Blog Posts

National Sleep Comfort Month

While it’s important to get a good night’s sleep every night, Canyon Park Blog is bringing you our best suggestions to help you sleep better in your apartment this month for National Sleep Comfort Month. Here are our top tips: Power Down How often do you fall asleep with your smartphone in your hand? It seems common enough, but the blue light from screens you may be taking into bed with you is probably harming your sleep. We recommend turning off tablets, computers, smartphones, and any other blue-light sources an hour before you climb into bed. Control Temperature and Light While you may be used to falling asleep to a variety of different temperatures and levels of light in your room, these two things can seriously affect the quality of your sleep. Make sure to find a temperature that will be comfortable for you throughout the night, and that it isn’t too hot or too cold. As for light, you will sleep best in the darkest room possible. Draw the blinds at night, and if you still have a hard time blocking out light, consider spending a few dollars on a sleep mask from a local department store. Reset Your Body Clock This month, give your body a few days to reset its internal clock. Get in bed at a decent hour, but don’t set your alarm clock, and allow your body to wake itself up when it naturally wants to. Do this for a couple of days to notice any patterns in the time you wake up and the length of your slumber so you can be sure of you much sleep your body needs. Afterward, reassess your sleep goals and make any adjustments to honor your body clock. Exercise Who knew that exercise not only helps your body stay healthy, but it also improves the quality of your sleep? That’s right, staying active during the day will lead to a better night’s sleep. Whether you prefer to go for a morning jog or to hit the gym after work, implementing a consistent workout routine will help you stay asleep at night. Develop a Pre-bedtime Ritual We as individuals love our daily routines, and our bodies love them too. At night time, it’s no different. Implementing a pre-bedtime ritual, maybe sipping a cup of herbal tea or reading a novel or practicing meditation, will signal to your body that the day is ending and it is time for bed. We hope you enjoyed this post! Consider practicing these simple tips in your Puyallup, WA apartment for better sleep. Thanks for reading, and sleep well tonight!

DIY Fall Decor

Embrace the season of fall by decorating your apartment in Puyallup, WA. In today’s Canyon Park Blog, we are sharing some DIY fall decorating options that will have your apartment looking like something out of a magazine! Read on for some fall DIY decorating tips that can be personalized to express your unique style. Paper Leaf Wreath from Lia Griffith - Craft Your Life Use gold metallic thread a text weight paper to create this lovely paper leaf wreath and garland that is perfect for fall! Here are all the materials you will need: scissors, pencil, text weight metallic paper ( paper-papers is a good source), a grapevine wreath base, glue gun, floral wire, hot glue gun, and glue sticks, and ribbon. Ombre Pinecones from Whimzeecal Decorate some pinecones with a little paint and place them around your apartment for a festive touch and a fun pop of color. Here’s what you’ll need: a pine cone, acrylic paint in three or four different shades of the same color, an angled paintbrush, and an old toothbrush. Follow step-by-step instructions from Whimzeecal in the link. Pumpkin Spice Mason Jar Candles from She Uncovered Fill your apartment with the inviting aromas of fall by making your own fall candles! What you will need: small glass mason jars, pumpkin spice powder, olive or walnut oil, bleached candlewick, candle wax, tape, scissors, and a medium-sized kitchen pot. Wrap some ribbon or twine around the jar to make a decorative bow. What other cool fall DIY decorating ideas have you discovered? Share them with us in the comments. Have a great month and enjoy decorating your apartment this month!

Unconventional Ways to Celebrate Halloween

With Halloween later this week, there is a lot of pressure to have festive plans. Are you tired of dressing up and going to traditional Halloween parties? Would you rather check in early rather than staying out too late on a weeknight? This year, Canyon Park Blog is here to share some alternative ways to spend your night this October 31st. As you make plans, consider the following idea: Host a Halloween Dinner If you have friends without young kids, you’re likely not the only person who doesn’t have Halloween plans yet. This year, why not invite everyone over for dinner on Halloween night? Whether you decide on a theme — perhaps harvest-themed dishes with squash or pumpkin — or you’d rather keep it simple, ask friends to bring a side to accompany your main dish. Instead of stressing too hard about making it perfect, make sure to enjoy the company of those around you; holidays are less about what happens and more about who it happens with! Build a Fort When was the last time you built a good old-fashioned blanket fort? On Halloween night, consider gathering a few close friends or family members together to turn the living room in your apartment into one giant fort! If you don’t have enough blankets, you could buy the cheapest quality top sheets at a local Walmart, or you could ask those you invite to bring a few blankets of their own. Whether you decide to plan out what you do in the fort after it’s finished — be it telling scary stories, watching a fall-themed movie, or sharing favorite memories — or whether you’d rather see where the night ends up, you’re bound to have a blast building the fort together. Start a New Tradition If you’re tired of your old Halloween traditions, create a new one! If you don’t have kids at home but you’re still craving something sweet, why not start an annual Halloween bake-off? You could ask everyone to bring a homemade dessert, vote on the best one, and crown the winner! If you’re looking to do something spooky, make the weekend closest to Halloween each year the chance to drive to a nearby ghost town or haunted attraction you’ve never visited before. For those of you who hate feeling scared, create a tradition that has nothing to do with Halloween entirely! Whatever you decide upon, it will be fun to do it again every year and build up good memories around your new tradition. Thanks for reading! Have a safe and happy Halloween this year.

Eerie Short Stories

Now that October is halfway through here in Puyallup, WA, Halloween is right around the corner! Today, Canyon Park Blog has some unsettling short stories to share that are perfect for Halloween; they will definitely give you goosebumps! Click on the links to read the full version of each story and get a good scare. “Ligeia” by Edgar Allen Poe Famous for his tales of horror and mystery, Poe’s most well-known works are The Tell-Tale Heart and The Raven. Ligeia, however, is less recognized yet an equally unsettling masterpiece. “An unnamed narrator opens the story by claiming not to remember the circumstances in which he met his beloved, the lady Ligeia. Although he fixates on her rare learning, her unusual beauty, and her love of language, the narrator cannot specifically recall how Ligeia became his love object.” “The Monkey’s Paw” by W. W. Jacobs “Be careful what you wish for: That’s the message of this macabre tale. Though this story has been told and retold, Jacobs’ original version from 1902 has a special frisson to it. A poor couple, the Whites, live with their grown son, Herbert, who works at a factory. When they come into possession of a magical monkey’s paw, capable of granting three wishes, they don’t hesitate to start wishing ― though maybe they should have.” “The Turn of the Screw” by Henry James “The story, told by a young governess, is set in the English countryside at a family estate. The governess has been hired to care for the young niece and nephew of her generally absent employer, and though she finds them adorable, their behavior soon begins to concern her. Are these just badly behaved kids, or is the house haunted by malevolent ghosts? James doesn’t seem sure himself, and the ambivalence will get under your skin like nothing else.” “Children of the Corn” by Stephen King Stephen King is well-known for his bone-chilling horror novels, and his short story “Children of the Corn” is no exception. “In an attempt to save their failing marriage, Burt and Vicky, a bickering couple, are driving to California for vacation. As they drive through rural Nebraska, they accidentally run over a young boy who ran onto the road. Upon examination of the body, Burt discovers the boy's throat had been slit and he was bleeding to death before he was hit. After opening the boy's suitcase, they find a strange-looking crucifix made of twisted corn husks.” “The Ravine” by Ray Bradbury From his classic collection of short stories Dandelion Wine, Ray Bradbury paints a haunting picture of two women traveling to the movies in the dark amidst rumors of a killer on the loose. The audio recording of this haunting story from the radio series “Bradbury 13” is sure to give you goosebumps! Thanks for reading! We hope you enjoyed our post and that you have a fright-filled halloween at your apartment or out and about in Tacoma.

Five Pumpkin Cookie Recipes to Get You Through October

We hope you’ve been enjoying the delights of fall and the events that Puyallup, WA has to offer you. This week, Canyon Park Blog recognizes any need or desire you may have to stay inside. What better way to stay inside than cozying up on your sofa with some delicious, warm cookies? October also happens to be Cookie Month, so this week we’re offering to you five cookie recipes that will melt your heart and your tastebuds (in a good way). Soft Pumpkin Sugar Cookies with Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting Just think of how much you love sugar cookies, cream cheese, and caramel, individually. Then imagine putting that all together for a cookie that perfectly complements itself and gives you the happiness of a successful new recipe. The potential is great with this cookie. Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies The creamy center, soft cookie, and graham cracker coating will make you feel reminiscent of a cheesecake. The pumpkin flavoring is just enough to make you feel that you’re a part of the pumpkin craze. And the overall cookie just might make you feel like you’ve found a new fall staple! Melt in your Mouth Pumpkin Cookies Cream cheese frosting clearly can only add to a stellar pumpkin cookie, but this frosting just adds to the melt-in-your-mouth decadence of this recipe. Enjoy this recipe for a classic pumpkin cookie, moist and warm and thick and full of autumn love. Cinnamon Chip Pumpkin Cookies The author of this recipe claims to have made the perfect pumpkin cookie that is not too cakey in texture and that maximizes the pumpkin flavoring without becoming too overpowering. This recipe is just a twist on that, with cinnamon instead of chocolate chips and coated in cinnamon sugar. It’s definitely worth trying if you love easy mixing and lots of flavor! Flourless Pumpkin Oatmeal Raisin Cookies If you need a healthy reprieve from all those cookies you’ve been making this month, this recipe is a great option. If you use gluten-free oats, you can even make the cookies completely gluten-free! Enjoy the pumpkin and cinnamon flavor of these cookies, complemented with that unique raisin taste, while appreciating the texture of the oats and how well they’re rolled into a yummy cookie. We hope you have a fun time baking and an even more fun time enjoying the fruits of your labor! Happy baking!

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month — if you’ve noticed pink ribbons popping up all around Puyallup, WA, now you know why! In this week’s post on Canyon Park Blog, we will be giving you some simple ways that you can spread awareness and join the fight against breast cancer. This month, consider getting involved in one of the following ways: Fundraise If you’re looking to help out this year, why not start an individual fundraiser , business fundraiser , or student & sports fundraiser ? The funding you raise will contribute to providing free resources and screenings, education about breast cancer, and a supportive hand to those going through cancer treatment. Donate If you don’t have the time to organize a fundraiser, another way you can help is by donating to The National Breast Cancer Foundation. This generous act goes to providing mammograms, breast health services, education, and support for those affected by breast cancer across the country. You can donate in honor of someone affected by breast cancer or anonymously. Spread the Word Social Media has become a powerful way to spread the word in a far-reaching way. Like the NBCF Facebook page and share their posts, follow @NBCF on Twitter and retweet, and follow NBCF on Instagram to spread hope. Shop Shop in the NBCF Shop for apparel, wristbands, and other items to express your support for the fight against breast cancer. The proceeds benefit programs that are helping women now. You can also contribute by purchasing items from NBCF partners or donating to fundraisers whose proceeds go toward research, educational programs, breast health resources, and other NBCF services. Learn the Facts for Yourself You can also make a difference by learning the facts about breast cancer and sharing what you’ve learned with others; find the facts about breast cancer on the National Breast Cancer Foundation’s website. Knowledge can be a powerful and effective way to prevent or to detect early on. These are only a few of the countless ways to get involved in the fight against breast cancer. Join our community in a combined effort by spreading Breast Cancer Awareness in whatever way you can. Thanks for taking the time to read our post. Don’t forget to wear pink this month!