed frenzy of present opening excitement. It's bad enough that you can't install a single battery in a toy without unscrewing the battery compartment anymore. Do you...
Parenting & Pregnancy > Childbirth & Labor Are hospital childbirth and labor classes worth taking?: 2 of 27

I would have to say that childbirth classes are worth taking - but only if you've got the right class. Judging by some of the responses to the contrary it is painfully obvious that they didn't have the same caliber of parenting preparation classes that were made available to me when I was expecting my first child. Every clas...
Hobbies & Games > Board Games How to win at Monopoly: 2 of 26

Ah, Monopoly. That luck-based game that goes on for hours and hours with seemingly no end in sight. In our house if you go for no holds barred, ruthless domination the game can take about 45 minutes. If you have to 'play nice' it can take forever. A lot of players have house rules that make the game more 'fair' but it's also...
Arts & Humanities > Middle Ages Biography: Henry VIII: 1 of 12

Henry VIII (1491-1547) was not born to be king, however he remains one of the most well-known British monarchs of all time. A second-born son to Henry VII and Elizabeth of York, Henry was originally raised for a position within the Church while his older brother Arthur was groomed to be the ruler of England. Destiny, however...
Entertainment > TV Genres & Trends The Sci-Fi Channel's best shows: 1 of 12

With so many great Sci-Fi Channel shows to choose from it's a good thing we live in a world with DVRs. Sci-Fi produces high quality television entertainment all year long with their rotating series and thrilling, fantastical mini-series. Currently some old favorites that are beginning their latest seasons are Battlestar Gala...
Parenting & Pregnancy > Pregnancy Should you find out the sex of your baby before birth?: 2 of 19

Here's the thing: it doesn't matter if you find out at 20 weeks or 40 weeks - it's still going to be a surprise! I'm not much for waiting, and surprises make me nervous. I was the kid that unwrapped presents under the Christmas tree and replaced the tape exactly where my mom had placed it originally. I figured out when and w...
Parenting & Pregnancy > Feeding & Breastfeeding Myth or fact: Breast-feeding prevents pregnancy: 1 of 7

As a mother of three girls, all of whom were breastfed for a little over a year each, I can attest that breastfeeding is NOT a reliable method of birth control. If it were my third daughter would not have arrived when she did. There is a glimmer of truth in the way hormones react to breastfeeding and how it suppresses ovulat...