8 Cold remedies we can count on!!!

**Lack of information...that seems to be where we all sit when it comes to home remedies for our kids and ourselves even. But there are ways of getting your child some relief and household staples have been proven to work and believe it or not proven by science and many doctors!!**

1. Sleep:Sleep and immune functions are 1 in the same! Studies have found people who don't get enough sleep are more susceptible to colds! If your child does get sick keep him home from school and turn off the games and T.V. for awhile. Making sure your child gets enough rest may be the most important thing you can do for him when he's sick, Dr.'s emphasize! It may seem like all a Dr. says when your child is sick is "rest and fluids" but that really is the best thing you can do for your child! Your Dr. isn't always being lazy by saying this. If your still concerned there is nothing wrong with getting a 2nd opinion.

2.Vitamin D:Is an important infection fighter, most children dont get enough of it, while many kids are exposed to enough sunlight in the summer to get enough. It is hard to get enough from the sun in the winter time, check your childs vitamin D levels, discuss a supplement with your dr. The AAP recommends 300 IU per day. An eight-ounce glass of milk is about 100 IU.


3.Salt: The International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology found thhis natural anti-inflammatory helps release mucus and ease breathing, as well as sooth sore throats and coughs. For congestion, make a saline rinse with a half to a full teaspoon of salt per pint of warm water, then administer it with a dropper. To treat a sore throat or cough teach your child to gargle with the same warm saltwater solution. if you do not feel comfortable mixing your own saltwater solution at home there are many cheep and easily accessible over the counter saline solutions to be bought in just about any store with medicine for sale!


4.Probiotics: Research suggests the bacteria found in yogurt may help prevent respiratory infections. One study shows kids ages 3-5 who consumed active lactobacillus cultures daily for 6 months during cold season were less likely to get sick and when they did their colds lasted a shorter time!!

**PROBIOTICS--A daily dose of this good bacteria can help you or your kiddo fight off infection!! It also comes in handy for girls little and big a like to use yogurt with live cultures whenever you are prescribed an antibiotic! it will help fight yeast infections and UTI's!

5.Relaxation: This means YOU MOM!!! Parents stress when their children are sick. Meanwhile their icky sicky kiddo is playing away with a minor cough and a snotty nose like nothing is wrong. They often feel better then we do when we are sick. If your child develops a fever or his symptoms seem to worsen, consult your pediatrician; your little guy may have developed a secondary infection (ear or sinus for example) and that will require an antibiotic to get over. When all else fails try to remember that a normal cold will run its course in about a week or so! NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO!!! If you treat it your child will get better, if you dont, your child will get better!!

6.Moist Air: A cool-mist humidifier or a warm vaporizer in your chil's bedroom can help nasal passage and reduces congestion. Remember to keep whichever method you go with out of reach of children and atleast 2 feet off the floor, also check to make sure that you are cleaning the model frequently and refilling it when it is empty or dumping it out when necessary!! You can also steam up your bathroom, it is like a little homemade sauna for your icky sicky kiddo!!!

7.Honey:A study in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine found hone at bedtime was more effective with quieting coughs then any honey flavored cough medicine! The dose of just honey is pretty much the same as that of the over-the-counter cold medicines. 1/2 teaspoon for kids 1-5, 1full teaspoon for kids 6-11 and 2 teaspoons for children 12 and up. Please remember it is unsafe and strongly urged against to give a child under the age of 1 any honey of any kind or dose! It could cause a rare but very serious bacterial illness known as botulism in babies!!

8.Chicken Soup: The go-to get-well meal research shows that chicken soup has anti-inflammatory powers that stimulate the release of mucus,reducing congestion. Who knew a tasty soup was so helpful when you or your kids are sick?!

**Sleep: Getting enough rest when you're fighting a bug of any kind may be the most important thing you or your kiddo can do!!

Benefits of a Healthy Marriage...

A healthy, stale marriage brings long-lasting benefits to men, women, and children regardless of income, race, age or location. The benefits to both partners increase over time as long as the marriage remains healthy.

Happy-Healthy marriage creates:
*Longer life spans
*Less depression and a better ability to handle stress
*Steady employment and household income-up to twice as much as a non married household!
*Couples tend to exercise more often and eat properly
*Serious sicknesses happen less often and when they do occur couples tend to recover faster
*Shorter hospital visits and a less likely hood of needing a nursing home later on in life

Children who grow up in a healthy/happy marriage:
*Tend to live longer as adults and are more likely to reach 85 years of age
*Are less likely to engage in unhealthy behaviors such as drinking, smoking, or using drugs.
*Are more likely to have a stable marriage in which to raise their own children
*Tend to achieve higher academic success and economic stability as adults
*Are healthier as adults with fewer acute or chronic illnesses.

What is a "Healthy Marriage?"
A relationship that is mutually satisfying, where both spouses have a deep respect for each other and is beneficial to all members of the family. It is a relationship that is committed to ongoing growth, the use of effective communication skills and the use of successful conflict management skills.

This information is from:
The Effects of Marriage on health: A synthesis of Recent Research Evidence by Mathematical Policy Research, Inc.., July 2007
Iowa Department of Human Services
TANF
USDA
yesfoodiowa.gov

Walking Lil Mama!!!

That is right we are finally walking nearly everywhere we are going now!!! We had a really rough time getting here. We found out she is double jointed in her hips so she had to adjust to walking differently then most other kids. But she will grow out of it and I guess we just look to the future and right now i am seeing a little gymnast!!

On another note who else is having a rough time dealing with attitudes and changes in their marriage, and kids, jobs and themselves!!???? Around here my daycare kids have been throwing crazy attitude's all over the place, not minding, not listening, doing the COMPLETE opposite as what they know they are suppose to be doing!!! And as far as husbands go...well lets see here.. mine has had this attitude from hell lately. it comes and goes like a male version of PMS which is SOOOOOOO much worse then women's PMS!!!! I'm not saying that i am totally in the clear here but i am just hoping that as soon as the weather gets warmer and the daylight starts sticking around more each day then moods will stay sunnier too!!

Happy Valentines day all

I want to start off by saying that I think this is the oddest holiday out of all of the other holidays all year long!! I do not understand why there has to be a certain day designated out of the year to tell your loved ones that you love them. Isn't everyday a holiday then??

Anywho i thought i would share some Valentines day tips so you don't break the bank but can still show that special someone you love them!!

1. Make dinner at home TOGETHER!! Turn the lights down low, use a few candles, and even if it is mac-n-cheese it will be special because you will be celebrating your love!!
2. Instead of going out to eat ON Valentines day try going out another night, this will save you from all the balloons,confetti and even more importantly it will save you money!! Go out this weekend instead of tonight!!
3.Don't buy presents,fancy dinners,flowers etc for a few years and then go out of town on a mini vacation with the money you have saved from the years spent at home!!!

Ladies men are EASY!!! They just want a little "lovin" ;) and maybe a video game or alone time with their boys etc.

Men--LADIES ARE HARD!!!!! They expect your to show them all the ways you love them and unfortunately they want you to out do what their friends lovers have done!! Try the usual-Chocolates, flowers and a card that says all the ways you feel without you actually having to say it!! I know men have a hell of a time putting their feelings in to verbal words that is why Hallmark makes it easy on them!! What women really would love is for you to give them a "staycation" You clean the house and watch the kids and make the meals and let them sit in bed all day some saturday!! All my moms out there will agree!!

I hope you all have an amazingly romantic, loving, special Valentines day!!

Merry Christmas

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas!! Spend lots of time with loved ones and enjoy the loving feelings that come with this holiday!! :)

Missing you

Well there has not been much to tell that would be why there has not been any updates lately!! Tegan has been spending the week at my husband's sister's house (Aunt Charlie)! So this house has never been cleaner,lazier,quieter, or less crazy but..[.and a BIG BUTT ;) ] This house has never been less loving!! Eddie and I have NO idea what to do with ourselves without our little rugrat here!! I miss her like crazy and the worst part is that i saw her Tuesday when we got her Christmas pictures taken with her cousins last night!! (Which did not go as well as hoped but still when you have cute kids its easy to get a few good ones even when they are being naughty)

 See I told ya they turned out pretty adorable!! And it is so weird she looks just like her mama and her daddy!! :)

I had a rough start of the week. I just didn't feel like myself :( I guess it was the weather (or lack there of) because i LOVE snow around Christmas, and honestly I can't even stand to listen to Christmas music, even on Christmas day, without snow. It just doesn't feel right. I grew up in Iowa and every year we always have had snow for Christmas, maybe not falling but atleast on the ground!! I am really feeling and hating the effects of global warming!!! Almost enough to make me not use hairspray anymore!!! ALMOST!!!!! :/

Our house is really beginning to look a lot like Christmas though(The inside anyways)!! Finally the presents are wrapped and under the tree(which is a plus to Tegan not being home this week--lets see how long they stay nice and wrapped after she gets home tomorrow afternoon) The house is all decorated and i am seriously considering getting some of that spray window foam/frost (W/E) to spray on my windows so that it looks like it has snowed!!! As far as the outside we totally look like the Scrooge family!! I didn't have Eddie put the lights on the house this year because he has been working every weekend and lots of OT so by the time he could have and by the time i remembered it was a week ago so whats the point?? I hate when people leave the lights on their house after Christmas!! No tree before Thanksgiving night and No lights after Christmas day!!!! That is the unwritten rule of the Holiday's!!!

I remember being a little kid, I couldn't wait for Christmas morning!! The anticipation of maybe catching a peek of Santa or his Reindeer!!! The wonder of if Santa was going to not only eat but enjoy your cookies?!! And not only if he would enjoy them but secretly I always wanted to know if he liked my cookies and milk better then all the other kids! I figured he must have because he always left me the most amazing presents!! :) [Thank's Mom, & Grandpa] And now that i am a mom I am super duper excited to experience the other side of things with my daughter and my other children to come :)

Happy Holidays!! Hubby just got home with my Christmas presents that I get to wrap (YIPPEE!!!) And this is our last night alone without T-Baby so We are going to enjoy a relaxing night :)

Long Thanksgiving

Well this year Eddie went to Georgia (carnsville) again to race for G-man. Tegan and I stayed home this year so we didn't have to have Hardee's for Thanksgiving Dinner again!! Don't get me wrong I LOVE Hardee's but not for Thanksgiving! Not to mention the LOOOONNNGGG!!! Drive!!

Eddie had a rough weekend racing but Tegan and I had a great family Thanksgiving!! My mom cooked at my house and my sister and nephew came over! It was the 1st time we have had Thanksgiving dinner in our house! It was fantastic!!! Tegan made such a huge mess she had to have a bath after eating but she tried EVERYTHING on the table including Cranberry's and she loved them (yuck :p)

Then Monday we started the week with a new daycare kid! Jameson! He is here most of the day so it keeps Tegan and I busy and home bound!! Which this time of year is a great thing!! neither one of us do the cold very well. We put up the tree Monday and lets just say that this year is going to be a lot of chasing Tegan around! Last year she wasn't mobile at all and this year she doesn't sit still!! she attacks the tree and the presents so wish us luck :)

Eddie got home super early morning Monday and we are all still really exhausted from the lack of sleep the weekend brought! lazy weekend for us all! :)