Car Travel Games

So I just found a wonderful website about traveling by car with children. I will link to them at the bottom of the post but I am going to share some of the idea's they have that I really like and can't wait to use when my daughter gets older.

• Give your child(ren) a daily allowance. Tell them that it is for snacks, souveniors, etc. Let them know that when they have spent it all that that is it. You can help teach them how to budget their money this way.
• Let your child(ren) have a map. This way you can show them how far you have come and how much farther you have to go. You can let them mark it up with crayons.(check out more under this topic at the site if you have a child who can read, it has a WONDERFUL idea in it).
• The License Plate Game. For older kids you can play this game. You go and print out a map of the US and as you see a plate from a state you color that state in with Crayons.
• Virtual Hide & Seek. Imagine somewhere in your house that you want to hide and have everyone else try to guess. You can be any size so you could even hide in your silverware drawer or in your toilet.
• Counting Cows. Count cows as you pass them, but be fast if you go by a field full of them. If you pass by a cemetery you lose all of your cows, but only if someone from the opposing team yells your "your cows are buried!" Check out this idea on the site for more information about it.
• Scavenger Hunt. Make up a list of things for your child(ren) to find while driving. You can make the list ahead of time and adjust it for your scenery.
• Treasure Bottle. Use a large soda bottle or a large clean peanut butter jar. Fill it no more than 2/3 full with uncooked rice or birdseed. Then put in about 20-25 small objects (safety pin, plastic bugs, button, M&M, nut, bolt, paper clip, penny, bead, piece of macaroni, tiny lego, and other misc. toy pieces or stuff that is probably rolling around in your kitchen junk drawer.) Keep a count of the items and write down the number of items on the outside of the bottle. Put the lid on tight (super-glue it if necessary). Let the kids take turns rolling the bottle around in their hands until they find them all. Kids of all ages love this game. You can make more than one treasure bottle so kids don't have to take turns - put different items in different bottles.(yes I did copy and past this one due to the fact that I didn't want to try to explain it in my own words.)

Here are some idea's for Traveling for with a baby:

• Bubbles. Bring some bubbles in a non-spill container and when someone else is driving you can blow bubbles to keep baby happy.
• Play Classical Music. Classical music can be very calming and keep your baby calm during your trip.
• Peek-a-boo.
• This little piggy.
• Baby Music/Mother's Heart beat on CD.
• Car Seat Links(Toys)
• Baby Mirror.
• Puppets.

You can find these and even MORE idea's at www.momsminivan.com...it is a great site!

Tips To Getting Your Child To Eat Vegetables

We all know that once children hit around toddler age they start to lose interest in their vegetables, here are some tips that might help you out.

• You can use any cooked leftover yellow/white vegetable by mashing it up, mixing it with eggs, and cooking it with something like a pancake or you can bake it in a muffin tin. You can also mix it in with mashed potatoes if your child likes them.
• You (or you can let your child) sprinkle shredded cheese over each spoonful of cooked vegetables.
• Puree steamed vegetables and add them to a simmering broth to make a creamy soup.
• A good early finger food for your picky eater is "spaghetti squash". You cook it whole in the microwave until it is soft. Then you cut it in half, remove the seeds, and use a fork to remove the flesh. It comes out like spaghetti strands. You can serve it with butter, margarine, a little olive oil, or spaghetti sauce.
• Try green noodles. They are made with spinach.
• Add finely chopped vegetables to a cheese omelet.
• Hide moderate amounts of pureed vegetables in meatloaf and spaghetti sauce.
• Hide some pureed vegetables under melted cheese on pizza
• Hide some pureed vegetables in hamburger meat before you cook it.
• Try serving a vegetable desert(pumpkin pie, carrot cake, etc).
• Make sweet potato chips. Place 12 thin, unpeeled sweet potato circle slices on a microwave rack. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and microwave 4-5 minutes until dry. Rotate during cooking. Let cool before eating.

Hopefully this will help you get your little one to eat vegetables.

Exercising as a Family

Exercise Idea's as a Family

Here are some idea's for you to exercise as a family so we can all stay in shape.

• Take a walk before or after dinner.
• Turn on some music and dance in your living room like no one else is watching, it will be good for a laugh and good for the heart.
• Make a game out of cleaning your house. (such as you are going to be attacked by aliens and you have to pick up all the "moon rocks" before they can get to you.)
• Turn TV commercials into workout breaks. (when the show goes to commercial have a competition to see who can do the most push ups or something until the show comes back on.)
• Have a weekly sports night.
• Take the kids to a walk/run for a charity.
• Take the dog (and the kids) for a walk.

Those are just a few things but as you can see it is easy to incorporate workouts into your daily life, as long as they are fun and creative.

Take a "Babymoon"

Alright, so some who read this might be married but are expecting their first child. This one is for you ladies. Before your baby is born take a babymoon. Take one last good vacation together before your baby is born. It will be hard to find special time together for a while after your baby is born and it is important for you as a couple to remember why you love each other. You need to have this special time together to reassure each other that you are there for each other through thick and thin and that you guys are ready for this next step in life as a united front instead of 2 individuals.

Rekindling Romance

Rekindling Romance

We all know that once a baby is born romance can sometimes go right out the window. Once that romance goes you will most likely snap at each other from all the sexual tension because things just aren't good enough. Here are some little tips to get you and your spouse back on the "love wagon":

• Don't let you mind wonder during sex. Once you let your mind wonder you aren't really into it any more and it won't be enjoyable for you.
• Go on a mini-honeymoon. Yes, it is hard to leave the kids sometimes. Yes, you have a lot of things to do at home. But to keep a marriage happy you need to take a break with you spouse. You need to do this at LEAST once a year, even if its just to a hotel a couple towns over(do not go in the same town, it will be to easy to spend time doing things other then trying to have a good time alone with your spouse).
• Start dating again. Remember how much easier things were when you were dating. How you would go out on a weekend and get dinner, maybe see a movie. Start it all over again. Set up a regular day for a couple time. You can go and hang out with friends and everything but make sure you set aside an hour or two of that night to just be by yourselves as a couple, no one else but you and your spouse.
• The power of the touch. Think back to when you and your spouse first got together, you used to hug all the time, get a kiss hello and goodbye whenever you saw them, you held hands. Just these small gestures can help so much with your spouse. It makes them feel a little more appreciated and wanted.

Please take the time to work on your marriage, even if you think you have a good marriage. There is always room for improvement in every aspect of a life, why just sit there and let it be mediocre?

Summer Safety

Summer (outdoor) Safety

So summer has been here for a little bit now but I feel you need to know these safety tips.

Sun Safety -

• Avoid being in the sun from 10 am to 3pm.
• Stay in the shade as much as you can.
• For babies 6 months and older apply SPF 15(at least) sunblock on half an hour before going outside.
• For babies 6 months and under, if there isn't enough shade apply small amounts of sunblock on the exposed skin.
• Reapply sunblock every 2 hours.

How to treat Sunburn -

• Cold compresses.
• over-the-counter pain reliever.
• Aloe.

Keeping your kids cool -

• Spray them with cold water from a spray bottle or from a hose.
• Fan them.
• If you notice overheating, ice packs to the armpits and groin can speed up the cooling process.

Insect protection -

• Dress in lightweight long sleeve shirts and pants when in wooded area's.
• Avoid bright colors and floral patterns as they attract stinging insects.
• If stung, do not pull stinger out with fingers or tweezers, but use a credit card and scrap the stinger out the same direction it came in.
• To relieve a sting, use a paste made of baking soda and water or 0.5% hydrocortizone cream.
• If swelling occurs in the childs face and lips and is pronounced, or you know they have an insect allergy then you should call emergency services.
• Some swelling and itching is normal.
• Use a non-DEET bug repellent.
• For spraying repellent on clothing, do so before putting them on the child so they do not breath in any fumes.
  

Water Safety -

• Keep your pool fenced in, and ask neighbors to do the same.
• Never let child be around any body of water without a responsible adult there to supervise.
• Drowning can occur with less than an inch of water.
• Take a child/infant CPR course.

With these tips you can have a fun, safe time with your child outside this summer

Saving Money on Picture Frames

This one is simple, but useful. I know we all love to display pictures of our little ones around the house, but picture frames get to be expensive when you get one for every school picture. My tip is to go and buy on good sturdy frame. Then go and put the most recent school picture in it, then put the ones from the past years behind it. Not only are you saving money on frames but you are also keeping all of the school pictures in one place.

Baby Proofing

Baby proofing. It is very simple and can keep your child out of unneeded danger. First, make sure there are no power cords anywhere in sight of the baby, if the baby can see it it WILL get to it. Second, table corners, you can buy nifty little padded corner cover's that stick on with a sticky tap, they are wonderful. Third, kitchen cabinets, they have several different kind of locks for cabinets, doesn't matter which kind you get as long as you get some, you don't want you baby to go get into your cleaning chemicals or have things fall out on top of them. Fourth, appliances that open and toilets, you can buy some locks for these things to keep your baby from opening them up, but I suggest buying different sticky tape, I have not had success with the tape that came with these locks.

You can also look into straps that keep your book shelves and entertainment center's upright and at the wall instead of falling onto your child when they are just pulling themselves up to stand. You can get these pad things that you put on your door that prevent it from closing all the way which stops it from jamming your babies fingers. They also have door knob covers that prevent your child from opening a door that you don't want them to open.

Look into your child proofing options and please child proof for the sake of your child's safety. I know we can't stop all bumps and bruises but we can stop them from getting hurt when they don't have to.

Preparing for Bad Weather

I figure right now is a great time to post this seeing how a Tornado Watch was just posted not to long ago for my area. Normally they just list my county, oh no...this time they listed my city. As we all know we have to try our best to keep ourselves and our children protected. This includes from dangers of the weather. These are the danger's that we cannot prevent but we can protect ourselves from. For people who live where there are Tornado's it is important to have a basement, if not go to your nearest friend or neighbor that has a basement as soon as the watch comes out. It is not worth it to risk our child's life. Also it is important to have a emergency survival kit. This would include nonperishable food items, water, for babies I would keep a can of formula in it and replace it if it going to go bad, clothes, a package of diapers, a package of wipes, flashlights, a good first aid kit, anything that will sooth your child(ren), etc. I won't go into any more detail because the kit is a little different in different locations due to weather threats, those are just the basics. Please be prepared for weather emergencies.

Potluck With Some Friends

So you want to have a dinner with some friends? An easy, cheaper way to do this is to arrange a potluck. Have everyone bring a dish to pass and the option to bring their own beverages. Then after you can all enjoy each others company in the comfort of a home instead of in a busy expensive restaurant.

Babysitters Can Be Expensive

The cost of a babysitter can get to be a bit expensive. There are sometimes though when you need a break from baby to spend time with your husband. An idea is if you have friend or a good neighbor who also has children you can occasionally do a babysitting swap.

Sometimes It's Best to be the Listener

Now we all know we have problems as women and as wives, but let's think about our husbands here for a second. They have problems just like us, insecurities just like us, emotions just like us. Sometimes you just need to sit back and be the listener instead of the talker, not only do they need to talk about things but you also need to show you husband that you care about the issues he is going through.

Stop Talking About "Life"

Being a wife has it's difficult times, especially when you have a child. Getting time to yourselves is important but getting time together is just as important. Remember when you first got together with you husband, before children, before the worries of being able to pay all of your bills. You just talked. You didn't just grunt at each other as you passed by to go to the bathroom. You would talk about everything under the sun. My husband and I have something we do together that is not only entertaining but it sparks conversation. When he is off work(he work's 3rd shift so time together is hard enough as it is without a child) we get together at the computer and cuddle up and watch "Is it a good idea to microwave this?" on Youtube(check it out). We sit there and watch what they decide to stick in there as it melts and on the best occasions blow up, then we sit there after we get done and it just sparks conversation about all sorts of things. We will talk for hours about all sorts of things, not about bills, not about our daughter, not about the normal troubles in life but about completely random things that really don't make a difference in the world or in our lives. It just brings us closer together and lets us bond even more and strengthen our relationship.

Saving For The Future

This will be a hard task because you will have to have a great sense of determination and self control. I saw this on Oprah and it is one of the best idea's ever. It makes sense and it is a smart move to make. This task is to save enough money to pay your bills and expenses for 8 months, then never touch it unless you are ADDING to it. The reason this is such a good idea is because think about what if you get laid off tomorrow, what will you do while you are trying to find another job? I know some people will say, "oh I'll just get unemployment until I get a new job." That can work BUT you will be barely scrapping by and you will be miserable, trust me I have been there, my husband was laid off temporarily for 2 months due to lack of work. It is very hard to survive, we couldn't pay all of our bills sometimes, we were lucky my dad is a generous guy and has loaned us money until next tax season when we can pay him back(I would not just take the money, he has already given me enough and I would have felt even more guilty if I didn't set that up with him). With this economy you can't expect to just get fired/laid off and you find a job within a week or so, it just doesn't work that way. To be able to save this money you will have to go a while w/o luxuries, like going out to dinner(sorry your going to have to cook), going to movies, buying things you don't NEED. During the time of saving you can only buy what you NEED, no wants. That is why you need a great sense of self control, it is very hard.

Hide Some Diapers

We all know that diapers are expensive and we run out fast. None of us want to be stranded without any diapers. One thing I've learned is storing away diapers. When you start to run low on diapers go out and buy more diapers then take the last 2 or 3 and store them away somewhere. You can store them in your car, in a dresser drawer, in a kitchen cabinet, anywhere. Then when you are strapped for cash for a few days and are in need for diapers you have them stored away all over and you will have a small supply to last you a few days until you can afford to go out and buy some more. Just remember to keep the sizes up to date...you don't want to need a size 6 diaper and only be able to find a stash of size 3's.

Help Remembering Things

So this tip is to help us mommies remember things. We all know pregnancy brain never goes away completely, plus we all have far to much on our minds to remember everything. This tip is to make lists. Make list for everything, what you need to get done today, who you need to call, what did you just run out of in your cupboards, whatever you need to make it for. Then keep these lists in plain sight and check things off as you complete them. I know it seems so simple but it works as long as you keep at it. Don't just make lists for one week then think that all of a sudden you will magically remember everything so you stop. It will not work to your advantage to stop.

Don't Be Afraid To Ask For Help!

This is a VERY important tip. It is probably one of the most difficult tips for some mom's, but it is important. You are on the go from the time your child is born. It is very easy to get overwhelmed. You are not alone, you must never forget it. We have all done things to get through motherhood that we probably think we are the only one(for example: most of the time we cannot shower everyday). It might be difficult but do not be afraid to ask for help. You have so many people who care about you and your child that most are willing to help you. It can be small things, for example a great friend of mine stayed up all night on the phone with me when my daughter was 3 weeks old and would not sleep just to make sure that I would stay awake and to support me because all mothers know how difficult it is to a mother. You can ask a friend or a relative to come over and watch the baby so you can just jump in the shower. You must not be afraid to ask for help, no matter how big, small, or embarrassing it is for you. A great support system will help you through this difficult journey, because we are not perfect and we need help.

Cleaning with Child(ren)

For my second Mommy tip I'm going to help you find ways to get things done while keeping your children happy. For people like me with an (almost) 11 month old it is hard to get around to doing things that need to get done such as house work. Even at that age you can include your child in your cleaning activities. Which in turn will help you when they get older and start to take on the responsibilities of chores. While it does take longer to get your house work done when you have your little one helping you it beats it not getting done at all or your getting frustrated while your child is screaming for you to play but you are cleaning. First, lets say you have dishes to do(not all of us are lucky enough to have a dish washer). You can set your child up in a walker, jumperoo, exersaucer, etc, next to where you will be doing your dishes, you can make games with them by blowing the bubbles from the dish soap at them or while you are cleaning cups(DO NOT DO WITH GLASS) you can bang the cups together(can also be done with plastic bowls, tupperware, etc). Another thing you could do is give them cup of their own and let them just play with it and bang it around on their own. Now lets say you have a living room to pick up. An easy way to do this AND keep your little one happy is to clean with music on and dance around while making goofy faces at your little one. They will enjoy the time together, play, and it will wear them out for either nap time or bed time. Honestly, if you clean to music, no matter what the cleaning, you should be able to keep your child entertained enough that you can do what you need to do, plus it will also make cleaning a little bit more fun for you. Plus you will be satisfied when you get done cleaning because you aren't sitting with a mess or worrying about getting things clean.

I hope this is a helpful tip for you ladies and it helps you keep your baby happy AND help keep you in a happy, clean home.

Saving some $$$ at the Grocery Store

We all know that the economy is hitting us hard. We are finding it harder and harder to get by every day. We also know that it is hard to feed so many mouths on limited budgets, but it has to be done. Every now and then I'm going to offer tips on how to save money on our groceries but still get the most we can out of it. First of all I know it sounds like something an old lady does(no offense grandma) but cutting coupons is a fast way to start saving some pennies. I know it doesn't seem like you are saving a lot but those pennies add up and you will end up saving more than you realize. Second, do NOT go to the store when you are hungry or bring someone with you that is hungry. That will end in a disaster in your wallet if you because you will want to grab every food item you see throughout the store. Third, plan out a menu for 2 weeks at a time. When you plan out your meal you can go through your cupboards and see what you have for these meals and what you don't have. Forth, based on what you will need for your meals you can make a list for shopping. Make sure that you don't deviate from your list, the point of the list is to get in, get what you NEED and get out. Do not linger in the store trying to think of anything else you MIGHT need, you can always make another trip to the store when you run across something you NEED. If you have to go to the store then make sure that you follow the guidelines above. It might not seem like much but if you shop smart that is the first tip to saving money at the grocery store.

Preventing "Poop Painting"

Sooner or later your baby will learn how to take their diaper off. You can't stop it but you can prevent it at one of the worst times, when you are sleeping. Say your little bean has woken up before you in the morning, decides to entertain themselves. It is horrible to wake up to a baby who has taken off their diaper because they can and it was soiled and find that they have "poop painted" the walls, the crib, their hair, their clothes, their bedding, and their mouths(gross I know but trust me it DOES happen). When you put your wee one to bed one thing you can do is make sure that they are in a onesie. Now sooner or later they will figure out how to undo those snaps on their onesie and then you are in for waking up to a poop masterpiece. A way to prevent it after they have learned how to unsnap the onesie is to put the onesie on backwards. I know it sounds strange but it is quite difficult for them to unsnap it when it is on their butt.

I hope that helps you to prevent messes when you wake up in the morning, because we all know we don't want to wake up to cleaning poop off of every surface in a 5 ft radius of your baby.

My Life 101

My life started off in a city known as Rockford, IL. I learned at a young age that life and marriage don't always go as planned. When I was 9 my parents got a divorce. Throughout my adolescent years I bounced back and forth between living with my parents. I have suffered from depression since I was a teenager. The depression made me a "rebellious" teenager. I did things that I shouldn't have done at that age(smoke, drink, etc) which led to me being expelled from school 3 months before the end of my senior year. I know, stupid. I had a wonderful councilor who saw the potential in me. He offered for me to be in Credit Recovery, which meant that I could take the rest of the classes I needed online. I finished in 3 weeks after graduation but my high school diploma still has the same date of graduation on it as everyone in my graduating class, the class of 2007. If you have done the math you have figured out that I am 20 years old. I know, I'm still young and have a LOT to learn, but I am getting there. In September 2008, I gave birth to my wonderful daughter. She means the world to me and am thankful for having her in my life. She was not planned but I believe she saved me. In November 2008, I married my daughter's father. He is a wonderful man and came to my rescue when I had no one and was far from home. He sacrificed everything and moved 1,000 miles away from his home and everything he knows just so he could stay with me. Without him, I would probably be dead. He has helped me through some of my worst moments in life so far and I don't know how I would have survived without him. He has been working 3rd shift at a horrible job trying to make ends meet for us so I can be a stay at home mother. I am so grateful that he allows me to do that, but just like every other family out there we are struggling to with this horrible economy. We would both like for me to get a part time job but even if I did we would not be able to afford a babysitter or daycare for our daughter, so we go with out just so we can have everything for our daughter and make sure that she has what she needs. I never thought in my life that I would sacrifice so much for one little person but she is worth it all, she makes me see that whenever she smile at me. As well as being a stay at home mom I am also an online college student. I am working towards getting an Associates Degree in Medical Assisting. I hope to be able to get a nice steady job after I complete my courses and get my degree but that is still a year and a half away. I guess I will end this now so I will have more to write about:D.

Thank you for stopping by and reading.