Dealing with a sick child is difficult, especially when they are feverish and pathetic. That is precisely what I have been doing all week and I felt it would be a good opportunity to share some home remedies that can save a bit of money verses the typical products you may buy in stores to help comfort the super sicky in your life.
A lot of these items you will already have around the house:)
Witch Hazel is a good aide to comfort a feverish child, or adult for that matter. You can dilute a few teaspoons in cool water and soak a washcloth and then rub the child's back, chest and neck. As it evaporates it has an excellent cooling effect and when diluted it will not cause any negative effects such as rashiness or dryness on even the most sensitive skin.
Vapor Rub can be rubbed on the soles of a childs feet just before bed. This is great for helping with fever and congestion and many children do not like having it rubbed on their chest or back due to the strong scent.
Fruit Juice I know your probably saying "Um Yeah", but a lot of times children are weary to drink when ill, especially with a sore throat but will be more than happy to have a popsicle. Many of the popsicles on the store shelves have absolutely no positive nutritional value and are only serving to hydrate but not replenish. I spent a dollar on my reusable popsicle set, you know those ice tray type things, you can usually find them at the dollar store:)
Friday, March 26, 2010
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Gardening with your Children
Its almost time to plant. You can save a lot of money, get some fresh air and help your children learn how to nurture something and the joy of growing your own food or flowers! We start indoors by sprouting our seeds in a window. We use soil inside old egg cartons. Not only are we reusing and saving money versus using the small pots but a 12 or 18 carton of eggs seems to fit perfects in most windowsills:) Children really enjoy seing the seeds sprout. We label the side of each cup with the first letter of whatever seed we have planted as an indentifier. Surprisingly enough, this helps with our alphabet/spelling skills too. The other day my 4 year old Elijah said "Mommy, the corn and pumpkins are growing really fast!" I asked how he knew which ones were corn and pumpkins and he looked at me like I was being silly, "The corn is the one that starts with C and the pumpkin starts with P". I did'nt know that he could roll his eyes so good ...he must've learned that one from me:)
Below is an awesome link with helpful gardening tips to get you and your little one started.
http://gardening.about.com/od/gardeningwithkids/Gardening_with_Kids_Sharing_the_Fun_of_Gardening_with_Your_Children.htm
COMING SOON PICTURES! I KNOW THIS SITE IS LACKING BUT PICS FOR POSTS WILL BE ADDED SOON! THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE:)
Below is an awesome link with helpful gardening tips to get you and your little one started.
http://gardening.about.com/od/gardeningwithkids/Gardening_with_Kids_Sharing_the_Fun_of_Gardening_with_Your_Children.htm
COMING SOON PICTURES! I KNOW THIS SITE IS LACKING BUT PICS FOR POSTS WILL BE ADDED SOON! THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE:)
Monday, March 15, 2010
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Rainy Day Craft Idea
Victorian Salt Clay (can be used to make beads/small objects)
2 c. salt
2/3 c. water + 1/2 c. cold water
1 c. cornstarch
Food coloring (optional)
1. Mix salt & 2/3 c. water in large saucepan.
2. Stirring constantly, heat over low heat 4 minutes. Do Not Boil
3. Remove from heat and stir in cornstarch and cold water. *You can add the food coloring at this point for a large batch of the same color, or you can chose to mix in color to smaller batches and then combine them for multicolored clay if desired.
4. If the mixture is not a thick paste (think bread dough consistency), place back over low heat for approx. 1 minute. Again, Do Not Boil.
5. Remove from pan; place on working surface dusted with cornstarch. Knead as you would dough until pliable & smooth.
This dough can take up to 3 days to completely dry at room temp. or you can do a Quick Dry: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Turn oven off & place model on pan in oven. Wait until oven has cooled. Remove and paint if desired.
2 c. salt
2/3 c. water + 1/2 c. cold water
1 c. cornstarch
Food coloring (optional)
1. Mix salt & 2/3 c. water in large saucepan.
2. Stirring constantly, heat over low heat 4 minutes. Do Not Boil
3. Remove from heat and stir in cornstarch and cold water. *You can add the food coloring at this point for a large batch of the same color, or you can chose to mix in color to smaller batches and then combine them for multicolored clay if desired.
4. If the mixture is not a thick paste (think bread dough consistency), place back over low heat for approx. 1 minute. Again, Do Not Boil.
5. Remove from pan; place on working surface dusted with cornstarch. Knead as you would dough until pliable & smooth.
This dough can take up to 3 days to completely dry at room temp. or you can do a Quick Dry: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Turn oven off & place model on pan in oven. Wait until oven has cooled. Remove and paint if desired.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Kick the Can Ice Cream
Can you believe there are only a few more days until we spring forward and it is bright and sunny today. I'm stoked! Here is an awesome recipe from my friend Heather for homemade ice cream. Its something easy and fun to do with the kids outside and everyone likes ice cream!
Ice Cream in a Bag
1 Tbs. sugar
1/2 c. half and half or milk
1/4 tsp. vanilla
6 Tbs. rock salt
ice cubes
1 pt. & 1 gal. ziptop bags or 1 sm. and 1 lg. metal coffee can
1. Fill lg. bag or can 1/2 full with ice cubes. Add rock salt.
2. Place milk, sugar, & vanilla in sm. bag or can. Seal well (if using a can, put duct tape around the lid to prevent leaking).
3. Place sm. bag or can into large and seal securely (again using duct tape if necessary).
4. Shake about 5 minutes or play Kick the Can with the kiddos!!
*Heather's Tip #1* Try replacing the milk with fruit juice and the vanilla with a fruit extract. I like using pineapple juice and coconut extract. Smells and tastes like summer, even in the throes of winter.
*Heather's Tip #2* Invent your own flavors! This is an endlessly customizable recipe and I would encourage you to come up with your own flavors. Or you can try one of my inventions:
Mocha Chip Freeze: Add up to 1 tsp. instant coffee or espresso powder and 1/4 c. mini chocolate chips. This one is great if you replace the vanilla with peppermint extract!
Salted Caramel Freeze: Add up to 2 tsp. of caramel ice cream topping to the original mixture and shake an extra minute to incorporate. Transfer to your serving dishes (or just straight in the bag if you want it all for yourself!) and top each serving with a sprinkle of coarse sea salt. You'd never know this trendy dessert was made in a coffee can!
Ice Cream in a Bag
1 Tbs. sugar
1/2 c. half and half or milk
1/4 tsp. vanilla
6 Tbs. rock salt
ice cubes
1 pt. & 1 gal. ziptop bags or 1 sm. and 1 lg. metal coffee can
1. Fill lg. bag or can 1/2 full with ice cubes. Add rock salt.
2. Place milk, sugar, & vanilla in sm. bag or can. Seal well (if using a can, put duct tape around the lid to prevent leaking).
3. Place sm. bag or can into large and seal securely (again using duct tape if necessary).
4. Shake about 5 minutes or play Kick the Can with the kiddos!!
*Heather's Tip #1* Try replacing the milk with fruit juice and the vanilla with a fruit extract. I like using pineapple juice and coconut extract. Smells and tastes like summer, even in the throes of winter.
*Heather's Tip #2* Invent your own flavors! This is an endlessly customizable recipe and I would encourage you to come up with your own flavors. Or you can try one of my inventions:
Mocha Chip Freeze: Add up to 1 tsp. instant coffee or espresso powder and 1/4 c. mini chocolate chips. This one is great if you replace the vanilla with peppermint extract!
Salted Caramel Freeze: Add up to 2 tsp. of caramel ice cream topping to the original mixture and shake an extra minute to incorporate. Transfer to your serving dishes (or just straight in the bag if you want it all for yourself!) and top each serving with a sprinkle of coarse sea salt. You'd never know this trendy dessert was made in a coffee can!
Monday, March 8, 2010
Baby Food Do it Yourself!
Baby food is so expensive and so simple. You can save a ton of money making it yourself and your little one will not know the difference. Foods prepared at home will last in the freezer about 1 month and you can even freeze them in ice cube trays to make easy to reheat portions. The best part is it only takes 10-15 minutes to make and you know exactly what your child is consuming.
Thoroughly wash any fresh vegetables or fruits that you've purchased in the produce section to remove dirt and possible pesticides. You can also chose to use canned or frozen vegetables.
Steam or boil the fruit or vegetable. You will want the food to be mushy if your baby has just started on solids. If your baby has been eating for a couple of months you can cook the food until it is easily pierced with a fork to allow a thicker consistency.
Puree the food in a blender or food processor until the food reaches the right consistency for your child's stage of eating.
Strain the food to remove any stray peels. You can chose to skp this step by removing the peels before cooking. Typically it is more efficient to strain afterwards. Frozen or canned vegetables can also be used.
Spoon the pureed food into ice cube trays and cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer. When the cubes are frozen, you can put them in ziplock bags or another food storage container. Make sure to label with the type of food and the date it was prepared.
When it's time to eat, remove as many cubes as you need and allow to thaw or thaw in the microwave.
For some other recipes and helpful hints check out the following links:
http://homecooking.about.com/od/specificfood/a/babyfooddos.htm
http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/
Thoroughly wash any fresh vegetables or fruits that you've purchased in the produce section to remove dirt and possible pesticides. You can also chose to use canned or frozen vegetables.
Steam or boil the fruit or vegetable. You will want the food to be mushy if your baby has just started on solids. If your baby has been eating for a couple of months you can cook the food until it is easily pierced with a fork to allow a thicker consistency.
Puree the food in a blender or food processor until the food reaches the right consistency for your child's stage of eating.
Strain the food to remove any stray peels. You can chose to skp this step by removing the peels before cooking. Typically it is more efficient to strain afterwards. Frozen or canned vegetables can also be used.
Spoon the pureed food into ice cube trays and cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer. When the cubes are frozen, you can put them in ziplock bags or another food storage container. Make sure to label with the type of food and the date it was prepared.
When it's time to eat, remove as many cubes as you need and allow to thaw or thaw in the microwave.
For some other recipes and helpful hints check out the following links:
http://homecooking.about.com/od/specificfood/a/babyfooddos.htm
http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Mornings Made Easy
Mornings Made Easy
Unfortunately I am not a morning person, but I have to be up so I might as well make the most of it. In the past few years I’ve learned that mornings are the most important time to choose your battles wisely and let some of the little stuff go. For example, I like for my son to have juice that is actually juice not something posing as juice, but my son would prefer the fake stuff. To combat this I have made popsicles out of real juice. Its simple and easy and my son thinks he is getting a really special treat in the morning.
We have concocted a fairly easy system for getting up and ready with minimal complications. It revolves around two basic concepts as follows; Having a wake up routine and teamwork. Children love teamwork, they love to feel a part of something and it helps them to gain a sense of accomplishment and self worth. My son loves to help with his little sister. He thinks he is the biggest boy ever when he picks out his own clothes (another battle which I often choose not to take on), see Fostering Creativity with Fashion in the Awesome Activities page.
Try making a list of the morning tasks your child needs to complete to get ready for school. Be specific so that the expectations are clear to your child. If you want your child to wake up on their own using an alarm clock, be specific and include your expectations in your list.
Example:
Wake Up from Alarm Clock
Make Bed
Get Dressed
Eat Breakfast
Put Plates in Sink
Comb Hair
Brush Teeth
Get Backpack
Leave for School
You can make creating a chart for each child a fun process. Create it out of a large poster board or piece of scrap cardboard and let it be something that you set the guidelines for but they create. Have them clip out pictures from magazines or draw pictures that suit each task.
Unfortunately I am not a morning person, but I have to be up so I might as well make the most of it. In the past few years I’ve learned that mornings are the most important time to choose your battles wisely and let some of the little stuff go. For example, I like for my son to have juice that is actually juice not something posing as juice, but my son would prefer the fake stuff. To combat this I have made popsicles out of real juice. Its simple and easy and my son thinks he is getting a really special treat in the morning.
We have concocted a fairly easy system for getting up and ready with minimal complications. It revolves around two basic concepts as follows; Having a wake up routine and teamwork. Children love teamwork, they love to feel a part of something and it helps them to gain a sense of accomplishment and self worth. My son loves to help with his little sister. He thinks he is the biggest boy ever when he picks out his own clothes (another battle which I often choose not to take on), see Fostering Creativity with Fashion in the Awesome Activities page.
Try making a list of the morning tasks your child needs to complete to get ready for school. Be specific so that the expectations are clear to your child. If you want your child to wake up on their own using an alarm clock, be specific and include your expectations in your list.
Example:
Wake Up from Alarm Clock
Make Bed
Get Dressed
Eat Breakfast
Put Plates in Sink
Comb Hair
Brush Teeth
Get Backpack
Leave for School
You can make creating a chart for each child a fun process. Create it out of a large poster board or piece of scrap cardboard and let it be something that you set the guidelines for but they create. Have them clip out pictures from magazines or draw pictures that suit each task.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Welcome Mommies!
Thanks for stopping by! I'm new to he blogging world but not to motherhood. I feel like I can create a place, with your comments and suggestions, where we can go to get great ideas from one another and share the best parts of being a Mommy!
Happy Kids on Snowy Days
Its hard to keep children happy in the harsh throws of winter. We can go outside and play for a bit but the cold can be unbearble after even a few short minutes. Mommy has things to do inside, because as we all know a mother's work is never done. Sometimes it is just too easy to sit them in front of the television or turn on the game system. Falling into that trap day after day is unhealthy and leads to unhappy children who will end up going stir fry or I mean stir crazy! Below are a few simple, cheap and fun ideas which require very little supervsion for ages 4+. So provide the supplies and let them at it... you have work to do!
Pasta Crafts
Lay out a bowl of uncooked penne, macaroni, shells, rotini, some string, paper and glue and let your little artist create. They can make pictures, cards for friends, necklaces and bracelets, you name it.
Pipe Cleaner Animals
If you dont already have some pipe cleaners can be purchased in fairly large quantites for very cheap. There are a lot of really easy and cute creatures that can be made in an array of colors. Check out this link for egg carton pipe cleaner combos that both you and your kids will love! http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/Eggcarton.shtml
Modeling Clay/Dough
We all know what this means, if given the appropriate space and multiple colors a child will play with "Claydough" for hours. You don't have to buy it either, it can be made with a few ingredients you may already have in your home. If you chose to make it yourself your child will also enjoy taking part in the project. See my post Making Easy Play Clay on the Awesome Activities page for multiple recipes.
Let them Help
This is by far my favorite of all ideas. There are a lot of chores around the house that can help to keep our children busy while also helping them learn basic skills that they will need down the line. Sometimes kids are considered in the way but with the right approach simple household chores can create tasks for your child that help them feel a part of your daily routine and like big helpers.
Sorting Laundry: This can be before or after wash. Allow them to sort whites, darks or colors before the wash goes in or allow them to sort the laudnry by which room it goes in or person it belongs to when folding.
Putting away dishes: I keep all the plastic storage containers in a low cabinet so that the chilren can match the lids with the appropriate container and put them away. Also silverware is great for kids to sort (obviously not including knives).
These are just a few simple ideas. Your household practices are welcome! Please post your ideas!
Pasta Crafts
Lay out a bowl of uncooked penne, macaroni, shells, rotini, some string, paper and glue and let your little artist create. They can make pictures, cards for friends, necklaces and bracelets, you name it.
Pipe Cleaner Animals
If you dont already have some pipe cleaners can be purchased in fairly large quantites for very cheap. There are a lot of really easy and cute creatures that can be made in an array of colors. Check out this link for egg carton pipe cleaner combos that both you and your kids will love! http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/Eggcarton.shtml
Modeling Clay/Dough
We all know what this means, if given the appropriate space and multiple colors a child will play with "Claydough" for hours. You don't have to buy it either, it can be made with a few ingredients you may already have in your home. If you chose to make it yourself your child will also enjoy taking part in the project. See my post Making Easy Play Clay on the Awesome Activities page for multiple recipes.
Let them Help
This is by far my favorite of all ideas. There are a lot of chores around the house that can help to keep our children busy while also helping them learn basic skills that they will need down the line. Sometimes kids are considered in the way but with the right approach simple household chores can create tasks for your child that help them feel a part of your daily routine and like big helpers.
Sorting Laundry: This can be before or after wash. Allow them to sort whites, darks or colors before the wash goes in or allow them to sort the laudnry by which room it goes in or person it belongs to when folding.
Putting away dishes: I keep all the plastic storage containers in a low cabinet so that the chilren can match the lids with the appropriate container and put them away. Also silverware is great for kids to sort (obviously not including knives).
These are just a few simple ideas. Your household practices are welcome! Please post your ideas!
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