All that glitters and all that's under as the glittering snow melts

Overall, for Alberta, it's been a very mild winter. I'm not complaining. For Ali and I it's been a long winter and both of us have been loving the +15 weather the past week, although I know it won't last and it's just a tease of spring. The snow has all melted and we've been playing out front in the big green space, but not until this Mom cleaned up all the hidden wayward dog leavings. I know it's a public space and dogs are just as welcome (or as unwelcome) as children in our neighborhood. Out of curiosity I started counting thinking it I would get over 10 but below 20, boy did I give the benefit of the doubt (and Ali wonders why I demand she wash her hands after playing out there), I managed a staggering 37 pick ups!!!! The past years of anger subsided this year, as I was pooper scooping I thought I was doing a much more positive thing than just complaining about it. Wouldn't you know it, the space actually looked and felt a little cleaner and a little brighter afterward!

Ahhh, there's our little doggy, or is that a kitty? (honest, all the time, and it changes back and forth, unless she's taking care of her imaginary little brother Jack), soaking up the sun and enjoying our walk to the look out. 

It's been a long winter because I haven't been a super active mom this winter. Last winter I used Pinterest quite a bit to create fun sensory and learning play ideas into a reality, this year, I can't imagine. A bunch of colored rice in a bucket sure sounds like a great afternoon, but, all it would take would be one frustrating moment to have colored rice tossed all through my house. We're working on it, and Ali's a great funny girl, she's just so passionate and strong willed and she doesn't understand physics or mechanics of how things work yet. There's always next year. 

I did get motivated to get a dresser in Ali's room. It was borne out of need, I couldn't stand trying to ram in all of Ali's clothes into her closet and have it stay nice and folded and in order AND expect Ali to dress herself. I've realized, unless the used furniture is exactly right, it's not always cheaper to refinish old things. It's gotta be better for the environment, no?

I found this dresser for sale for $50, I offered $35. I gave them $40

 I had the pink paint from Ali's closet/ reading nook so all I really needed was new knobs and handles. Did you know how difficult it is to find a plain primary red paint? I ended up getting a spray can to paint the sides of the drawers to add some color and style..

I got it in my head to add magic Glidden Disney glitter paint for fun.

This is a no tint paint. The base resembles thick white glue, a carrier for the glitter. While applying it, it was difficult to see just how much glitter was going on. It did seem to take two days to completely dry. I was hesitant to put the glitter coat on and have it end up being gaudy or overdone but the glitter is very subtle and didn't take away or change the pink paint in the least. This is the finished paint job up close. There's still over half a can left, I may end up doing Ali's closet/reading nook.

 I had my heart set on white porcelain knobs but didn't find any. Plan B was to buy inexpensive wooden knobs that Ali had free reign with. She colored them with stripes and dots of all colors from her crayola water paints. The dresser is still without handles but I'm hoping to rectify that tomorrow. All in all, it took me two days and many hours but I'd say..... we love it!

Ali earns an Allowance

Alexiss is growing into her own person more and more every day, with that comes thumbs-up moments and thumbs-down moments. Many moms utilize sticker charts or numbering charts to reward and discipline, but to Alexiss..a sticker is a sticker and a number is a number. She's already grasped that money buys things though, so I thought I'd use a chore type chart to let her earn and spend money! I'm also trying to teach her that money isn't just an endless resource and that Daddy works hard to put a room over our heads, food on our table and then some.

I struggled with the layout, or possibly wasn't fueled enough to put my mind to actually making it happen. I had the play money and supplies months ago but there's a few recent drivers pushing me on; one is her love of gum/candy/new toys the other is wanting her to sleep through the night (but wake up to pee) and to stop throwing toys when she gets mad or frustrated. The last toy has been thrown for free!

So I roughed out how I wanted the final layout to look. Believe it or not, this took time, I'm a bit of a stickler for putting things where they logically make sense to me. There will be one big Bristol board with smaller "cards" that can be removed or added with magnets. I have a spot where I can let Alexiss know how she can earn money, later I also decided there were a few things where she'd have to pay back money. For now I'll call them How to Earn Money and How to Loose Money Cards. The bottom of the board has sections to display what Alexiss wants to save for and how much she has earned, Reward cards

 All in One Chore/Allowance/Discipline/Praise/Reward Chart

Required Supplies:

You can use sticky notes on a wall for all intents and purposes but I decided to dress it up a little

• Bristol Board
• Play money coins
• Magnets (buttons and a strip)
• Glue Gun
• Laminate (I used Scotch brand thermal laminating pouches 110 mm by 161 mm)

Step 1: Come up with ways to earn/loose money and things to "buy" as a reward

I packed all my supplies away in one handy spot so I could play a bit, prepare dinner and brainstorm ideas for how Alexiss could earn/loose money. Examples: Earn a quarter for putting away toys, Earn a dollar for listening and focusing on mom or dad when being spoken too, loose one dollar every time she throws a toy in frustration or anger. Use money to buy candy, an iPad app... etc.

EARN - Put toys away, clear dishes from the table after a meal, go to bed without a fuss, listen to Mom/Dad the first time, vacuum, dust, do dishes, tidy bedroom, sleep through the night, pee on toilet at night, dress self, wash hands after bathroom, parent/guardian choice

LOOSE - Throw things, push/bully friends, put hands/things in mouth, parent/guardian choice

SPEND - iPad app, go shopping (dollar store), candy, gum, specific toy, 1 item from prize box (box of stickers, loot bag goodies, glow sticks, dollar store toys...etc)

Keep a notepad or paper and pen in a handy spot while you go about your normal everyday stuff and add to it every-time something comes to mind. You may want to keep it organized and keep ways to earn/loose and buy as separate sides of the paper so it's easier later. No doubt this will change as time goes on. I tried to round out behavior with hygiene and helping out around the house. I tried to steer clear of ways Alexiss could loose money and chose to only use that for behavior that is totally unacceptable. I decided to opt out of making "yelling at parents in anger" an option because I think at this time it's healthier for Ali to share her emotions and thoughts...we can reign in her in emotions later, when it becomes clear Alexiss has mastered it, then perhaps it'll make it to a card as unacceptable and a loss. There's tons of ideas online to suit every child's temperament and age, a quick search of Chore or Reward Chart will give you endless ideas, and as a Mom, I know other Moms will have some things that pop into their head right away, it could be the thing we say 100 times a day, over and over.

Step 3: Start making your content for your cards

Print and cut out the Earn/Loose/Reward cards below or use it as a template to personalize your own.

Ways to earn money (chores, praise) and ways to loose money (discipline)
Things to buy with Earned Money (Rewards) with coin equivilants

I used different color borders; green to earn money, red to loose money (pay Momma) and blue to spend money. I wanted to use clipart pictures on my cards instead of writing and drawing.  I typed out all the ways I decided Ali can earn or loose money and then went online looking for clipart. Instead of using numbers to write down the value, I wanted to use pictorials of Canadian money. I honestly think this will help motivate Alexiss and make the reward a little more realistic. I found some great Canadian money information for kids and worksheets at the kidzone website.

• There are two "Toy or Item" reward cards in my template to use if there's a special toy Ali really wants. (I'll be finding a picture of a Duplo set to print out), then I can tape the image on the outside of the card and write in the dollar amount with a wet/dry erase marker. 
• I also made one card for 1 item in a prize box and an extra prizebox card to stick on the basket/box so it's the same visual.

Step 4: Assembling your cards and coins

Laminate your cards! Remember to leave space between each card for the laminate to stick to laminate. If you don't have a laminating machine, you can use an iron. You may have to play a bit to find the right temperature on your iron so it will adhere but doesn't melt. I found the setting just below medium worked for me. Put the laminate between wax paper or thin cardstock (cereal boxes work, construction paper) and use the heat from the iron to melt the laminate together, I found quick motions was better. You could also buy self laminating pouches.

Use the strip magnet on the back of the laminated cards then fire up the glue gun and glue the button magnets onto the back of the play coins.

Step 4: Make your board

I'm choosing to make the layout on my bristol board with a marker instead of using more printer paper and ink. The green, red and blue boxes represent the cards, The black boxes and words are what I wrote right onto the Bristol board.

I really didn't have to go this far, but it was fun and I like that I can add or remove things as I see fit. If she's over zealous and decides to dust for the fifth time in a day.... I can remove that card and give it a break. If our budget is tight I can remove the option to buy and iPad app and leave up candy and gum. If I don't want Alexiss to have candy that day or there's none in the cupboard, I can remove the option to buy candy as a reward. As Alexiss grows (if this works) I can take away the chore of picking up toys and add in "do homework. I could add in rewards that are time events or special non-monetary rewards like "doing a jig-saw with Mom/Dad" or "free pretend/play time with Mom/Dad". Right now I don't want her to feel like she needs to earn and spend money for those types of activities right now though, perhaps as she gets older.

Loving the honey!

I don't usually get on any kind of soap box, it's just not my style. I do share under the right circumstances and I don't hide, you may be observant and happen to see homemade toothpaste on the sink or look in my bathroom drawer to see I use natural deodorant. If you came to the wedding you were treated to my home made mosquito repellants. I'm not a hard core natural-only kinda mom. We still have Goldfish crackers and Kraft Dinner and hot dogs in the kitchen. Mark still uses Crest and drinks pop. I drink too much coffee.  I don't eat fast food but I don't eat enough vegetables either. These are my personal choices and I don't force them on others. I do believe there's too many chemicals and additives in the world around us and it contributes to our health. Those that are healthy can better balance and purge these things but people with a slow metabolism and not top health need an extra boost to purge and not pile on heaps more for a body to deal with. I've never done a "cleanse", I try not to get swept into the "next best" health fad...that I know of. But I am trying to balance the chemicals and foods going into my body.

Now here's where you roll you're eyes....Pinterest has really become an amazing place to share knowledge and recipes for some tried and true natural remedies. Some are a little too experimental for me, I use my personal knowledge and common sense and listen to my body more than believe everything put infront of me. I do extra research and often times use and embellish the natural remedies and recipes. My facebook friends also share things that interest me. Pinterest is just structurally better suited to keeping this information in albums instead of having to search a chronological news feed.

I gotta tell you, I'm amazed and awed....... I found a cold remedy that I was excited to try. Within two weeks I'm on my third batch already because we are loving it AND I just had to share with a few neighbors. Mark and I have both thwarted the last cold with two hot steaming cups of this before bed and one in the morning when we thought we were getting a cold. Ali has a cold and it's making it definitely more manageable, but it's hard to pinpoint the healing because it doesn't have druggy side effects or mask sickness. It's just honey, ginger and lemon but they all have anti bacterial antiviral, anti-inflammatory and analgesic qualities that make a power house remedy. Sure you could put lemon and honey in tea but letting them sit together really brings out their healing properties. I don't mean to sound like an infomercial or ad, but I can't help but share this. As with all natural cures, what works for one may not work for the next so if it may not work for everyone.

                                Home Cold and Flu Remedy from Remedy from Instructables.com                     

With my embellishments and comments

Jar can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 months.

Ingredients: 

• Fresh lemon
• antiseptic, aids digestion, great source of calcium, magnesium, vitamin C, bioflavonoids
• Fresh ginger
• antiviral, anti-inflammatory, aids digestion,  effective against human respiratory syncytial virus, great for upset tummie
• Raw honey
• antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral
• Disclaimer: Experts don't recommend giving honey to children younger than 1

Directions:

• Slice lemon into quarters or slices and pack into jar  
• I use two lemons
• Peel and grate ginger, and add to lemon
• I prefer diced. I use one large sized ginger root but the amount is up to you
• Fill the jar and cover lemon and ginger with honey  
• almost 1 kg, unpasteurized is better
• I let mine sit for 24 hours to bring out the juice of the ginger and lemon and thin the honey, you will need to stir once as the honey settles to the bottom the first day

To Use:

• Add 1 tablespoon (or more to taste) to hot water and stir. it's a nice soothing hot drink.
• We use two or three
• drink it from a tbsp like a cough syrup

Embellishments:

• 5 - 10 sprigs of Fresh Thyme 
• The flowers, leaves and oil of thyme are commonly used for, stomach ache, arthritis, colic, sore throat, cough (including whooping cough), bronchitis, flatulence and as a diuretic (to increase urination).
• 10 - 20 Whole Cloves
•  Helps digestive issues, an expectorant, soothes sore throats, cloves are anti-fungal, antibacterial, antiseptic and analgesic. They’re packed with antioxidants and are good sources of minerals (especially manganese), omega-3 fatty acids, fiber and vitamins
• 1 tsp Cinnamon 
• In medieval times doctors used cinnamon to treat conditions such as coughing, arthritis and sore throats.

I noticed Ali's not as diligent about nose blowing and because of that she gets a bit of a sour stomach due to nasal drip. With the ginger and lemon and with added cloves, this stuff even helps settle her stomach!

I've gotta say, in the past, for me, adding honey and lemon in tea hasn't really done much for me and colds, I feel like it was just the hot water soothing my sore throat for a short period of time, it never really shortened or thwarted an oncoming cold, but this combination and the way it's put together seems to perfect it. If you do try it and it works for you, please let me know.