Safety Rule for 1 Year Olds and Younger

If you're unsure whether a toy can be a choking hazard for your infant, then here's a good rule to remember. If it can fit inside a toilet paper roll, then it's not a good idea.

Simple and safe.

Have A Song In Your Heart

...be filled with the Spirit speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus.

Ephesians 5:17b-20

Ten Things I Love About YOU!

It is so easy for us moms to get caught up in the immediate needs our of children.. we often times forget that our husbands have needs too! They may feel neglected or unloved...

Today, send a note/text/e-mail to your husband with TEN THINGS YOU LOVE/ADORE/APPRECIATE about him! Just because... and just to let him know you still like him A LOT!! :)

Improving Children's Learning

Children absorb knowledge faster and remember it longer when it is taught with love and respect. They will feel good about themselves and what they are learning when they are in a loving environment.

Use eye contact. Children respond with greater attention when parents use plenty of eye contact.

Teach with touch. It makes what they're learning more real to them. For example, if you're teaching your children about flowers, encourage them to touch the flowers.

Teach with loving hugs of affection. Always look for opportunities to encourage and praise your children with warm smiles and hugs. This will affirm them and create a safe and positive environment.

If you show [children] how much you care and ask questions in a nonthreatening way, you'll be amazed by how much they'll tell you.

Quote by John Maxwell

Release from Relational Bondage

A very subtle issue that is often brought into marriage is emotional baggage. Emotions of guilt, bitterness, and resentment from previous relationships can surface in marriage. It's a form of spiritual and emotional bondage that can distract spouses from being fully committed to each other.

If this is an issue in your marriage, simply ask God to release you from relational bondage. Freedom from the past is possible, and prayer has the power to rid hearts from these distracting emotions.

YIKES! LICE!

YIKES!! LICE!!

Unfortunately, I've had to learn A LOT about lice during the last 24 hours since discovering one in my daughter's hair. I've never had lice nor have I known anyone that has had lice... so although the possibility of my daughter having lice crossed my mind when I would see her scratching her head... but I was ruling out other possibilities first... sunburn? shampoo? dry scalp? etc.. Well, now that I have plenty of knowledge (again, unfortunately) I would like to inform you as to what you should look out for, and how best to treat it.

Lice eggs look very similar to dandruff... so when we saw these tiny white things in her hair, we (my husband and I) figured they were dandruff from her scratching her scalp so much...

"Nits are often difficult to distinguish from normal dandruff in the hair shaft. One way to tell is that dandruff will easily slide off the hair with your fingers, whereas nits are glued to the hair shaft and are not easily moved." -Dr Sears

So... if you see these stinkers.. you know that the lice has laid eggs and you need to get moving!

Another thing to look for (other than, ITCHY and NITS) are the actual LIVE LYMPHS or ADULT LICE. For some reason, I thought lice were almost microscopic, but they can be easily seen with the naked eye (we found an adult lice and compared it with the photo above).

"Although they may sound gross, lice (the plural of louse) are a very common problem, especially for kids ages 3 years to 12 years (girls more often than boys). Lice aren't dangerous and they don't spread disease, but they are contagious and can just be downright annoying"- Kids Health from Nemours.

Thankfully, lice doesn't survive long once it falls off a person. "Adult lice can only live 1 or 2 days away from a warm body, and the eggs must be close to the warm scalp in order to hatch. They feed on human blood through tiny bites in the skin"-Dr Sears. It's not necessary to spend a great deal of time and money trying to rid the HOUSE of lice, but you still need to wash/clean all clothing, stuffed animals, upholstered furniture, rugs, etc.

TREATMENT:

-Over the counter medicated shampoos that are safe to use on children....see site.
-Homeopathic/non-medicated treatments (olive oil, mayonnaise, petroleum jelly, vinegar) that are messy so may not be suitable for young children.
-Nit removal combs. These are the BEST and NECESSARY to remove all lice and lice eggs from hair.

TRUTH ABOUT LICE & PREVENTION:

• Lice are not a sign of uncleanliness – it does not matter how often you wash or brush your hair because normal shampoo does not kill or prevent lice.
• Lice does not only occur in lower socioeconomic classes or in certain minority races. If fact, some minorities are much less likely to get lice than Caucasians.
• Long hair does not increase your chance of catching lice – the only difficulty that long hair poses is that it is harder to find lice and nits in long hair.

There is no real way to prevent your kids from getting lice.. they can easily get it from hanging around other kids at the park, church, etc (it's like catching a cold). This is why it is BEST if you know WHAT to look for, when your child is scratching his/her head (we learned our lesson).

For more information about head lice... check out these two helpful sites:
Dr. Sears-Head Lice
Kids Health- Head Lice

DESPAIR or DEPENDENCE

Being a parent is HARD and can easily cause us despair...

Lately, I've been feeling like I am constantly failing as a mom... feeling like I am not capable of taking care of my kids and husband that God has so graciously blessed me with. In times like this, Satan so badly wants me to fall into the pit of discouragement and depression...

Our faithful God, through our pastor today, reminded me NOT TO DESPAIR but to DEPEND on Him "who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us" (Ephesians 3:20)!!

I pray that whenever you feel down on yourself, that you would hold onto this TRUTH, DEPEND on Him, and KNOW that He will give you everything you need to DO more and BE more than you can ever imagine!

Beauty: Skin Tips

Milk for Sun-Damaged Skin

The sun, a major cause of aging, tends to leave skin dried out and wrinkled. Naturally fatty dairy products can help plump up cells and moisturize depleted skin. Spread buttermilk or plain yogurt straight onto the skin. Leave it on for 20 minutes, then rinse well with warm water.

Guacamole Facial

Next time you eat an avocado, don't throw away the peel. A naturally fatty fruit, avocado is also rich in vitamins, and the green pulp left attached to the peel has the highest concentration. Scrape off the pulp, and apply it directly to the skin. The abundant oils lubricate and soften the skin - the most basic step in preventing wrinkles.

From the book, Uncommon Cures For Everyday Ailments, from the editors of Bottom Line

Breastfeeding: Sore Nipples

Many women who have recently had their first child and were figuring out breastfeeding have shared their concerns with me about their nipples being so sore and sensitive. Chapping and bleeding were common problems.

I had the same problem until my lactation consultant suggested nipple shields. For only $7.99, my worries and anxieties of breastfeeding were greatly reduced and eventually gone. Nipple shields are silicon shields that suction gently onto your nipple, with little holes to let the milk flow through to your child. The nipple shield will act as a barrier while your child is latched on. The barrier will allow your skin to heal and also toughen it up to eventually breastfeed without the shield.

If you, or a friend, are having sore and senstivie nipples from breastfeeding, try purchasing nipple shields from Babies"R"Us or Target. Medela and other great brands are available.

Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification.

Ephesians 4:29

In the Know

Three great go-to sites to check out the latest in the news concerning Christian issues are:

Concerned Women Blog, sharing the common vision of restoring the family to its traditional purpose and thereby allowing each member of the family to realize their God-given potential and be more responsible citizens.

Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee, making a difference in policy that affects family.

American Center for Law and Justice, focusing on constitutional law protecting our religious and constitutional freedoms.