Homemade Tanning Coffee Body Scrub/ Mask

    A friend of mine posted one of her favorite homemade body scrub/ mask recipes on facebook a few weeks ago and I told her I would try it and then blog it.  I did try it.  Now, I'm blogging it!  I was very excited about this recipe because its very simple and easy to use.  Its a little messy but well worth it.  I found this scrub/ mask to have a staining effect.  I came out with like a tan effect after use.  Now I have problem skin so I have some warnings for any one who has similar skin problems as I do. 
    My first problem is that my skin is pretty pale but with reddish undertones.  My results on my face were more extreme than I wanted and it seemed to really bring out the red in my skin tone.  So my recommendation here is if you have a skin tone or type that you think might not work well with this scrub/ mask you can just skip your face area.  Another solution could be to only use it as a scrub and just not leave it on as a mask for a the two minutes. 
    My second problem is that I have plaque psoriasis so my problem areas of this skin problem I spend a lot of time fighting redness in these areas.  Of course in these areas of my skins problem zones did amplify the red as well.  Once again, You could only use this as a scrub to exfoliate and then clean off these type problem skin zones or avoid them all together.  I know with any tanning effect item or tanning beds or spray tanning you have to be careful with these problem areas, knees, elbows, face, bottoms of your feet and heels.  So ladies we all know the drill and if you did not you do now. 

Homemade Coffee Body Scrub/ Mask
1.  2 or 3 tablespoons coffee.  You can use any coffee but my friend loves Pumpkin Spice Latte Coffee.
2.  2 or 3 tablespoons Olive Oil or Coa Coa Butter Oil.

     Mix these together just until it is evenly mixed together.  You will definitely want to use this in a tub or shower because it is messy and it will get every wear.  Just massage over skin.  Avoid problem areas like face, elbows, knees, or heals.  Or go ahead and scrub for exfoliating effect.  Use a moist wash rag to remove scrub from problem areas.  Wait in shower or tub for 2 minutes.  Rinse in warm water and then in cool water.  That's all.

Source
Charla N. Stephen Winters

Homemade Dish Soap Liquid and Mulit Surface Spray Cleaner

     Last week I ran out of practically every kitchen cleaning product I had.  I needed dishwasher detergent, liquid dish soap, and multi surface spray cleaner.  Thankfully all I had to do for dishwasher detergent recipe was to refer right here to my own blog.  I made the dishwasher detergent by the recipe I have posted here only this time I added 4-6 drops essential eucalyptus oil.  It was all I had but it worked well and smelled good.

Homemade Dishwasher Detergent w/Eucalyptus Oil

1.  One part (this time I used 1/2 cup) Arm & Hammer Washing Soda
2   One part (1/2 cup again this time)  Borax 20 Mule Team Borax
3.   4-6 drops Eucalyptus Essential Oil
4.    Store in air tight container.

     I still needed liquid dish soap and multi surface spray.  I had an empty liquid dish soap bottle and an empty spray bottle.  I just rinsed those out and used them to house these next recipes I came up with on the spot.  Need no reference or link for this.  I should look these up on the Internet because I would not be surprised to see them out there some where. 
     I started with my stored homemade Ivory liquid soap.  I had some left from when I made some and blogged about that.  Then I added in some of the dishwasher powder detergent I had just made with the Eucalyptus Oil.  I had a very small amount of bleach that I added.  I filled the bottle the rest of the way up with hot water from the tap to dissolve the powder.  I think the bleach helped to dissolve the powder as well.  I shook very vigorously after putting the top back on very tightly.  Then I tested my new Eucalyptus scented multi surface spray cleaner.  It worked great and smelled great.
    
Homemade Liquid Ivory Soap
1.  One 4 oz bar of any type of soap
2.  One gallon of water

    Grate the bar of soap with a hand grater.  Bring your gallon of water to a boil.  Add in the grated soap.  Boil soap shavings in water until completely dissolved.  Turn off stove eye and remove from heat.  Stir very well and let cool for 15 minutes.  Mix with hand mixer and let stand over night.  Mix with hand mixer again in the morning.

Homemade Liquid Dish Soap
1.  2 Tablespoons prepared homemade liquid (Ivory this time) soap
2.  4 Teaspoons prepared homemade dishwasher detergent powder
3.  1 Tablespoons bleach
4.  Add 14 ounces hot tap water
5.  Store in air tight container (I used old liquid dish soap bottle)
6.  Shake vigorously

     Now for the multi surface cleaner spray.  I really did test this on many different surfaces in my home.  Kitchen counter tops, wooden table tops, metal stove top, even bathrooms and glass.  It took the crayon of the window and mostly off the wall.  It did not get the crayon off of the wall as well as it did the window but it did better than nothing at all.  I am sure you all know the challenges of crayon on surfaces and we all love and depend upon our magic eraser's for that.  I mean if I had never used a magic eraser I would say these were the best results I have gotten as far as getting crayon off the wall. 
      I am sure that so many of us especially living in mobile homes or apartments and even so many houses struggle with pest control and roaches.  We all fight the good fight even if we know we are only keeping things manageable.  I noticed with this spray multi surface cleaner that it seemed to detour the bugs.  I would still see them in the kitchen but when I would come back to clean next time there was less of that annoying bug mess that they leave every where.  To me that by its self was a small victory.  I have already gone through 3 or 4 bottles of that stuff trying to clean every thing in my home with it.  I want my home to stink to those pest. 

Homemade Multi Surface Spray Cleaner
1.  5 Tteaspoon's prepared homemade dishwasher detergent powder with Eucalyptus Oil
2.  1 Tablespoon Bleach
3.  Optional 1 tablespoon prepared homemade liquid dish soap
4.  20 Oounces hot tap water.
5.  Shake very vigorously

We need to vote for this!

     This vote is, to my understanding, to amend the constitution to keep Medicaid in Alabama.  I have been very upset about the upcoming changes in health care as a result of Obamacare.  As a matter of fact I just got a job with the WIC office in my home town that I am not sure will even exist by the time Obamacare is finished.  I am working my way out of this hole and its a slow steady climb.  I am making progress but until I get on my feet my family would suffer incredibly from the decrease in health care. 
     I clicked this first link and watched a video about what is on the line about this vote.  I have been very worried about this topic and I am so relieved to have an answer.  I hope especially any one here in Alabama will look into this and get out an vote.  I know I will be!
     I clicked this second link and it led me to where I can go to vote locally to where I live.  This link also includes information for absentee voter information.  Just click on voter information.  I found this information very user friendly.  I appreciate any of you who read this and act on behalf of the state of Alabama!    


Here's the link!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWbVptfEv9w&feature=youtu.be
http://www.southalabama.edu/voteyes/

Aloe vera sore throat remedy

    I went to bed with a low grade fever and woke up with a sore throat and achy body and still running a low grade fever.  I suppose I need to go to the doctor to be tested for strep throat, but in the mean time, I need to treat my symptoms at home.  My throat was sore this morning and I woke up wanting some of my aloe juice.  I drank one 4 oz serving and it soothed my throat so more I drank two more 4 oz servings.  Drinking the aloe juice soothed my sore throat so well that even now at least 2 hours later I have not had more juice but I still have had no sore throat. I thought 'man I gotta google that.'
    This is what I found.  We all know aloe is some great stuff.  It has so many nutrients and healing properties, and vitamins, all with no harmful side effects with regular use.  I think I could write another 20 blogs on just aloe alone. 
    This web site says that you can drink or gargle with aloe to sooth a sore throat.  It gives a recipe for aloe gargle that you can use to sooth a sore throat.  It says if you put a lid on this mouth wash it will keep up to 4 months unrefrigerated.  Woo Hoo. 

Here it is!
1.  1/4 cup witch hazel extract.
2.  1/4 cup aloe vera gel
3.  1 teaspoon vegetable glycerin
4.  1 tablespoon lemon juice or organic apple cyder vinegar
5.  10 drops tea tree oil

    Shake well

    When purchasing aloe juice or products just be sure to check the label and make sure it is 95% aloe, and avoid purchasing those with less than 80% pure aloe vera content.  I am so excited to have a chance to read this and you can bet I will be blogging more about the benefits of aloe!

Heres the link
http://www.aloeplant.info/aloe-as-a-sore-throat-remedy/

How to make bar soap into liquid soap chemical free

    Just a few days ago I ran out of baby wash for making my homemade baby wipes.  I got online to see if I could make liquid soap.  This worked just fine.  Of course I made a few mistakes but it was enough to get me by for the time being. 
    I misread the ingredients and thought it said to use a 8 oz bar of soap, it says to use a 4 oz bar, and so my liquid came out way too thick in the end.  When I had it on the stove it was still hot and very liquid so I thought it might not measure the same as regular liquid soap in my baby wipe recipe so I added more than normal and my baby wipes came out too soapy.  Now I am having to rinse my wipes off before I use them on the baby.  This is why I can't say yet just how to use this recipe as a substitute for liquid soap in your baby wipe recipe, but I will work on it some more and get back to you!

This websites recipe calls for
1.  One 4 oz bar of any type of soap
2.  One gallon of water

    Grate the bar of soap with a hand grater.  Bring your gallon of water to a boil.  Add in the grated soap.  Boil soap shavings in water until completely dissolved.  Turn off stove eye and remove from heat.  Stir very well and let cool for 15 minutes.  Mix with hand mixer and let stand over night.  Mix with hand mixer again in the morning.

    I hope to get the chance to try this again the right way.  I hope all of you enjoy this.

Here's the link!

http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/homemade-non-toxic-liquid-hand-soap-2

My Grandmother is in Cardiac Intensive Care Unit

     I have been very busy lately.  My Grandmother had to have an ambulance take her to the emergency room last Wednesday morning.  She had a heart attack in the emergency room.  They took care of her and saved her.  She is still in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit.  She has fluid on her lungs and her condition is still very fragile. 
    It is very difficult to only be able to sit back and wait.  This waiting has all but encompassed my every thought.  I have thought several times I should really sit down and write a blog.  I simply do not have a mind full of thoughts, ideas, questions to research. 
    I suppose I could research heart health and blog about what I find.   My Grandparents  lived pretty healthy lives.  I suppose sooner or later no matter how healthy you live something will still go wrong.  I might even go so far to say, if they had not lived as healthy of a life that they might not have lived through as much as they have.
     Any way, I just wanted to let every one know I have not forgotten you...  I will be back loud and proud before you know it.  LOL!

The Behavior Theropist

    My now three year old middle son has always been quit the handful and challenge.  I know from being here that there are many contributing factors.  I was already having panic attacks when he was conceived and continued while I was expecting him until shortly after he was born.  He was post due and had to be induced.  We were just minutes from being able to leave the hospital when they came back to tell us he could not leave yet because he was jaundiced and needed to stay over night at least in the hospital to say on the lights.  I was discharged but they had a little room I could stay in while he was there.  He was able to go home late the next evening but he needed more light treatment.  They arranged for him to have the light treatment at home.  He had to stay on the lights for a week.  I could only take him off of them to feed and change him.  The nurse came every day to check his Billy Ruben count. 
    Not long after that he started crying for 6 weeks at a time.  No other symptoms, so I thought he must just be colicky.  He also had a super strong startle reflex.  Most babies when you lay them down to sleep will stat a little maybe a little jump and flutter their eyes and go back to sleep.  My son would start sitting straight up, eyes wide open and start screaming and crying!  I had to either hold him, or go to bed with him to get him to stay asleep, and man talk about fighting sleep.  I had to rock him almost aggressively and hum loudly in a monotone.  He would fight harder if I sang or spoke sweetly, just seemed to irritate him further.  Years later as he would still frequently do the just being intolerably ill for 6 weeks at a time, still no other symptoms, I finally took him to the doctor.  He had strep throat.  Now as I had learned his symptoms for strep, not only was he having it 4-6 times a year but I realized that was what all that crying most likely was when he was a baby.  It escalated to him having strep 5 times in 5 months, so we had his tonsils out.  That one thing has just made the most dramatic difference in his behavior and development.
     Having his tonsils out had made such a dramatic difference that I was not even sure he still needed the appointment with the behavior therapist.  After much thought and observing, I decided that we were still having a big problem in the area of violence.  He has improved but not enough.  He still gets in trouble several times a day for hitting, punching, and kicking and scratching his brother especially but not exclusively.
    So I went for the preliminary appointment and told them all I was concerned about and filled out all the paper work.  Then the next appointment was for me to bring him back.  We talked about what he was doing that I was worried about and what I was doing about it.  I told her all about putting him in time out, even in the grocery store.  That when he throws a fit cause he does not like change, so every time we go from one activity to another its time for a fit, that I don't even let him stop me.  We would never get any thing done if I stopped every time he threw a fit.  So I just pick him up kicking and screaming and go one with what ever I was doing.   She ask me how I came up with these techniques and I said trial and error.  She said why did you not just give up!  I said I think I am just stubborn.  She said, I guess we know he comes by it honestly.  Ha Ha!
     I have read articles about all kinds of things about parenting now, but when I started with my first born I did not know what I was doing and I was doing the same thing with him... The difference is that because the second son was more difficult I faltered from my technique searching desperately for any thing that would work better.  Surely even with the research I have done, is not all parenting trial and error. 
    She said my techniques were well researched and recommended a little tweaking.  One thing she recommended was that when it came time for time out that time out does not count until they are sitting still and being quiet.  I had not cared if they cried and did not like it, after all its a punishment.  The first few days of making my son stay still and quiet for just 3 minutes were not pleasant.  The first night he stayed for two hours before he finally sat still and was quiet for 3 minutes.  The second night it was three hours and he only sat still and quiet finally because he nodded off as it was bed time.  She also recommended a time out last 1 and 1 half minute per year of their age.  I have had such a hard time getting just the three minutes out of my son that I thought I would build up to that time gradually. 
    Of course no change like this just works out smoothly.  For privacy sake I will just say, one member of my family said they flat out refuse to do this technique when they have the kids and that I must have misunderstood the therapist and they were going to call the therapist because my son was not capable of this.  I only even bring that part up, because I know I am not the only person to face some adversity when it comes to seeking consistent discipline for the kids.  I can't say that I even know the exact solution for this type of problem.  All I can say is that I did then, and have continued since, standing up for my choice as the parent of these children.