Fun Gifts for your fam...

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Find him something @ Fred Flare

Teach your ducky how to say their abc's in style..

13 ways to comfort your sick tot.....

Comforting ways to soothe your little one when they are sick!

Duck Man and I have been sick lately, here are a few ways to soothe your tot when they are not feeling good...

1. Baby Vapo-rub - I have been runbbing this on his little chest at night and after a warm shower to help him feel better!
   
2. Warm apple juice with a little lemon and honey - he's too young for herbal tea yet, but this helps him feel a little better and he thinks he's getting a special treat ;).
3. Cool washcloths on his forehead if he is feverish - he also likes to suck on them and rub them on himself.
   1. Popsicles! Not necessarily healthy but it cheers him up and gets some liquid into him. You could make homemade ones with 100% juice, we buy the Dole juice bars with the fruit chunks.
   2. Chicken noodle soup - the chunky kind with the penne or the spiral noodles is easy to feed to him.
   3. Duck Man loves to do his ABC's too so we found this website that he likes to repeat the letters after the lady's voice says them.
      
   4. A warm heating pad on my chest with a blanket on top, then him lying face-down on my chest - gives him the benefit of the heating pad without exposing him to too much heat (also helps my chest too ;)). Only use this if they don't have a fever, of course, and make sure it's set on low heat.
   5. Lots of books, music, and new TV shows/movies - he enjoys the Animal Channel, the Backyardigans music, and all of his books. This keeps him entertained but relatively quiet and resting.
   6. Warm baths with Johnson's Vapobath - I like to run the shower on hot before he gets in there to create some extra steam, keeping the door shut and the air off to lock in the humidity.
   7. Warm showers with Mommy and a few drops of eucalyptus oil in the air (I just put it on a cotton ball or kleenex and put it up high where he can't get it) - similar to the vapobath idea, only he prefers showers and it helps unstuff him in the morning.
   8. Sprite - not so healthy again, but he loves to steal "sips" of mine out of a straw and thinks it's a special treat. It also helps keep him hydrated and soothes his tummy.
   9. Smoothies - even when he refuses regular food, he'll usually drink a smoothie. It's one of the few ways to get fruit into him, and helps cool him down if he's feverish.
   10. Cuddles - lots of cuddles in a nice, warm bed, helps him feel better every time!

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Friends and family - Quiksilver

Friends and Family Event: 3 Ways to get 40% off your purchase Nov 20-23.
1. Shop Online using promo code FFN8
2. Print this email and bring it into our stores
3. Order by phone: 800-892-2281

Movin Forward....

Is it terrible to say I am addicted to Facebook? Does that mean I don't have much going on?
I think facebook is my outlet when I am bored I put mildly important things aside like taking a shower, sleeping, and feeding myself to check out other peoples photos and see what new friends have found me! I love connecting with all of these people but are we really connected? Do we really want to be? I haven't seen you in 15 years, do you want to be my friend again? uh - hmmm.

So we are getting ready to do some traveling for ten days during the thanksgiving week to VB. We are planning our family trip to Puerto Rico in Jan which will be fun to see our amigo's and show Van some culture...

I do hope we get a camera by then, because ours is broken and I am sorry to say that I don't have many cool photos to upload these days because we are lacking in the digital dept. Oh what to do about our Christmas card this year... I shall pull old photos and make a yummy collage of sorts. I did find Pear Tree Designs that has some good Christmas card designs printed on 100% RECYCLED paper and the prices are right.
I am always up for designing my own so this year I am going to go with a Andy Warhol feel like this....
Well I am off to drink wine with my husband, check you later....

exfoliate!

I have to say I am one of those people who loves to exfoliate my skin when I am in the shower. Especially with the grapefruit chamomile sugar scrub from Trader Joes, however I no longer have a tj's by me. So I am thinking this little recipe might be fun to mix up at home. Also great for holiday gifts too. You can get plastic jars at the craft store and wooden spoons and wrap it up with a recycled ribbon or raffia.

Brown Sugar Body Scrub

• 2 cups brown sugar or Sea salt ground fine - can be found at the health food store
  
• 1 cup of honey
• 3 Tablespoons of lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons of fresh ginger

Method

1. Place the sugar, honey and lemon juice into a bowl
2. Grate the fresh ginger and add it to the mixture
3. Mix it all up and run to the shower!
4. Apply generous handfuls all over and give a good old scrub while you’re doing it.
5. Leave it on for a couple of minutes and wash off.

Viola! Sweetly scented, gorgeously soft skin!

recipie via: here

Domino's

A room by room guide to creating a home that makes you happy! available now @ domino

Our New President!

Congrats we are a country ready for CHANGE! I dedicate this song to our new man in the house.