Bugging Off

          So now  the weather is nicer.  (Or so everyone keeps telling me.   I thought it was nice when it snowed but you people are all  fickle.)  But since it is warmer and Feisty Pants is dying to be out on her bike or, at least rolling around touching bugs and whatnot, I thought I would post some all natural diy bug repellant recipes.   For some reason, bugs like me.  Or at least, they like to bite on me.   Hippie Pants too.  I think Feisty Pants and the bugs have an understanding, but with her asthma I'm not going to push my luck.  And since she does have asthma, I don't want bomb her with chemicals, either.   We've tried Avon's skin so soft, which smells yummy, but while it worked for FP it did not work on Hippie Pants or me.   And so we stick to these recipes.

             

           1) Easy Peasy- no work involved.   It sometimes works, sometimes does not. (My guess it doesn't work after dusk when all the bugs seem to be at their hungriest)  Simply stick a few bounce dryer sheets (new, not used) in your belt loops.  Bounce uses oleander to scent their products.  Oleander is a natural bug repellant.  It's not perfect but its quick and easy, and will help in a pinch.  You can even rub your dogs (not cats) with one to try help them too.

 

          2) All natural bug repellant oil- these smell yummy and are good for the skin. Basically you will need a carrier oil and essential oils. 

 Take 3-4 ounces carrier oil (sweet almond or jojoba work best as they are not too greasy and absorb quickly into the skin)

Add the essential oils and mix well.  Apply to bare skin when needed.

For the essntial oils-  try the following combos:

25 drops rosemary

15 drops cinnamon

6 drops cedarwood.

 

or: 25 drops lemongrass

      12 drop eucalyptus

      5 drops citronells

 

or:25 drops lavender

      25 drops lemongrass

 

or even:25 drops geranium

 

You can play around with these a bit and see which combinations work best ( and smell best).  Go easy on the cinnamon oil though. It can burn skin if too high a concentration (like pepper spray).  You can always add mint to any of these too.

 

 

3) Bug Spray- You will need water, witch hazel (or rubbing alcohol) and essential oils.  Fill an eight ounce spray bottle half full with water.  Add witch hazel until almost full.  Add 30-50 drops of essential oils (try the combinations above) and mix well.

 

Hopefully, these will work well for you without making you smell awful or poisoning you with chemicals.

Happy bike riding and bug hunting!

 

In Gratitude

          Well, today has been an absolute misery of a morning.  Feisty Pants was bossy.   Goo was cranky.  We walked to the grocery store today.  Normally, I like the walk.  When we left this morning, it was misty and rainy but nice.  By the time we got there, 45 minutes or so later, it had dropped 15 degrees and was so wet and windy I expect an ark to float by any second.  And the very lovely human being who intentionally drove through a puddle to splash us did not help.  (What kind of petty, small person delights in that anyway?  How sad and dark is your life that you need that kind of twisted vengeance on a random victim to make you smile?)  We left a trail of water the first aisle we walked down at the store.   And then came home to find that Cheweverything Pants had done just that.  To our refrigerator cord. Sigh......

          So nothing for it then, but to defy it all.   To hell with the rain and wind.  Fie (and shame) upon the fool who had to be petty and mean. To heck with cords that aren't made to be chew proof.  I am gonna make this post about more things  am grateful for today.  If only to prove to the universe, that meanness and sadness ain't the boss of me.  Nanny nanny boo boo. 

            First things first, thank you so much lovely friend (May I call you Lovely Pants?) who gave us a ride home today.  It was heavenly to not walk home today.  You even turned on (and then turned up) the heat when we  described our walk.  For every meanie out there, someone kind and caring like you turns up to show the Universe may be well thought out after all. A lesson I needed today. Thank you.

          Thank you, Hippie Pants.  You came over to check on the chew monster because you know she is afraid when alone and found the refrigerator problem early enough to warn us we might need parts before we left the store.  Which we did.  And because of you, we did not have to walk back to the store and be miserable all over again.  Your timing was perfect. Thanks.

          Thank you, FP's service coordinator.   (For the uninitiated, that's a person whose job is to oversee the coordination all the various services a disabled person needs.)   You are new to us.   I forget if we are on number four or perhaps five.  But every single one has been awesome and kind and worked very hard at the job.   I don't why haven't had any reason to complain (maybe the job attracts a certain personality?) but you sure have kept our lucky streak going and we appreciate it.   Thank you especially for helping us arrange for a folding special needs stroller so we can have a much easier time getting to various appointments without having to haul her big and very heavy wheelchair.  That is huge burden literally lifted right off our backs.

           And finally (for the moment), thank you to whomever invented chai tea.  I don't know which anonymous Indian (I assume) genius first discovered this glittering gem of an idea but you must have been divinely inspired somehow. And after this morning's wet and cold misery, the cup of chai I am sipping as I type this makes this day so much more civilized and bearable.   You have truly done the world a service. Thanks.   And thank you all for reading this.

            

Some things my kid's have taught me

          Since it was Mother's Day this weekend, I thought I would make this post about things my kids have taught me.  No, I don't mean all those unconditional love lessons, that mushy "oh, look at watching my babies grow up- sigh" emotionally overwrought type of crap.  EWWW.  Ick. You want that kind of sentimentality, Goo will have to write a blog.  Or Hippie Pants.  They're the mushy ones in this tribe.   Feisty Pants and I are too busy scouring the interwebs looking for definitive proof of bigfoot to be bothered with all that.  I mean the odd things you never notice until you see through someone else's eyes.       

             1) Men are MUCH more sentimental then women.   I grew up with two brothers and a sister, so I always suspected this.   After watching Goo with his daughters, I am certain.  For years, he couldn't be in the same room when Feisty Pants got an iv.  He just couldn't watch her cry and get stuck And this a guy with a handful of tattoos.  He also will practically freak out when his girls cry.  Seriously. 

            2) Siblings do really have their own language.  FP has a hard time making her body obey her.  Talking is no exception.  She tends to use certain words for multiple uses. Words like thing, her, go, now all have multiple meanings.  If you are around her enough you start to understand. We call it learning to speak Feisty. But even now, Goo and I sometimes don't get it.  Hippie Pants ALWAYS gets it, always did.  I've seen FP get very angry because we did not understand the sentence "Go the thing with the thing"    HP walks in the house hears it once with any context, and hands FP the exact item she wanted.  Amazes me every time.    

            3)  Kids are truly weird.    I realize that on some level we are freaks.  Kids, however, raise quirky to an art.  HP chewed her nails, her toenails, until she was four.  And talked to the "elves in the woods".      FP wants to be a werewolf.   And is obsessed with documentaries.  It's not just my kids, either. Every parent has some crazy story.     I knew someone whose child decided he wanted to grow up to be a lion. (She did tell him he could be anything.)

           4) Much of being a parent consists of mind numbing drudgery. Diapers, dishes, pet messes, laundry and dealing with lots of tantrums and whining (and not just from the kids).  You don't get paid, never get a day off,  and no one respects how hard you work.  Funny enough- you won't mind.

           5) The bestest part of being a parent? Sometimes its fun.  All those amazing toys you had as a kid.  All those toys you wish they had when you were a kid.  Now, you get to play with them all over again.  And call it quality time and act like you're just doing it for the kids.  (You awesome parent, you!)

             I am curious.  What's the most interesting thing you've learned?

Mother's Day Ideas, take three

       For my third Mother's Day diy post, I wanted to get to those fun, arts and crafts ideas for kids to make for their moms.   You know, those awesomely fun projects that give such a sense of pride to kids and that Moms love (even when they kinda don't want another macaroni necklace).  Hopefully these ones will be more useful and/or pretty.  No macaroni needed, I promise.

 

1)T-shirt scarf- this one can be as simple or complex as you like which makes it adaptable for kids of any age.  Basically you need- an old t-shirt (the bigger the better), scissors, needle and thread (optional) and something to use as dye(more on that in a moment).

 

What you want is a loop of fabric.  Younger kids can simply (with help if necessary) cut a four or five inch band off the bottom of the shirt.  Older kids can cut a four inch wide strip in a spiral pattern from the bottom to armpits and sew the ends together to get a much bigger loop. (These are called infinity scarves, btw, Dads)

Take the loop of fabric and get all artsy on it.  Magic Markers (NOT the washable kind),fabric pens/paints, Sharpies.  Let the kids go to town.  Have them draw their little hearts out. Write down fun haikus about mom. Draw pictures of what you like about her. You can even dye the fabric before hand with coffee or tea (herbal teas give very pretty earthy colors- try red zinger for something other than browns and beiges)  Dry in the dryer for a few minutes to set.  These get more charming and treasured as the kids get older.

 

 

2)Crafty bird feeders- These are fab for little ones. Not your typical bird feeders.  These are somewhat temporary and awesome as the birds can use them when they are empty to build their nests. ( A mother's day present for all kinds of moms.) You will need; cheerios, pipe cleaners, raffia or twine.

 

Bend the pipe cleaners into an interesting shape. Circles, oval, hearts (especially cute), etc. But don't hook the ends (yet).  String cheerios on the pipe cleaners, then hook them into a chain.  (Remember the old paper chains at Christmas time?)  Half a dozen or so should work.  Then make a long loop from twine to hang with.  Sweet and charming, just like your little angels.

 

3) Record bowls - these are better for older kids. They are retro cool but involve the oven and the somewhat melting of vinyl.  You will need old records (lps are better for this). Try hitting up your favorite thrift store.  Scratched are best because then no hipster will magically appear and freak out.  You will also need a cookie sheet, an oven safe bowl, and of course your oven.

 

First things first, open a window and turn on your exhaust fan. You will be partially melting vinyl. Preheat oven to 200 degrees.   Then place the bowl upside down on the cookie sheet.  Place the record on top.  Slide the cookie sheet into oven. Don't go anywhere- stick around to monitor progress.  Once the sides of the record start to droop (about 8 minutes or so), give it another minute and remove to cool.   These cool quickly and make great free form catch all bowls.

 

I hope these posts help make an awesome Mother's Day and some fun memories.  Happy Mother's Day.

 

Mother's Day Ideas, take two

         So, for my second mother's day post, I thought I would list a few ideas for homemade bath and body gifts.   Don't get me wrong.  I am allll for those fun arts and crafts type gifts. In fact that will probably be my next post.  (Short of someone or something in Feisty Pants' universe getting right on my last nerve.   Of course.)   But I just kinda thought it would fun to put up some diy all natural homemade handy dandy bath and body type gifts.   I don't know about moms who have sons, but at a certain age girls seem to become obsessed with girly, glittery bath stuff.  I just thought it some kids may like being able to make some for their mom.  These ideas are all natural, no horrible chemicals or additives, and hopefully will not smell like it was used to "freshen" the air in a cheap motel room. (Hippie Pants went through a stage about six or seven where quality was judged by exactly how much smell could contained in the package.)

 

Massage/Body Oil- this one is simple and if accompanied  by an offer to use for a foot rub (you listening, Dads???) makes for a very happy mom.  You will need:

A bottle- small like the kind you get for travel supplies easily found at your nearest  Kmart, Walmart, S-mart (watch for Deadites)

Enough oil to fill bottle almost full- sweet almond or grape seed works well, but so will olive (evoo).

1 tsp (or more if bottle is over four ounces) of pure vanilla.

1/2 tsp essential oil in any scent mom likes- lavender, orange, peppermint, lemon all would work well with the vanilla

  Simply put the vanilla and essential oil in bottle. Finish  filling  with the carrier oil.  Cap and shake well.  Add a pretty ribbon and voila!

 

Brown Sugar Scrub- even simpler.  (I LIKE easy peasy)  You will need.

Pretty Jar- a jelly type jar works great for this.  It will need to hold about 12 oz.

1 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup olive oil (evoo) or sweet almond oil (you also add the contents of a vitamin e capsule if you want)

2 TBS honey

2 Tsp pure vanilla.

Simply mix in bowl and add to jar.  

 

Hippie Pants'  Homemade Spa Heating Pads-  Hippie Pants went through this sewing phase as a teen.  One year she made these to give out as Christmas presents to every female she knew.  People still ask her for new ones.  You will need:

A cute knee sock-  (You can find adorable ones if you look.  Make two, one for mom and one for grandma....  Hippie Pants wears unmatched socks so she always has extras.)

Needle and thread

Uncooked Rice- cheap white rice.

Bulk herbs- lavender, chamomile, rose petals, anything that smells yummy in the bulk section of a health food store or the bulk section of the organic aisle at your grocery.

Simply fill the sock half full of rice.  THEN dump the rice into a bowl.  Add enough herbs to equal half the amount of rice and mix.  Fill the  sock (should be about 3/4 full) and sew the open end shut.

To use, you simply microwave for about 30 seconds at a time until warm and use as a heating pad.  Its awesome and relaxing.

 

So these should easy and fun, smell great to Mom, and the kids will learn they can make awesome things wthout spending all their allowance at the store. 

Mother's Day Ideas, take one

                Psssst, pssst, hey kids.  With Mother's Day right around the corner, I thought I would dedicate this week's posts to easy ideas for diy gifts.  (Totally NOT a hint or anything, Hippie Pants.)  So, first things first, if your mom is all tired of those diamond tiaras and rubies and maserati's, how about some easy, yummy treats?  These are easy, look cool and are very yummy. They are especially delicious because Mother's Day treats don't have calories for moms.  At least, not in my universe.

 

DIY kid friendly truffles-  You will need:

  one package of store bought cookies (sandwich cookies are great for this but really any will work)

 2 pkgs (8 oz each) cream cheese or neufchatel, softened.

 2 bags chocolate chips (dark is awesome, but any will do)

 

Crush the cookies with a rolling pin or potato masher.  Mix the crumbs with the softened cream cheese and roll into small balls .  Place in refrigerator to chill.  (Or freeze if you are in a hurry)

Have an adult melt the chocolate chips (double boiler works better, Dads) then roll the balls in the chocolate to coat. Refrigerate until set.  Easy peasy and awesome.

 

 

Strawberry lollipops-  you will need:

 strawberries

long lollipop sticks or bamboo bbq skewers

 chocolate magic shell (you know, like you put on ice cream.) Note: you can use melted chocolate but magic shell works well and no stove is needed then.

 

Simply chill the strawberries, place onto skewers like a lollipop then coat with magic shell.  After its set, you can arrange the lollipops in a vase like flowers.   This one is actually pretty easy and very impressive.

 

 

Homemade ice cream sandwiches- this one is a hit anytime, but use the more grown up versions of cookies and ice cream flavors and it becomes something special.

   You will need:

 pre made cookies- any, but for Mom, I suggest Milanos or Mint Milanos (You can even make your own if you are really picky/adventurous.) 

1 container ice cream, softened.  Try a flavor that suits the cookies, vanilla for ginger snaps,chocolate for mint milanos, coffee for Milanos, etc.

 

Simply place a small scoop of ice cream between two cookies and freeze until firm.  This is really easy, but the genius is in the flavor combinations.  Cohcolate cip cookies/strawberry ice cream, Vanilla cookies- peach ice cream.  The sky's the limit here.

 

Make these for Mom and make sure to clean the kitchen afterwards and your mom will think you're a genius.  Even more than she already does now.

 

 

The Not Unbearable Lightness of Being

          I saw a beautiful picture the other night. It was a photo of girl taken during her visual therapy session.  Therapy is really important to any special needs child. Simply put.  therapy is the key to their future.  Especially in a case like Feisty Pants, where it means the difference between living and thriving.  I am always acutely aware of this.  Other parents often do other things during therapy sessions, I haunt the therapist like Banquo's ghost stalking a dinner party.  But I forget, sometimes, how amazingly profound it all truly is. Until I saw this picture.  It was a young girl with tube lights wrapped around her shoulders and in her hands. The look of awe and contentment on her face as she explored this said all that needed to be said about the beauty of discovery and hope.  So, to that end I wanted to share some down and dirty tips for cheap visual stimulation.   Any kid will like it.  All kids will benefit from the brain stimulation.  Special needs kids, well, need it.

           So to that end, cheap Christmas and holiday lights are your friend.  FP has a metal day bed.  A few holidays ago, we had an extra set of string lights, so we strung them on her bed.  She took one look once it got dark and informed her father that they would NEVER be coming down.  She loves them, and it is great for brain.  And as a bonus, Dinky Pants will happily nap on her bed if turn the lights on. Heck, he will happily lie awake on her bed with these lights on.  We splurged and replaced the originals with a better led set after Christmas.  (Best 5 bucks I ever spent.)  The tube lights can even be held by kids.  Wait til the after Christmas sales and stock up.

             Dollar stores are great places for things like glow sticks and glow in the dark arts and crafts items.  I've probably kept more dollar stores in business just buying those kinds of things.  Glow sticks are cheap and awesome, and you can do fun things like cut one open and empty into a jar with glitter (shake well) for awesome fairy lanterns on summer nights.  I've heard there is away to make glow bubbles but others have reported that it does not work. (So if you have figured out to successfully mix bubbles and glow sticks, hit me up in the comment section.)  Bubbles themselves are AMAZING visual stim for kids.  They are iridescent and move slowly.  Nowadays you can get flavored, scented, colored, and even hard to pop touchable bubbles really cheap.  You want uber cheap?  Make you own.  Water and dish soap and touch of glycerin is all you need for one awesomely fun afternoon.  And if anyone asks you why you wasting time blowing bubbles, you can kindly explain you are being an AWESOME parent by providing fun, memories and brain stimulation all in one fell swoop.

             Sparklers are great too.  But illegal in NY so I won't tell you that you can go right across the border into PA and find fireworks stores and convenience stores selling them everywhere. Nope, that would be against the rules.  You won't find me telling you that FP thinks they're awesome or that we do off and on all summer or that the local cops just see her looking adorable in Zippy (her wc) and laughing at Goo holding a lit sparkler and just smile and drive on.  That would be wrong of me.

             But I will tell you that visual stimulation is probably the most fun part of carrying her therapies over into our day to day life.  All those Christmas lights and shiny flashy things.  All those great trippy toys from the stoner section at the mall.  All those fun toys you wish you play with as a grown up without looking like you're high or a fool.  When you have kids, you get to play with those all over again and still tell yourself you're being a responsible grown up.  After all, we need to teach our kids how to explore their world.  At least, that's what I tell the neighbors.