Yucky, rainy, bug infested Friday! It has been a good morning....we have read a story, watched a show about caterpillars and butterflies, played with hot wheels and trains, CD's out the shelf that we weren't supposed to, and a cool fire truck.
Lunch today is grilled cheese and the 'little' one is even eating, raw veggies; carrots and tomatoes and if everyone devours that....on to yogurt and fruit and NAPS! Yeah! for naps....makes for a happier child care giver and kids.
Hoping the sun comes out this afternoon so we can all go out and play!
Grandchild picking flowers
Friday, July 8, 2011
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Mac 'n Cheese
Why, given a choice do most kids want mac 'n cheese? I never liked it personally and vowed my own children would never have to eat it, but of course they went to Grandma's and she let them have it.
One day a week I let the day home children choose between two food items for lunch and invariably they choose mac 'n cheese and they loveit and eat tons of it.
The mosquito's are voracious and we haven't spent as much time outdoors this week as I would have liked to as the weather was beautiful and it will probably be winter much sooner than we would like to think. Yesterday, one child slept a lot; either due to just being tired or she isn't feeling well and the heat seems to bother her, or she just isn't feeling well and when we did go out, even though we used repellent, the mosquito's got into diapers and hair and each time the children got out of the paddling pool we had to re-spray!
I did purchase a 'bug zapper', which is charging and we will see if this makes any ifference.
One day a week I let the day home children choose between two food items for lunch and invariably they choose mac 'n cheese and they loveit and eat tons of it.
The mosquito's are voracious and we haven't spent as much time outdoors this week as I would have liked to as the weather was beautiful and it will probably be winter much sooner than we would like to think. Yesterday, one child slept a lot; either due to just being tired or she isn't feeling well and the heat seems to bother her, or she just isn't feeling well and when we did go out, even though we used repellent, the mosquito's got into diapers and hair and each time the children got out of the paddling pool we had to re-spray!
I did purchase a 'bug zapper', which is charging and we will see if this makes any ifference.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Red Food Coloring
Next time you go to eat something red or pink....milkshake, jello, yogurt, juice, or jam take a good look at what is in it.
Red dyes come from the ground Cochineal or Carmine beetle native to South and Central America. This beetle commonly lives in the Opunita cactus and was widely used by the Aztecs.
FD & C red dye or Red #40 is made from petroleum or coal tar, not insects, which doesn't sound much better.
An allergy to this beetle is the reason for so many reactions to red dyes.
Read your labels before buying or giving your children RED!
Remember the movie "Striptease"? The main character tried to sue a yogurt company for a bug in her yogurt... maybe it was the whole beetle and not just a ground up one! Lol!
Red dyes come from the ground Cochineal or Carmine beetle native to South and Central America. This beetle commonly lives in the Opunita cactus and was widely used by the Aztecs.
FD & C red dye or Red #40 is made from petroleum or coal tar, not insects, which doesn't sound much better.
An allergy to this beetle is the reason for so many reactions to red dyes.
Read your labels before buying or giving your children RED!
Remember the movie "Striptease"? The main character tried to sue a yogurt company for a bug in her yogurt... maybe it was the whole beetle and not just a ground up one! Lol!
Rashes, Eczema
Do your children have rashes, and eczema??? How much milk do they drink?
Do you use fabric softener? What type of detergent do you use? Do you use bubble bath? What kind of soap do you use to wash your child?
Try soy milk for awhile, Aveeno bath products and no bubble bath, perfume and dye free detergent, no fabric softener (it isn't needed on cotton fabrics...only polyesters and nylons that 'cling'), no red food coloring.
See if this makes any difference. If it does, your child probably has allergies and you should see you Dr. or Pediatrician to discuss allergy testing.
Try Gardener's Dream Cream, which is a natural product produced on Salt Spring Island, B.C. It can help or elimate the use of steroids on your child's skin and relieves itching from almost any 'itch'. It can be purchased at most health food stores and if you check out their website you can see where it is available in your area. At first glance, it looks expensive, but lasts a long time and goes a long way. (About $40.00 for the large jar and $22.00 for a tube) It helps those nasty mosquito bites as well and also great for aches and growing pains.
Do you use fabric softener? What type of detergent do you use? Do you use bubble bath? What kind of soap do you use to wash your child?
Try soy milk for awhile, Aveeno bath products and no bubble bath, perfume and dye free detergent, no fabric softener (it isn't needed on cotton fabrics...only polyesters and nylons that 'cling'), no red food coloring.
See if this makes any difference. If it does, your child probably has allergies and you should see you Dr. or Pediatrician to discuss allergy testing.
Try Gardener's Dream Cream, which is a natural product produced on Salt Spring Island, B.C. It can help or elimate the use of steroids on your child's skin and relieves itching from almost any 'itch'. It can be purchased at most health food stores and if you check out their website you can see where it is available in your area. At first glance, it looks expensive, but lasts a long time and goes a long way. (About $40.00 for the large jar and $22.00 for a tube) It helps those nasty mosquito bites as well and also great for aches and growing pains.
Vampires!
Blood thirsty vampires out there! The mosquito infestation seems to just be getting worse if that is possible! We cannot go out in the mornings until the sun hits the backyard and patio and even tho' I spray the kids constantly they seem to get bites. It is hot so they want to play in the water and then we spray some more. One child has a rash behind their knees and the spray stings so in the water with pants on! One had a bite inside her diaper....
Last night's new said the mosquito's are getting worse and the problems isn't going away any time soon.
Any ideas??? Summer is way too short as it is and the kids need to get outside, but this is just brutal.
Huge bowls of strawberries for breakfast this morning and my littlest actually ate some for the first time. Snack was milk and a graola bar. The children are all whiny today so an early nap for one and the other two loved their pasta/veggies Alfredo for lunch .... seems to be a favorite....and now a few minutes of peace and quiet... to catch my breath as it has been a very busy and active morning.
We aquired two tambourines for music so that should be fun this afternoon.
Last night's new said the mosquito's are getting worse and the problems isn't going away any time soon.
Any ideas??? Summer is way too short as it is and the kids need to get outside, but this is just brutal.
Huge bowls of strawberries for breakfast this morning and my littlest actually ate some for the first time. Snack was milk and a graola bar. The children are all whiny today so an early nap for one and the other two loved their pasta/veggies Alfredo for lunch .... seems to be a favorite....and now a few minutes of peace and quiet... to catch my breath as it has been a very busy and active morning.
We aquired two tambourines for music so that should be fun this afternoon.
Monday, July 4, 2011
"Germs"
We are trying very hard to cut down on the spread of germs. The children each have their own sippy cup and each have a separate face cloth...I do not use the same one for them all! Little hands are washed frequently and today especially with the runny little noses being wiped with the back of a hand! The wipe box is being kept pretty close by as well. Chairs and tables are wiped down with disinfectant after each 'sitting', whether it be play, meal, or snack time.
Do you give your child any vitamins or vitamin D drops? It is being recommended by pediatricians and helps your child's immune system. We do not get a lot of sunlight and with the amount of sunblock we do use, most of us are lacking at least vitamin D. My husband and I have found a greater resistance to colds and flu by taking multi-vitamins, vitamin D, and B 12's.
A lot of children do not eat well or are picky eaters so this might be a way to supplement the things they are not getting especially when they go off formula.
Check it out on line and with your Dr.
We do not have sweets and snack is not a 'freezee'. If the weather ever gets hot enough we might conider some real fruit popsicles or frozen raspberries or grapes, which are great alternative. I also keep the children well hydrated with water when they are playing outside on the warmer days. However, our snacks are usually fresh fruit, smoothies, or healthy granola bars with no added colour or chocolate, and as little glucose as possible and sometimes some cheese as well.
During the summer months if/when it is hot we do need a certain amount of salt in our diet, but most of this is achieved from our normal meals. We drink lots of milk and if your child is lactose intolerant we can very easily switch to soy.
Do you give your child any vitamins or vitamin D drops? It is being recommended by pediatricians and helps your child's immune system. We do not get a lot of sunlight and with the amount of sunblock we do use, most of us are lacking at least vitamin D. My husband and I have found a greater resistance to colds and flu by taking multi-vitamins, vitamin D, and B 12's.
A lot of children do not eat well or are picky eaters so this might be a way to supplement the things they are not getting especially when they go off formula.
Check it out on line and with your Dr.
We do not have sweets and snack is not a 'freezee'. If the weather ever gets hot enough we might conider some real fruit popsicles or frozen raspberries or grapes, which are great alternative. I also keep the children well hydrated with water when they are playing outside on the warmer days. However, our snacks are usually fresh fruit, smoothies, or healthy granola bars with no added colour or chocolate, and as little glucose as possible and sometimes some cheese as well.
During the summer months if/when it is hot we do need a certain amount of salt in our diet, but most of this is achieved from our normal meals. We drink lots of milk and if your child is lactose intolerant we can very easily switch to soy.
Can't believe it already July and we have had virtually no summer yet to speak of and the mosquito's are quite vicious and plentiful this morning.
All of the kids seem tired this morning .... after a long weekend of travel and camping.
We are getting a slow start! As soon as the sun hits the patio we are going out to enjoy the day.
We have some new toys; three small riding toys, some sandbox toys and a toddler basket ball hoop! We have more than one ball so hopefully sharing won't be an issue.
To date, I have not had to use and disciplinary measures other than taking a child aside for a moment to explain that a certain behavior is not appropriate... and very few tears!
We are planning to finish our booklets on "B" and butterflies this week and we will be getting on with the letter "C" and I think we will go with caterpillars as they are still interested in the four stages of the butterfly and obsessed with "The Very Hungry Caterpillar".
We have added some musical instruments to try to establish some rhythm with our singing...this is obviously going to take some practice and we may have to put the drum aside for the time being as it seems to be the object that interests everyone or acquire a few more!
Enjoy the sun!
Very tired, sleepy kids today, but the youngest one ate today!!! Yeah! One went pee on the potty! They all seem to have runny noses today so lots of hand sanitizer for me and the house is getting wiped down with Chlorox wipes! One missed lunch today because she fell asleep at the table while I was dishing lunch up. Poor baby!
The new outdoor toys are a big hit, even if one has taken all the stickers off of everything.
Once the sun hit the patio the mosquito's seemed to disappear and we all got a good spray with Off before venturing out.
It was a pretty good morning...no fights...one little scraped knee and lots of smiles! :)
All of the kids seem tired this morning .... after a long weekend of travel and camping.
We are getting a slow start! As soon as the sun hits the patio we are going out to enjoy the day.
We have some new toys; three small riding toys, some sandbox toys and a toddler basket ball hoop! We have more than one ball so hopefully sharing won't be an issue.
To date, I have not had to use and disciplinary measures other than taking a child aside for a moment to explain that a certain behavior is not appropriate... and very few tears!
We are planning to finish our booklets on "B" and butterflies this week and we will be getting on with the letter "C" and I think we will go with caterpillars as they are still interested in the four stages of the butterfly and obsessed with "The Very Hungry Caterpillar".
We have added some musical instruments to try to establish some rhythm with our singing...this is obviously going to take some practice and we may have to put the drum aside for the time being as it seems to be the object that interests everyone or acquire a few more!
Enjoy the sun!
Very tired, sleepy kids today, but the youngest one ate today!!! Yeah! One went pee on the potty! They all seem to have runny noses today so lots of hand sanitizer for me and the house is getting wiped down with Chlorox wipes! One missed lunch today because she fell asleep at the table while I was dishing lunch up. Poor baby!
The new outdoor toys are a big hit, even if one has taken all the stickers off of everything.
Once the sun hit the patio the mosquito's seemed to disappear and we all got a good spray with Off before venturing out.
It was a pretty good morning...no fights...one little scraped knee and lots of smiles! :)
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