MOMPROVEMENT

The Family Fireplace – No Excuse To Not Have One Now!

Posted by momprovement on February 25, 2010  |  No Comments

Our new house has a fireplace. Something that has been missing from our homes for about 10 years now. Actually, this is the first fireplace any of our children have ever had. Now, it’s gas, so no roasting marshmallows (have you ever tried to get that goo off of the gas pipes?), but still, it’s been a neat experience. Especially the three days we were without power and so we threw some mattresses in front of the fireplace and slept there for a few days.

But there is something to be said about the family fireplace. Traditionally, the fireplace was the place where families gathered at the end of the day, for the evening reading of the Bible. Or mom and daughters would sew, while dad and sons would visit, go over school lessons and such. But in general, the family fireplace was as important a part in family life as the family dinner.

Today it seems like after dinner (if anyone even eats at the same table anymore) everyone scatters to computers, playstations, iPods, or whatever the electronic device of choice is, parents included. And so it was nice for a few days to be free of those distractions and to sit by the fire and read to my kids, talk about their day, and just spend time together.

So I’m glad we have a fireplace. And now that I realize that with a gel-fueled fireplace, we could have been having little gatherings by the fireside all along, I’m not so worried about whether or not our next house already has one – because one of the first purchases for our new home will be a great gel fueled fireplace with a mantle.

So if your house has a fireplace, start meeting around it once a week or so, just for fun. And if you don’t have one, get a gel-fueled fireplace and see how great it really is to have a family fireplace.

Cricut Expression – My New Favorite Toy

Posted by momprovement on February 22, 2010  |  No Comments

Just because you’re a grown up now doesn’t mean that you don’t get to play with toys anymore.  Although, typically, your toys will be a little but more expensive! 

My new favorite toy is the Cricut Expression.  I got mine from HSN with three cartridges, but you can also get it from Amazon, and even Ebay if you’re patient enough to wait to win one.  I’ll be getting most of my future cartridges from Ebay – as you can typically get them for about 25-50% off if your timing is right.

I’d like to show you some of the finished projects I’ve made with my Cricut Expression, but I have to admit – I’m having too much fun just cutting things out that I haven’t taken the time to put anything together yet!  (But when I do – watch out!)

So far I’ve cut out some cute shapes for a friend’s baby shower, my daughter’s Little Miss Indian Oklahoma City display board (she is the outgoing 2009 – 2010 princess), several scrapbook pages, some homeschool projects, flash cards for my three year old, and a few paper doll outfits just for fun!  All that with just three cartridges!

If you are in to scrapbooking, homeschooling, crafting, or if you are a teacher or have kids in school, you will wnt to put a Cricut Expression on your wish list.

Let a Hot Bath Soak Away Your Cares

Posted by momprovement on February 11, 2010  |  No Comments

My daughter recently discovered the amazing relaxing properties of a hot bath.  I had no idea how much stress a nine year old endures in a day, but now almost daily she asks to take a hot bath because it’s so relaxing.  She’s repeatedly told me that I ”really need to try this bath thing – it really works!”  So whether you have adult stress or pre-teen stress, a hot bath may be just the think to help you relax!   

Hot baths do warrant a word of caution before we continue. Check the temperature carefully. While we say “hot bath” the water would feel better if it was warm to the touch but not scalding. It is hard to relax when you are sustaining third-degree burns.

Also, if you suffer from any condition where hot baths are contraindicated, don’t attempt them. This goes for pregnancy as well as if you have circulatory issues. You don’t want to faint and fall as you get out of the tub, because this can cause serious injury.

With that said, let’s return to the benefits of a hot bath. It is not just the water alone but what you add to it that can help with such conditions as:

* Anxiety and stress
* Colds and sinus issues
* Sore, aching muscles
* Dry, itchy skin

The steam coming off of the water acts like a humidifier. If you close your bathroom door and let the room fill up with steam as you run the bath, you are on your way to a soothing experience.

For stress and anxiety there are certain herbs that have been used for centuries as calming agents. Take lavender, for example. It is known to soothe the mind and in turn, relieve stress in the body. Using lavender oils and bath salts in your water will help your stress to ebb away. Your problems won’t disappear but you will be better able to handle them once you have had a chance to clear your mind and relax your body.

Eucalyptus will often help with a pesky cold. Again, the humidifier effect of the water and the eucalyptus can help to open nasal passages for freer breathing.

Your body can build up toxins from simple daily life. Soaking in a bath with Epsom salts can help to leech these toxins out of your system. Hot water helps to dilate blood vessels for better blood flow and lowers blood pressure. Muscles benefit from this because they are able to relax which aids in recovery from soreness.

Using bath oils helps to moisturize your skin. In the winter, this is especially important as skin tends to be on the dry side. If you have dry skin, you won’t need to soak as long in the water, but soothing oils will nourish your skin as you bathe.

Are you ready to soak those cares away? A hot bath may be just what the doctor ordered. Besides the candles and soft music, try a few bath salts, scented oils and herbs to heal whatever ails you.

Co-Sleeping With Your Infant – A Personal Decision

Posted by momprovement on February 4, 2010  |  1 Comment

Crib or Co-Sleep?

I thought I was done with the whole “where does your baby sleep” debate.  I purchased a crib for my oldest, which I believe made a nice decoration for the nursery, although it was never used.  From day one, she slept in bed with us.  With my other two children, we never even bothered to get it out.  And then, just six months ago, we decided that our family was as large as it was going to get and so we donated or sold every single piece of baby equipment and clothing that we had. 

Big Mistake!

Now, here I am four months pregnant with our fourth child, and I’m starting to get “those looks” again when people make offers of cribs or tell us where they saw a good one that we should buy.  I politely say “well, thank you, but we’ve never used a crib and we don’t plan to with this baby either.”

My pediatrition at the time preferred the crib method, but was supportive of my decision to co-sleep.  She truly believed that, in general,  moms know what is best for their kids and was willing to let me co-sleep without a single lecture or “helpful suggestion.”

So recently, when I was looing in to the debate once again, I was pleased to read Dr. Sears’ research and information in this area:

“If the incidence of SIDS is dramatically higher in crib versus a parent’s bed, and because the cases of accidental smothering and entrapment are only 1.5% of the total SIDS cases, then sleeping with a baby in your bed would be far safer than putting baby in a crib.

The answer is not to tell parents they shouldn’t sleep with their baby, but rather to educate them on how to sleep with their infants safely.” (From AskDrSears.Com)

And I couldn’t agree more.  Where I put mychild to sleep, whether in a crib or in my bed shouldn’t matter to anyone else as long as I take the appropriate precautions to protect my child. 

Protecting Your Baby If You Co-Sleep

This time around, since we have 3 potential “middle of the night” visitors from the baby’s siblings, we are going to invest in one of those baby co-sleepers  just to help define the baby’s space and keep stray blankets and pillows away.  But I’m glad that there is finally some scientific research and  support for my position – the last thing I need with four young children is controversy about how we sleep.  I’m just lucky if I can get in any sleep at all!

So did you co-sleep with your baby?  What steps did you take to ensure your baby’s safety?