The smell of the barbecue grill, the sounds of children playing and the feel of warm sun on the skin are all signs of summer. With increased outdoor activities, there also comes a list of precautions you should take to keep your family safe and healthy.
'We know women are usually the caretakers of the family,' says Elizabeth Battaglino Cahill, a registered nurse and executive director of HealthyWomen. 'Summer brings lots of great opportunities for family fun, but also requires some special planning to keep kids and adults safe and healthy in the sun and heat.'

Current economic conditions have forced many families to re-evaluate their spending habits and cut back in certain areas that are no longer deemed necessities. Dining out, family vacations and the purchase of that new TV are all being postponed until the economy makes it out of the red - but some things, like home improvement projects, can't be pushed off quite as easily.

To really impress your guests this summer, give your outdoor soirees a little extra elegance that goes beyond the usual grill-out. The good news is that it's easier than you'd imagine to create an ambiance that is welcoming and sophisticated.

One of the keys to throwing an upscale backyard get together is to plan in advance. Once you have an idea of what you'd like to do, it's time to start letting people know. And we all know how busy summer schedules are, so informing your guests as much as a few weeks ahead of time is a courtesy they'll appreciate.

Planes and trains may have their place in our society, but for the dedicated traveler there's still nothing like getting in your car and taking a trip along America's highways.

Half the fun of road trips, in the minds of many, is getting home and telling friends and family about the adventure - and the roads they traveled.