Handy Homemade Popsicles!



Popsicles are always in high demand at our house. My son would live on them if I would let him! But store bought popsicles are often laden with extra sugar, food dyes, and preservatives. And the 100% natural fruit and organic ones are often very pricey. So we started making ours at home. And it's so quick and easy that your toddler can help too!

Our favorite combinations involve all-natural yogurt and fruit. This way your toddler thinks they're getting a tasty treat and you're satisfied because you know it's healthy! For a six count popsicle mold, I combine 3 6oz. yogurt containers and around 1/4 cup of chopped fruit in a plastic bag. Then just snip a corner end off the bag and pipe into the molds and freeze. My son's favorite pops are made from strawberry yogurt and a mashed banana. And you can always stir in granola for a bit of a crunch.

For more of an ice pop, we use 100% juice as our base in our molds. These are especially great outside on a hot day! You can stir in chopped fruit for an added health benefit here too. And if your kid loves bugs as much as mine does, then you could pop a gummy bug or worm in each one for a yummy surprise!

We are also big fans of pudding pops! While not as healthy as yogurt or fruit and juice, they are very tasty and cost-effective. You just take 1 3.4 oz. package of your favorite flavored pudding mix and 2 cups of cold milk and combine thoroughly in a plastic bag (yields 6 pops). Then just pipe into molds and freeze. For a more decadent treat, you can stir in chocolate chips, candy, or crushed cookies. YUM!

Managing Pet Allergies



Having a pet that suffers from allergies can be heartbreaking. First of all, they can't communicate their exact needs. So it's up to us as their owners to try to decipher what's best for them, which is not always easy. Charley, my Labrador Retriever, is allergic to the world it seems. But through trial and error, and several expensive trips to the vet, I've learned a few tips for making him more comfortable and keeping him healthy.

I try my best to keep Charley away from his allergy triggers. But unfortunately, one of those triggers is grass and how do you avoid that? The only solution that I have come up with is to keep his coat extra clean during the spring and summer months when the grass pollen count is the highest. (Be sure to always use a gentle shampoo.) Also if I notice that his underside is getting red or a rash is beginning, I start giving him a couple of Benadryls at night. And I spray the inflamed area several times a day with Hydrocortisone spray. I continue doing this until the redness goes away. My veterinarian also initially recommended giving him fish oil daily. But we discontinued this treatment because it didn't improve his skin. However it does help a lot of animals, so you should still try it.

Sadly he is also allergic to some water algae. So that means whenever he goes for a swim in a pond or lake, he gets a bath immediately afterwards. This simple measure prevents a lot of headache later. Without all of this extra care, Charley's skin gets infected easily. And after it's infected the only recourse I have is to go to the vet and get several expensive shots and medications.

Charley also has several food allergies. I found this out after switching his dog food one time. He had grown up on Pedigree and the store was out one day, so I grabbed a bag of Kibbles'n'Bits. Big mistake! Even though I introduced the food to him in a slow mixture with his old food, he became profusely ill and began having bloody, mucus-filled diarrhea. Yeah it was bad! I immediately stopped the Kibble and went to Petsmart for advice. The store clerk there told me that Charley most likely had a dye allergy since there were no dyes in Pedigree and were several types used in Kibbles'n'Bits. So he then recommended their brand of all meat, no dyes or preservatives dog food. Well when I gave it to Charley, the outside of his muzzle began to swell and rash up. So upon returning to Petsmart again, I asked what the problem could still be and the only ingredient that was left that could possibly be the allergen was chicken. So then I was lead over to the Blue Buffalo section to grab a bag of completely hypoallergenic dog food. I started Charley on the Adult Lamb and Rice Formula, which has NO dyes, preservatives, corn, soy, or wheat fillers, or chicken. The difference has been night and day! He has less skin issues, a shinier coat, and more muscle. And since this food is higher in protein, he eats much less of it than his old brand.

Enter fleas! One flea bite causes Charley's hair to start falling out and causes a scaly, scabby rash all over his body. Of course, here again, the best thing is prevention. I do my best to keep him flea-free by washing him with flea shampoo and using flea spray on him and around the house. I've used several of the spot topical treatments in the past, but never found them that effective.You can also purchase several medications now from your veterinarian to give your pet monthly that kill fleas and ticks.

Hopefully you can use some of these tips to treat your fur babies this allergy season! And Charley and I would love to hear any suggestions that you have on treating pet allergies!

Quick Cleaning Tips

Peroxide for stain-removal
Hydrogen peroxide can be used to easily remove stains from upholstery, carpet, and linens. Just pour a liberal amount over the stain, let sit for a few minutes, and blot up with a rag. And it's gentle so it won't damage most fabrics.

Homemade all-purpose cleaner
Mix one part white vinegar with two parts water in a spray bottle. You can use this natural cleanser on just about every hard surface. And vinegar is a natural disinfectant.

Stinky dishwasher?
Don't shell out money for dishwasher cleansing tabs. Just pour a cup of white vinegar into your empty dishwasher and add your detergent as usual and set to wash on the pots and pans(longest) cycle.

Slow or stopped-up drains?
Before you reach for the Drano, try pouring some boiling water down your drain to break up clogs. My mom does this periodically just to keep her drains flowing freely. If you boil the water in a tea kettle it makes it much easier to carry. It's natural, cheap, easy, and effective!
*In a pinch I have actually even used a soda to unclog a drain! Makes you wonder what it does to your insides!*

Freshen your carpet with baking soda
Just liberally sprinkle baking soda all over your carpet and let sit overnight. Then just vacuum up in the morning. It should leave your carpet odor-free.
*This treatment also helps kill fleas and their eggs!*

Use aluminum foil to scour pots
Just take a sheet of aluminum foil and ball it into a tight ball. Now use it as you would an SOS pad to scrub the baked on gunk off your pan. I like to "recycle" the foil I line my pans with for this job. Just remember not to use it on any nonstick pans because it will scratch them.

Stinky sink garbage disposal?
Use a lemon to quell garbage disposal odors. Just turn on the sink disposal and throw in a fresh lemon. It will immediately smell better!

Whiten with baking soda & peroxide
You can whiten pretty much any porous surface with baking soda and peroxide. Just slowly combine the two until you have a paste. Then just apply the paste to a scrub brush or toothbrush and gently scrub the offending surface. I've used this to make old, dingy grout, bright and white again. And it also does a good job of removing rust stains on cultured sinks and stainless steel. You can even use it to safely whiten your teeth!

Rags for mopping & dusting
No more paying for Swiffer pads! Just take a regular old washcloth and attach it as you would to your Swiffer mop. You can even make your own floor cleaning solution by diluting a few spoonfuls of liquid dish soap into a squirt bottle of water. Just squirt and mop!
Whenever socks get "holey" at my house, I put them in a special bin to use for dusting. Just slip the sock over your hand, spray with your favorite dust polish, and wipe away dust. When done just toss it in the trash.

Easy Chicken Casserole





Try this easy chicken casserole tonight! It truly is a one pot dish!

Ingredients:
1 cup of uncooked white rice
2 cups of water
6 chicken legs (can be frozen or fresh)
1 12oz. bag of mixed frozen vegetables
2 10 3/4oz. cans cream of mushroom soup
Salt and pepper

In a 13x9 casserole dish assemble the ingredients in the order that they are listed above. Cover everything thoroughly with the soup. Do not stir! Then cover with aluminum foil and place in the oven at 400 degrees for 1 1/2 hours. When done the rice will have absorbed all the water and the chicken will be cooked through. Great by itself or with a salad!

5 Beauty Tricks

Check out my Hubpages article!
http://amyturberville.hubpages.com/hub/five-simple-and-cheap-beauty-tricks

Slow-cooker Spanish Chicken



Are you in need of a quick and easy meal? Then try my Slow-cooker Spanish Chicken recipe. It's perfect for busy moms because you just dump all of the ingredients in the slow cooker and let it cook all day.

Here's a list of what you will need:
2 lbs. Chicken pieces (I prefer to use bone-in thighs)
1 large onion-chopped
1 16 oz. jar of salsa ( I use mild, but you can use medium or hot if you prefer more heat.)
4 oz. green olives
1 packet of taco seasoning
1/2 tsp. of red pepper flakes (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup of water

Just put everything in the crockpot, set it on high, and cook for about six hours. Meat can then easily be pulled off the bone and shredded into the sauce. You can serve it over rice, noodles, or with cornbread.

*This recipe can also be doubled so that you can use the leftovers to make Chicken & Cheese Enchiladas. All you need to do is mix in some shredded cheese and spoon mixture into tortillas and wrap them like a burrito and place in a baking pan. Be sure you place them seam down. Then cover them with your favorite store bought enchilada sauce and top with shredded cheese. Bake in the oven at 375 degrees for 45 min until cheese is bubbly and slightly browned. Top with a dollop of sour cream.

Teething Is Such A Pain

 

I hate it when my toddler is teething. It is agonizing for both of us. He is currently cutting his top back molars and is miserable at night. So that means I'm up most of the night comforting him and popping Tylenol in his mouth. And during the daytime he gnaws on everything, including me. And it's been this way for us since the first tooth.

We have tried everything-ointments, medicines, home remedies. Nothing alleviates the pain completely. He just has to suffer through until the offending tooth makes it through the gum. All I can do is take the edge off the pain by using Tylenol chew-tabs. I tried several different brands of liquid Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen before my mom turned me on to the chew-tabs. They have definitely been a Godsend for us. But I know that no two children respond alike to the same medication. So that leaves us mommies to figure it out with trial and error.

Worse yet is when you meet another mother and ask her how she treats teething pain and she tells you her child has no problem with it. That one always sends me off to silently fume, wondering why it is that my kid has to have such a hard time. But I still have no answer. That's just the way God made him.