Halloween Safety

We live in a very rural neighborhood, there is absolutely no trick or treating around here.  Still, we’ve never really been big on trick or treating anyway and have been quite happy attending our church’s fall festivals.  Now we have “Trunk or Treat” each year and that’s a blast.

However, if your children go trick or treating, here’s some important steps to follow to help keep them safe!

* Make sure your child’s costume is designed with safety in mind. It should be flame resistant and short enough to prevent tripping, and shoes should be sturdy and comfortable. Masks should have eye holes large enough to allow the child to see well, and should be properly ventilated. If possible, use make-up instead of a mask.

* Costumes and bags should be light in color or trimmed with reflective tape so that drivers of oncoming cars can see your child.

* Accessories should be soft and flexible. There should be no sharp edges on them.

* Provide a working flashlight for each child. Put fresh batteries in each one before sending them off.

* Carry a cell phone if accompanying your child. If not, give him one to carry with him and make sure he knows how to use it to call home or dial 911.

* Young children should be accompanied by an adult or a child who is old enough and responsible enough to watch over them. All children should be reminded to walk, not run, from house to house, and to look both ways before crossing the street. They should walk on the sidewalk if possible, otherwise they should walk on the left side of the road facing oncoming traffic.

* Children should only go to homes of people that they know. They should never go inside unless accompanied by an adult.

* Advise your children not to pet unfamiliar animals.

* Inspect all candy before your child eats it. Throw out anything that is not individually wrapped or appears to have been tampered with.

* Small children should not eat candy that presents a choking hazard. This includes most hard candy, as well as some bite-sized chewable candies.

* If possible, have dinner before sending the kids out for trick-or-treating. This will make it less likely that they will eat candy before you’ve had a chance to inspect it.

Eight Fall Beauty Tips

Another moment for mom! Taking time out for yourself every once in a while is healthy and a great way to feel refreshed in a short amount of time. Looking nice every day, even for no reason, can sometimes even provide you with a much needed pick-me-up during the dark fall and winter months.

With fall come changes in temperature, color, and clothing. The air begins to get drier and the days get shorter. Here’s some great fall-specific tips to keep you looking and feeling beautiful!

Get a haircut
This is an excellent time of year to trim away summer damage caused by the sun and swimming in salt or chlorinated water. A trim will keep your hair from looking dull and tired.

Condition your hair
The summer humidity we all love to complain about will give way to dry, cool air in autumn, and hair really responds to changes in humidity. Give your hair a deep conditioning treatment to nourish and maintain your hair’s vibrancy.

Exfoliate your skin
Skin gets damaged by summer sun and swimming, and by the application of insect repellents and sunscreens. Use a commercial scrub or, if you like to do things more naturally, try scrubbing your face with sugar to bring out its natural glow.

Moisturize your skin
This is a good time to use a facial mask that you leave on for a while, because that will get the moisture deep into your skin. It’s also a good idea to use a moisturizing cream at night.

The eyes have it
As the weather gets cooler, more and more of your body gets covered with heavy, warm clothing and the only exposed area is your face. When things are buttoned up, animated, healthy eyes are what people see first. Use under-eye creams to reduce circles and puffiness, or lay cool tea bags on your eyes for a few minutes several times a day.

Care for your hands
Moisturize your hands during the day and before you go to bed, using a thick, penetrating moisturizer or lotion. If your skin is very dry, consider getting thin, cotton gloves to cover your hands at night to hold the moisturizer on.

Fingernails need attention, too
If you paint your nails, avoid fast-drying polishes in the fall, as these can dry and crack nails. Regardless of whether you use color or not, include your nails in your daily/night-time hand moisturizing.

Moisturize and nourish from the inside
Keep yourself hydrated by drinking plenty of water, and eat seasonal foods in moderation. A healthy glow on the outside begins with health on the inside!

These are fun tips and following even a few of them can even help improve your fall mood!  Give it a try!

Pampering Mom – Your Feet

It’s a Time Out for Mom! Let’s take a look at one of the many ways you can pamper yourself affordably. Your feet really take a beating each day. Aren’t they worth pampering a little?

It’s been said that when your feet hurt, your whole body hurts and I think it’s absolutely true! Let’s take a look at some ways to reduce pain and keep your feet looking good.

Soak your feet

One of the most basic yet effective ways to ease aches and pains in your feet is to soak them in a warm foot bath. Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil (peppermint and lavender are refreshing choices) to the bath and, if your feet are hot and swollen, about half a cup of Epsom salts in a large pan of water. Soak for 10-15 minutes. These items can easily be found in any craft store and even in many supermarkets.

Not only does a foot bath relieve pain, but it also helps eliminate odor. After the soak, when your feet are still moist, use a pumice stone gently on calluses and thick, rough skin.

Keep them warm in winter

In the winter, relieve cold, dry feet by soaking in warm water to which you’ve added a teaspoon of mustard powder. The mustard powder has a warming effect and helps circulation. Who knew…it isn’t just a condiment LOL.

Keep them cool in summer

Dust your feet with foot powder before putting on your footwear. I even like to soak them in cool water with peppermint products, very refreshing. If my feet are cool, I won’t feel nearly as hot on the warmest summer days.

Keep them clean all year round

Washing and thoroughly drying your feet keeps them healthy and fungus-free. Do so before putting on your footwear and when you take your shoes off later in the day. Using cool water in summer for these periodic washings is quite refreshing, and using warm water in winter is very soothing. Just be sure your feet are dried thoroughly after washing to prevent fungal growth.

Moisturize

Paraffin baths are luxurious and extremely effective for relieving pain and dry, cracked foot skin. If you have a paraffin wax hand spa, believe it or not, you can use it for your feet too! Just make sure your feet are clean and dry, apply moisturizer and follow the instructions as you would for your hands!

You can also use warm coconut oil. Rub the moisturizer in with a massaging motion until it is absorbed. This is very soothing for your feet and leaves the skin glowing and soft. Applying a thick, penetrating moisturizer and/or massaging with oil before bed, then covering your feet with thin, cotton socks will give the moisturizer a chance to really get in to your skin.

Trim your toenails

Who doesn’t love to go get a professional pedicure, it is such a treat. But if you cannot afford it or do not know of a great one locally, toenail care is not difficult at home. Keep your toenails trimmed and moisturized, paying careful attention to the application of oil or lotion to the nails and nail beds.

Choose the right footwear

What pain we bring on ourselves by wearing ill-fitting shoes or shoes that are more about looks than comfort! It’s not just high heels that can hurt your feet; shoes that are too small, too narrow, too stiff, or just not the right shape for your foot can cause foot pain, unsightly corns and other painful abnormalities. If it is super uncomfortable in the store, odds are it won’t improve with time so even if they are “just the cutest things”, don’t purchase them.

Give your feet the right support if you have low arches by using inserts or specially-made shoes. In the summer, wear open sandals or strappy shoes so that your feet get plenty of circulation.

Follow these guidelines and your feet will thank you by being pain-free and looking healthy. Plus, it’s a great refreshing moment for you if you do this when the children are sleeping or better yet, with a group of friends!

An Exciting Romantic Getaway

If you feel like the romance has gone out of your marriage and late night conversations and cuddling are a thing of the past, it is definitely time to make a purposeful effort to plan regular date nights as a couple!  But every once in a while, a mini-getaway to yourselves, away from the hubbub of your homelife, is definitely in order!

Often it’s the simple things in life that can rekindle a romance.  It’s time to remind each other how much you loved being together, how much fun you had, and how many romantic nights you spent walking in the park or strolling along the city streets hand in hand.

Arrange for a baby-sitter if you have children, and here’s some great tips for a fantastic date night or mini-getaway (ladies, email this article to your hubby):

Mini-Getaway. This is a fabulous way to surprise your spouse!

Set up childcare, and reserve a room at your favorite hotel…even better, reserve the honeymoon suite at the hotel.   Call your spouse and ask them to be ready at 8 o’clock on a Friday evening. Make it clear that it is for a night or weekend away.  When you make reservations at the hotel another fun thing to do is ask for them to have a basket of treats ready in the room when you arrive…your favorite chocolates, red roses, candles, wine, etc.  You can even request your favorite music be playing.

Husbands, if you are doing this it is extra fantastic if you can take care of your own bags and simply ask your wife to only pack for herself.   When Friday arrives, show up in a rented convertible similar to the he drove when you first dated.   All of this plus the allure of mystery for the other spouse who does not know exactly what is happening is the best way to start a fun and exciting weekend .

Sound corny?  Well, whether it does or not, it will create a weekend you are NOT likely to soon forget.  This is the time for you and your husband to become reacquainted again. There are no distractions, phone calls, kids yelling for your attention, just you and your beloved spouse. Sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? Right out of a romance novel.

This is just one suggestion, there are so many romantic things you can do to get away.  This definitely takes time and a little extra money, so you may need to plan it fairly far in advance depending on your situation.

So often life gets in the way, and there is a feeling of disconnect between who you were then and who you are now.   Family responsibilities, work and kids all play a part in putting aside the romance for the sake of the family.

Whether you spend a weekend or a few hours together, plan regular date nights with your spouse. Not having the time to have those talks you used to have, or take walks like you did when you dated, these are memories which you can never duplicate, but you can certainly take the time to create new memories.

Homemade Soap

We all use soap, and as women, most of us truly love the uniqueness and freshness of homemade soaps. In the “old days”, most people made their own, but today of course, we are much more likely to buy it from the store.   Most of us even have our favorite brands to use.

Making your own soap has some definite advantages. One of the most significant is the price. We can make soap much cheaper than we can buy it. Making it ourselves also gives us complete control over the ingredients, so we can create a soap that’s perfect for our skin type in a scent of our choosing.

Making soap is a lot easier than you might think. It is, however, important to take certain safety precautions. Here’s a basic recipe:

Ingredients

* 12 cups lye crystals
* 5 cups softened water
* 6 pounds lard

Instructions

1. Put water in a glass or plastic bowl. Carefully pour lye into water, stirring constantly with a plastic or wooden spoon. This should be done outdoors or in a well-ventilated area, because it produces caustic fumes.
2. Mixing lye and water produces heat. When the lye is completely dissolved, set the mixture aside to cool.
3. Place lard in a stainless steel or enamel pan. Melt over low heat.
4. Allow both the lye solution and the lard to cool to room temperature.
5. Slowly pour the lye solution into the lard, stirring slowly and constantly with the plastic or wooden spoon.
6. Continue stirring after all of the lye solution has been added. Drizzle a small amount of the mixture into the pot periodically. When the soap keeps its shape for a moment before sinking into the mixture, you can add scent, color and herbs.
7. Pour the soap into a mold greased with Crisco. Wrap in a towel, and let set for about 18 hours or until completely cooled. Uncover and let set for 12 more hours.
8. The soap may now be unmolded and cut into bars. Let the bars cure for 3 to 4 weeks before using.

Customizing Your Soap (ie: the fun part):

There are a lot of different ways you can customize your soap. To make the best soap for your skin type, you may want to use different oils. Some that are commonly used include olive oil, coconut oil, cocoa butter and shea butter. The correct amount varies depending on which oil you use, so look for recipes online or in books until you get the hang of it.

Essential oils have therapeutic properties and add fragrance. Oatmeal, cornmeal and other grains can be added as exfoliants. And skin-safe colorants may be used to produce the desired color. These ingredients should be mixed together and added to a cup of the soap mixture, then stirred into the rest of the soap mixture immediately before pouring into the mold.  There are great shops online that sell soap making products for home use and in bulk.

It can be a lot of fun and surprisingly rewarding to make your own soap. Coming up with the perfect concoction for your skin is rewarding, and sweetly scented homemade soaps make wonderful gifts for any occasion.

Home Organization 101

So the kids have returned to school, or you are just starting another homeschool year.  Suddenly you look around your home and realize it looks like a hurricane struck.  You are not alone!

When you first moved into your home it probably seemed like you had a lot of space, or at least a lot more than you do now.   As the years pass, however, you might find that you have accumulated a lot of unnecessary “stuff”.  What are you going to do with it all?  If this is you, it’s definitely time to start weeding and reclaim your space!

Home organization is a step-by-step process.  It will take most of us more than a day or possibly even more than a week to get everything to a manageable level, but once you do staying organized is an easier task.  You can also definitely enlist the help of the rest of your family!  As they pitch in and help you organize, they will also learn a thing or two about controlling the clutter in their own life and space.

1. Begin with the high traffic areas. The living room and kitchen are usually the two busiest and most used rooms in the house.  Everything seems to always get dropped on the counter or couch in these two rooms.  Concentrate on getting everything set up the way that you like it in each space before moving on to another room.

2. Use storage containers. Over the years, the variety and styles of storage containers has changed significantly.  They are now made to be pretty as well as functional.  Instead of storing containers in stacks in the garage, purchase ones that match your décor in each room and integrate them so that no one would even notice they were being used for storage.  Of course, there’s always the grand fall back containers that slide easily under beds and into closets for great storage options as well.

3. Divide items into categories. You can use heavy duty trash bags or boxes for this part.   Create a bag or container for each of the following categories: KEEP, THROW AWAY, GIVE AWAY, and RELOCATE.  As you work your way through the room, everything you clear will go into one of those categories.  Items that will stay in that room are to keep.  Things that you don’t need or are broken should be thrown away.  Clothes or furniture still in great condition can be donated and scheduled for pickup by the Veteran’s association or Goodwill.  Anything that definitely belongs in another room can be labeled for relocation when you get to that room.

4. Remove everything from drawers and cabinets. This is a time-consuming process but it is easier to start with an empty space and fill it instead of simply pushing things around.  If you line things up on the counter, someone else can help by sorting the items and putting them into order before they are returned to their home.

5. Make use of all of your available space. In the kitchen, for example, appliances or extra containers can be stored on top of the cabinets provided they don’t extend all the way to the ceiling.  That’s extra storage space without benefit of a storage container.  Also use the top of the refrigerator for cereal boxes and breakfast food like boxes of instant oatmeal or grits.  In the bedroom, shoes and winter clothes can go into flat storage bins that slide easily under the bed or the dresser.

6. Label your containers. Use tape and a permanent marker to identify the contents of your storage containers.  Avoid writing on the actual container (use clear tape or products made for this purpose) in case they are reused and the contents are changed.  Labeling also makes for easy identification if you decide to sell or give away a container of books or something.  You won’t have to open each container to locate them.

I cannot stress how important it is that you spread all of this work out over time!  Take it one room and even one section of a room at a time and it will not seem as overwhelming.    But, once the project is done, returning everything you use to its proper place will help you maintain it and keep it clutter free!

Nico & Lola Kindness Shared Between a Boy and a Dog

Nico & Lola Kindness Shared Between a Boy and a Dog by Meggan Hill and photography by Susan M. Graunke is a wonderful children’s book.  It is a story about a little boy named Nico and his Aunt’s little pug, Lola.  Aunt Sue has asked if Nico could watch Lola for a few days and be so kind to her.  Nico learns a lot about kindness, both giving and receiving, during Lola’s stay.

When we asked author Meggan Hill to us what inspired this book she told us… “I’m a mom.  I love to read to my kids.  It’s especially exciting to see my kids’ faces light up when I read something they love.  I wanted to do that, write to that excitement level while at the same time writing about a character trait.  The trait I chose was kindness.”

Meggan also shared with us a bit about herself and photographer Susan M. Graunke … They both “grew up surrounded by animals.  Meggan remembers daily rides on her pony Popsicle, with her dear dog Woofer following.  Susan will never forget sharing picnic lunches with her horse Lady Noney and Bumper, her pet cow.  Caring for creatures shaped who Meggan and Susan became.  This is their first book. “

I immediately feel in love with the beautiful photography.   The pictures are bright and fit perfectly with the story.  I loved that the story allowed for me to explain how to be kind in more detail after each page.  Example; “Nico would think of ways to be so kind. “   I then asked the boys how are some ways to be kind to a puppy?   I love the message within the story, of kindness and the very last line in the book is “PASS IT ON!”  What a great message to teach our children!!!

So those are the things that I enjoyed about the book, now here is what Brayden (my 6 year old) had to say about Nico & Lola:

My favorite part of the book was when Nico got the stone out of Lola’s paw.  Because that was being really nice and Nico was being helpful and kind.  I liked the nice pictures too.

To find out more about this great book, including how to buy a copy for you and your children, check out the website, http://www.nicoandlola.com/

Disclosure: All of our reviews are honest and forthright.  I received a sample of the product in order to ensure that I was writing about something I have tried first hand and have experience with (thus the honest review part).  You can read our full disclosure policy here

Is Your Teen Lazy This Summer?

Most people enjoy a lazy day when they can sleep in and just relax. But, during summer break it seems that some teens try to spend their entire summer break like it’s one long lazy day.  I am having this challenge with my own teenager this year too!  Here are some tips to combat teen laziness this summer.

Voice your expectations – Let your teen know what time you expect them to get up each morning and that sleeping in until an indefinite hour is not acceptable. Be sure you also let them know that you expect them to do more than just watch television, play video games, or spend hours on the computer.

We have been footing the bill for quite a few sports and camps this summer, so if your teen is like mine and expects you to help pay for their summer activities, they should definitely have a good attitude about a few summer rules. Set a specific time that you expect them to be home, based upon your level of trust and their age. Allow them to take on a couple of extra chores during the summer (or work for Grandma here and there) to earn some pocket money.

Get them involved – Whether you ask them to help you around the house, volunteer outside of the home, or help them get a job, you want them to be involved in something. Get information (and share it with them) on how they can volunteer to help at a local recreation center, children’s program, or nursing home. They may find they truly enjoy it.

You can often get this information by calling around to local churches, daycares, or nursing homes. Despite the current economy, depending on their age, some local businesses may be hiring summer help; you could always look into this in a little more detail and offer to help them find a job to earn money before school starts again. This will help them learn responsibility with money, but will also help them realize the value of their time. Once they start getting paid by the hour, they might be less likely to waste so much money as they realize the cost to them.

Spend time with them – Avoid giving lectures about what they should do during the summer, take a few minutes to schedule activities onto your calendar that you can do with them. You don’t have to spend every waking moment with them, but simply taking them shopping, to a movie, or out for a latte can be a lot of fun. Summertime is a great time to reconnect with your teen, take advantage of the opportunity.   My teen loves to fish, so even taking him to a local lake with a good fishing dock is a lot of fun for him and allows us all to have a great time outdoors.

Encourage activity – This could be a very fun opportunity to learn something new with your teenager! Not only will this help them be less lazy during the summer, it’ll help you be less lazy, too.   We love tennis, and there’s also swimming, bicycling, or rollerblading. It’s another great way to connect, but while you get healthier in the process.

Since we’re in the middle of summer break, many parents are just now starting to feel the frustration of a lazy teen.  Other parents may have felt it for a while.  Either way there are lots of great activities for your teen (and you) to do to stay occupied and have a good attitude.  Spending all day everyday in front of a screen (computer, gaming, tv) is unhealthy and often children and teens will come away with a very stinky attitude too, so making sure that they spend plenty of time doing other things is definitely the key!

Nan’s Corner DVD

One of the best things about summer is taking a break from the fixed schedule – and sometimes hectic pace – of the school year. As my family relaxes, so do the routines. Bedtimes creep later and later as the days grow longer. Habits we worked so hard to develop start to fade and become forgotten.

If your child’s bedtime, mealtime or any other “in-between” time have turned into a struggle, the Nan’s Corner DVD offers helpful solutions in an enjoyable and fun format. Through songs, stories and role-playing parents and children work together to solve common problems found in everyday life such as getting up and ready in the morning, homework, mealtime and bedtime. It encourages communication and cooperation between parents and children.

The DVD is geared to children between the ages of 4 – 10. My 7 year-old enjoyed the singing and dancing while my 9 year-old appreciated hearing the children tell their side of the story. I was glad for the opportunity to reinforce to both the need to be courteous and respectful – parents included!

We are offering one reader the opportunity to receive the new Nan’s Corner DVD. Just visit their website, check out their fun children’s songs, then come back here and leave a comment telling us why you’d like to win (not “choose me,” “I want to win,” “great prize,” etc. Those comments will be deleted as spam.)

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All of this gives you a grand total of six chances for entries! This giveaway ends on July 21, 2009 and is open only to US addresses and is void where prohibited.

Summer Staycation Tips

Once again, MommyDocs and Clorox have teamed up to bring you some amazing summer resources.  This year, they are focusing on Summer Staycation Safety!   Since money is tight for most families right now, more and more of them are deciding to stay home most of the summer and do fun local activities.

This trend has actually increased how much cleaning is going on in homes across the nation.  Trying to find quick and inexpensive ways to keep up with the extra cleaning prompted the ladies at Mom Central to get together with the MommyDocs and come up with a list of 5 tips to keep your family safe and your home cleaner during your summer staycation (I’ll list the tips below for you).

Many of the tips for keeping your home clean are quick and easy, something any mom can appreciate!  I too am finding that as we stay home more this summer, it is imperative that they boys help clean up around the house and not leave little piles everywhere (which they seem to be very quick about doing).

• Staying Safe at BBQs. According to a recent survey, 70 percent of Moms are cooking more at home and many are likely switching up their meal routine with an outdoor BBQ. Make sure your kids have a safe BBQ experience by keeping them away from the flames and any sharp knives. Also, don’t forget to check that your child’s hamburger is fully cooked. Always keep a thermometer on hand to be sure all food has reached the appropriate inside temperature.
• Keep the Pool Cool and Clean. If your kids love to spend hot afternoons in kiddie pools, you know the importance of cleaning the pool area. Dump out water after each session, and keep the pool clean by disinfecting it with a solution of ¾ cup bleach* to one gallon of water. Don’t forget to rinse well and dry thoroughly after each cleaning (never leave any water in the pool). Be sure to always supervise children when they are in or around any water. (* Always remember to read and follow precautions and usage directions before using cleaning products)
• Staying Healthy and Hydrated. Spending time in the heat means kids will be more prone to becoming dehydrated. Remind kids to take frequent rest/drink breaks in the shade when playing outside and try to avoid activity during peak sun hours. Encourage fluids before, during, and after outside activities.
• Having Peace of Mind at Playgrounds. Sometimes just getting out of the house is the best way to keep it clean, but before letting kids loose at the playground, ensure the safety of the equipment. Swing seats and slides can really heat up in the sun – test them out before your kids hop on to avoid burns. Be sure the playground surface is composed of a soft material to help prevent injury. All playground equipment should be routinely checked for any broken or loose parts. As always, adult supervision is a must at all times!
• Saving on Spills. Spending extra time around the house, especially with kids, often means more spills to clean up. Synthetic sponges and kitchen cloths can start to smell and carry bacteria, but you don’t have to toss them out after a few uses. One option to reduce bacteria is to sanitize sponges and dishrags by soaking them in a bleach solution (¾ cup of bleach* to a gallon of water) for 5 minutes in the sink. Don’t forget to rinse and dry when done. A wet sponge can also be microwaved to get rid of bacteria. (* Always remember to read and follow precautions and usage directions before using cleaning products)

So, as you plan your fun summer activities, be sure to use these tips to keep it safer, cleaner and healthier!

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