Washing Hair With No Fuss
My two oldest kids (9 and 6) have always loved the water… They enjoy their faces getting wet and always laugh if you squirt them or of some water drips down their cheeks when washing their hair. So, when Baby #3 came along and didn’t like water AT ALL – I was a little out of sorts! He didn’t even like bathing until he was well over a year old… so, we would hold him in the shower – he felt much safer being held and this worked until he just got too big to do this safely.
He is 4 now – and still doesn’t like having his hair washed. He enjoys playing in the shower or the tub now… but, if the water is dripping anywhere near his face – he throws a fit.
These are the paints I use… They come in a squirt tube that I can just put on the wall. I’ll draw the first letter of his name… draw a car or a crown – or just a bunch of swirls. He loves it!
So… to make hair washing time fun, I got those bath paints. I create designs on the walls that are just high enough that he has to look up a bit to play with them. While he is busy playing with the paints on the wall… I can easily get his hair washed without him really noticing!
Do you have a hair washing secret?
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=1a32ba8f-e683-4edf-a9c0-8d27c51522dc)
What’s in your beach bag?
- Image by shell belle via Flickr
Every summer I get out a huge bag and pack it with summer time essentials. I love heading to the beach… or to the park with sand… just being outside!! And, having a bag all ready to go lets us leave in on a whim.
Here is what I have in my bag:
- sunglasses for the kids
- sunhats for the kids
- 2 towels and a smaller hand towel
- powder (amazing for getting that wet sand off!)
- sunscreen
- water bottles with water
- granola bars (or other non perishable snacks)
- extra shorts for my 4 year old
- diapers/pull-ups
- antibacterial gel and/or wipes
- a few small sand toys (shovel, truck)
My bag is always hanging on the hook by the front door… and every few days, I’ll make sure the water is fresh so it is ready to go.
What about you?
Do you have a beach bag ready to go?
What’s in it?
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=b02e18a4-8ca0-4c73-aef4-39927ddb8bb8)
Goodbye Diaper Rash… FOREVER…
My youngest was one of those kids that had the absolute WORST diaper rash. If we used generic diapers – he would get a rash… if he wasn’t changed immediately – he would get a rash… And the worse part was – regular diaper ointment didn’t do a single thing for it! [And we tried ALL of them!]
Finally, a nurse at our pediatric office told me about the most amazing stuff! Calmoseptine Ointment… It is this THICK, pink cream that has some serious protection for those little bottoms. She told me to put it on thick – like “frosting on a cake” were her exact words – and it is the ONLY thing that has worked for my little guy.
If you are struggling with diaper rash… give this a try! You use to be able to get it at Whole Foods – but, I’ve recently found it cheaper online and behind the counter at drug stores. You don’t need a prescription for it… but, I’ve never seen it on the shelf.
… now, kiss that rash GOODBYE!… 
Free Cultural Passes… Get Out Of The House!
Has the economy put a damper on your plans for getting to the zoo or a local museum with the kids?
Is heading to the park every few days getting a little old… but, the budget is just too tight to pay for $15+ tickets to visit a local museum for kids?
Did you know that you might be able to get FREE passes to all kinds of great places to bring kids?
We recently found out that our local library offers free passes (you actually check them out) to quite a few museums and other places with activities for kids… it’s worth checking into your local library too – I’m always amazed at how many resources libraries have!
Our library (Washington County in Oregon) offers cultural passes for:
* A.C. Gilbert’s Discovery Village
* Chinese Classical Garden
* Pittock Mansion
* Portland Art Museum
* Portland Children’s Museum
* Portland Japanese Garden
* Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals
* Washington County Museum
The EASIEST way to get your kids OUTDOORS
Do you have trouble getting your kids outdoors?
Okay – maybe that is a silly question… but, the other day, I was suggesting to my kids that they head out back to play. I couldn’t believe it when they said they didn’t want to. What I realized is that they just needed a little help with ideas for what to DO out back… I’ve put together a scavenger hunt list of things for them to find out back… I recommended different roll-play ideas they can do (pretend play like Indiana Jones, Dino Hunter, GI Joe, FairyLand, etc…) But, this time they needed something different.
Check this out…
This kept my kids entertained (and getting along!) for hours out back… a win-win-win!! 
There are all sorts of digging adventures you can pick up at Marshalls, Ross and TJMaxx… here are some available at Amazon just so you can see what I’m talking about.
I’m pretty sure we have done all of them at this point…
We started with a dino-dig like this one
There is one set where you dig out pieces of armor and then put it together on a stand…
There are digs you can do for beautiful rocks and gems (my daughter loved this one!)
There are digs you can do where you dig out pirate treasure and then they are actually pieces of a game…
In fact, these are great to bring if you are camping! We did that last year when our church went camping for the weekend – all the kids ended up at our campsite to help with the dig going on… lots of fun for everyone!
Want To Be A Mom Tester?
- Image by reinvented via Flickr
This is cool… I was browsing through parenting magazine and found a link to sign up as a Mom Tester.
You can get some free goodies if you sign up to be a Mom Tester at http://www.Parenting.com/momtester – they’ll call (via mail, email, phone… however you sign up) to ask your opinion on all kinds of mom things… Not only that – but, you might even get picked to try out new products!
I signed up – I’ll let you know how it goes. Has anyone else ever done anything like this? No of another resource that takes the very important opinion of a mom? Please share…
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=77e366a3-1aa4-43a8-afb3-2a3fb650565d)
Boredom Buster #4
We are still going strong with our Boredom Buster’s!! Help us stamp out boredom this summer with your own tips to keep kids busy in the comments!
- Image by esagor via Flickr
Boredom Buster #4
Sidewalk Chalk: This is always a great boredom buster! There are all sorts of different accessories for sidewalk chalk these days too… but, the best is just letting the kids get creative.
You can help by giving them a sort of game to play… or have them make up a game with their chalk drawings… or, they can draw a story… build hopscotch… draw a desert island and boats to get there on… let their imagination go wild at a park sidewalk or in your driveway.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=e60df23b-5a3f-418b-ba23-1506a93ee9e8)
Boredom Buster #3
We are still on a roll here… cutting boredom from the summer of 2009! Here is boredom buster number 3…
Boredom Buster #3
- Image by plien via Flickr
March In A Parade: This is perfect for right around 4th of July – let the kids decorate their bikes, trikes or wagon and put on a parade! There doesn’t really have to be a special occassion – they can just have a summer parade too!
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=ac51b833-1eae-46e3-bc44-e270c1128f46)
Boredom Buster #2
We are continuing our series to help fight BOREDOM this summer… No more hearing ‘I’m Bored Mom!’ this summer with these fantastic tips. Do you have something add? Leave a comment and we’ll be sure to feature it in a future post.
Boredom Buster #2
Arts and Crafts Bin: Set a budget and hit the dollar store or craft store to build a bin of craft supplies. Take the kids with you and give them $5-10 to add to the bin things that interest them. Once a week, pull out the arts and crafts bin for them to create.
A few things to consider including:
- pipe cleaners
- wooden craft sticks
- stickers
- puffy paints
- fabric swatches
- felt pieces
- yarn
- ribbons
- scissors, glue, tape, etc.
- paper plates
- foil
- pretty papers (scrapbooking paper?)
Fight Boredom With Fun At Home This Summer
We are starting a series to help fight boredom this summer!
Tired of hearing, “I’m Bored Mom”? All it takes is a little bit of preparation and planning… and we are here to help!
Over the next week we will be highlighting some fun ways to keep your kids from being bored this summer. If you have something to add – please share, and I’ll feature it in a future post.
Boredom Buster #1
Backyard Camp Out: Set up your tent right in your backyard for an overnight stay… If camping outside is just a little too much for your little ones, you can still have a camp-out by having a fun campfire (check out this campfire in a box for your backyard – too cool!) and then you can make your own s’mores! If the camp fire in the box is a bit much – there are these little s’more grills you can get. We have one and it works great! The point is to get outside and have a great time creating yummy treats over a fire.
What you might need:
- Basic S’more Ingredients – graham crackers, chocolate squares, large marshmellows
- Skews for cooking marshmellows
- campfire in a box
- or, smaller s’more grill
- want something more gourmet? Check out this s’more cookbook!
Do you have a favorite Boredom Buster? Leave a comment sharing your tip and we’ll feature it later – giving you full credit, of course!
Getting Outdoors – Family Friendly Day Hike Finder
I just spent an hour poking around at different programs to manage and help me plan my summer… then, silly me, realized that google has a great calendar to use! duh… I already use google calendar on my igoogle page for meal planning – it makes sense to use it for planning summer activities too!
One of the things my hubby and I have talked about is our desire to get outside and do a day hike at least every other week this summer. We want to shoot for every week – but, that might be pushing it with the other goodies we have planned
So, as I was planning these day hikes to get them on my google calendar – I stumbled on this website: www.trails.com – you can search by state and find out whether a trail is kid friendly or now. I’m just trying it out now… but, thought I’d share.
Do you know of another website or resources to find good family friendly hikes around the country?
Get Ready For Summer Boredom Busters!
Here they come… Tomorrow we start a series of Boredom Busters so you never have to hear “I’m Bored Mom” during the summer of 2009! Ahhh… doesn’t that sound nice?
If you want to participate – be sure to share your favorite boredom buster and we will include it as a post. I’m going to try to get Mr. Linky to work – but, I’ve never done that before… so, we’ll have to just see if it coorperates. In the mean time, feel free to leave a comment sharing your tip for keeping summer sane with little ones.
See you tomorrow!
Fitness For Kids
I have a feeling I’ll be mentioning this again once the rain sets in later this year… but, it is on my mind and even though it’s summer (YAY!) and warm (DOUBLE YAY!) and I really want my kids to be outside as much as possible… this is a great way to get kids moving when they are indoors.
The library is one of our favorite places… (no this isn’t about going to the library) and we stumbled on this video that is so cool! I love Denise Austin – and she has a Fit Kids video that is loads of fun. My kids are 9, 6 and 4 and all three of them could have done this all afternoon. Denise does an amazing job with motivating the kids and getting them moving… all I did was stick it in the DVD player and the kids started moving on their own In fact, my 6 year old was determined to not watch the movie I was putting on… she was sitting in the rocking chair pretending not to watch. My 9 year old and 4 year old were starting to get into it and pretty soon, I heard my 6 year old say, “Hey, you’re in my way!” heehee! Love it… within minutes she was up doing all the moves too and having a great time!
Now THIS is a cookie!
Kendra at My First Kitchen just posted the recipe to these cookies…
Oh. My.
Seriously… my mouth is watering and I’m tempted to stop at the store to pick up some ingredients on my way home so I can make me some of these…
They sound absolutely AMAZING! Of course, I’ll post a full review after I have actually tried them – but, honestly, there is no doubt in my mind that they will impress…
If you haven’t checked out My First Kitchen and you love to cook – you are in for a nice surprise… It’s one of my favorite stops each day.
Do you have a favorite cookie recipe? Please share…
