Essential Oils for Everyday Use: Mattress Pad & Pillows

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Tip #3: Use essential oils to freshen and disinfect mattress pads and pillows.

Once upon a time, I changed my family's sheets every single week. Goodness gracious, I don't do that anymore! To be completely honest, I only change sheets about every 2 weeks so, hopefully, nobody is too grossed out to continue reading. :)

To keep all of our mattress pads and pillows nice and fresh, I use essential oils. I mostly choose lavender for this - it has a calming, fresh scent plus it's considered to be a bacteria buster! According to The Complete Book of Essential Oils & Aromatherapy, Lavender is antibiotic, antiseptic, antiviral, and antifungal.

Here's what I do: I apply about 2 drops of essential oil to one of my palms and then rub my hands together to evenly distribute the oil. Next, I use my hands to smooth the oil all over the mattress pad and pillows that I sleep on. After that, I put new sheets on my bed. I repeat this process for every bed in the house.

Lavender is also a good choice for this because it's clear. I don't worry about it staining the bedding. I have used other oils, too, but if they aren't clear like Thieves, for example, I'm extra careful!

 

 

 

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Homer Price Snowmen Doughnut Project

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My kids have looked forward to reading Homer Price by Robert McCloskey in 4th grade just so they could get to the doughnut project. Who wouldn't, right?!

The first time (in 2008), I made the doughnuts from scratch according to the recipe in the 

Homer Price: Comprehension Guide. Delicious but quite a bit of work. My daughter happened to be reading the book this past December, and I was weary of baking. So, I took the easy route last month and went with prepared biscuit dough to make the doughnuts. Much faster and just as yummy!

If you've never made doughnuts this way, it's super easy to try. Buy a tube of biscuit dough, cut out holes in each uncooked biscuit, and fry both the rings and holes in hot oil until golden. We rolled our doughnuts in powdered sugar. I'm telling you, these unhealthy treats melt in your mouth!

For some extra wintry fun, my daughter and I built doughnut snowmen complete with chocolate chip eyes, carrot noses, and bacon scarves. For some odd reason none of my kids ate the carrot noses for breakfast. Go figure.

If your kids (ages 8-12) have never read Homer Price, consider adding this light-hearted book with a small town, mid-western America feel to their reading list. First published in 1943, this book features Homer Price, a boy who lives in the fictional town of Centerburg. Each chapter in the book depicts an adventure involving Homer. There are 6 chapters, or rather stories, that comprise the book:

1. The Case of the Sensational Scent
2. The Case of the Cosmic Comic
3. The Doughnuts
4. Mystery Yarn
5. Nothing New Under the Sun (Hardly)
6. Wheels of Progress.

I chose to use the Homer Price Comprehension Guide to accompany the book. It's a 24-page book filled with simple comprehension questions and other activities. Activities include things like drawing, writing a newspaper article, making doughnuts, matching, creating a pencil holder with yarn, and putting events in chronological order.

Both the book and guide are available on Amazon:




You might already be familiar with Homer Price's author, Robert McCloskey - he wrote the children's book, Blueberries for Sal. I remember reading that book as a child, and I also read it to my own children. :)



Happy reading!!

Linked to: Try A New Recipe Tuesday, Hip Homeschool Hop




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How's That Read-Through-the-Bible (No Pressure Version) Going?

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Last year on my 38th birthday, I posted all about my goal to read through the Bible with my kids. While I've read through the Bible several times, I wanted to share this blessing with my kids, so we started our endeavor in January of 2014.

Let's just say I am so glad I went with the no pressure version. ;)

If I'm honest, I wish I could say we'd finished a few more books than we did, but no worries. We will keep trucking along and finish some time this year. Right now, the kids and I are reading through Acts, and Dad is still teaching through Matthew. He's on chapter 21, so it does look like we will finish that book in a few months. :)

We are going at a pace of about 3-4 chapters a day. I do most of the reading, but my kids read portions as well. With several different versions being read, it can get interesting! ;)

If you've started reading through the Bible, let me encourage you to keep reading even if you don't meet the specific reading goals you've set. The important thing is that you read through the Bible even if it takes longer than you'd planned.

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9

I needed this reminder on so many levels today - not just for reading through the Bible!

Can't wait to report when we've finally met our goal!

Essential Oils for Everyday Use: Mopping

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Tip #2: I mop my kitchen tile with hot water and a few drops of an essential oil of my choice. If you'd like to try this, fill your mop bucket and add a few drops of an essential oil. During the holidays, I chose pine. I usually use something citrusy like grapefruit. Every so often I use lavender or Thieves.

One of my bathrooms has laminate flooring, and I also use oils on that. I don't use a mop and bucket, though, for such a small space. I wet an old washcloth and add a couple of drops of essential oil directly to the washcloth. I "mop" my bathroom floor and then dry with a towel.

House smells great without all those chemical floor cleaners!

Linked to Works for Me Wednesday (WFMW has a new home - check it out!)

Another Teen in the House!

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Then:

Now:

I know parents say this all of the time, but time really does fly. Hard to believe you've gone from a cute, cuddly, comfy-pants-wearin' boy to a handsome, pink-tie-wearin' teenager!

I love that it's so easy to be reminded of you when I'm out and about. Every time I see a Rubik's Cube, root beer, Steelers' stuff, or even mustaches, I think of you. Even when I see all the new Ninja Turtle toys and accessories, it takes me back . . .

Seriously, that picture on the right has to be one of the most memorable. :)

I love you, Lincoln. Happiest of birthdays to you!