spring is here, and so is the asthma

The warm air has hit some of us in the Southern States. Blue skies and comfortable breezes greet us as we escape the solitudes of our humble abodes. For some of us, this brings a new distress. Allergy and asthma season.
For those of us with small children, its our worst nightmare to watch our children struggle to breath. It has been figured that 38% of children suffer from asthma. As far as I'm concerned, that's 38% that shouldn't have to experience such a terrifying ordeal.
There are a few things we as parents can do to help our little ones cope.

1. Become avid weather watchers: Keep an eye on the weather channel and notice the air quality and pollen count. The warm air is a blessing, but to asthma sufferers, its also compare able to a double-edged sword. Pollen rides on the breeze to cause a great deal of havoc.
Be more aware of when thunderstorms are brewing, the humidity and unstable air are great for sending pollens airborne, and the heavier air makes the lungs work harder than usual. Keep the kiddos inside with the A/C running on days likely to be asthma active.
2. Invest in a good vacuum with a hepa filter, dust and dust mites are indoor triggers that are easy to keep down with routine vacuuming. Don't forget to keep fresh linens on the beds, and vacuum the mattress at least once a month, dust mites like to hide in mattresses, and if pets are part of the family, becoming friendly with the vacuum will take care of pet dander.
3. Switch to non toxic cleaners, you can find natural fruit based cleaners at Wal-Mart, or go for the Melaleuca approach, you can find natural cleaners at melaleuca.com. Heavy cleansers with a strong chemical concentration such as pine or bleach aggravate the bronchial lining, causing flare-ups. If your a die hard Pine scented cleaner user, try and do your cleaning on a day the winds are relatively calm, and you can open the windows.
4.Check your house for mold and mildew, bathrooms and under kitchen sinks are key areas where mold thrives. Kids splashing water in the tub may be cute at the time, but its crucial to clean the water up off the floor after the bathtub snorkling adventure is over. Water on the floor can seep under baseboards and create a breeding ground for black mold
5. Make sure everybody is eating their Wheaties and taking their Flinstones on a daily basis, kids with low immunity due to low minerals have a hard time fending off colds and other respiratory illnesses that can lead to an attack. Lots of B-6, B-12, and of course vitamin C are essential.

Allergies and Asthma sufferers are still capable of normal active lives, with a little careful planning and extra measures, the warmer weather will be a blessing to us all.

What to do with those rainy day blues

Summer is fading and the cooler weather is soon to be upon us. Before we know it, we will be prisoners of our own castles! Our noses will be pressed against the glass, leaving tiny fog circles on the window pane as we look out wondering where the warm breezes went as children bounce off the couch and swing from the ceiling fans. God help us all ;0)
There is hope, with a little patience and creativity, we can take inside time and use it to our advantage. Some activities may leave your kitchen looking like Rainbow Brite just sprinkled her happy dust all over, but kids seem to love the ideas, and their entertainment is what keeps us sane. So, with that thought grab a cup of joe and read on.
Snuggle time
Kids love movies. Turn your living room into a mini- movie theater, pop some popcorn and enjoy a classic, or a current in the now kids movie. If it’s one you have seen 20 times already, try adding narrative comments in parts you know well. Modify your voice for variety.
Homemade play dough
Little hands love to squish things wither its mud through their fingers, or the family hamster something is going to be found squish worthy. Play dough is always a good one keeping little hands busy. You can recruit the help of the tiny terrors to help with this easy recipe:
3 cups flour
11/2 cup salt
6 tsp cream of tarter
3 tablespoons veggie oil
3 cups water
Dissolve salt in boiling water and add remaining ingredients. Boil until soft ball forms and pulls away from edges of the pan. Add a couple drops of food color to the play dough, you can also go to a craft store and buy scented oils to put in the dough. The oils are potent, so a drop or two goes a long way.
Finger-paint
For the budding little artist, having a fun way to express themselves makes the world go around. Finger-painting will keep them busy for hours, and is fun to make as well.
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 ½ cups cold water
2 cups boiling water
Food coloring
Mix 2 cups flour, the salt and cold water together, stirring until smooth. Add mix to boiling water. Boil until smooth and thick. Add drops of food color until you reach the desired shade. You can use Penne noodles or macaroni for jewelry if you use your batch of paint to paint the pasta different colors. Make sure your new jewelry is dried before you wear it or the kids my look like they just climbed out of a scene from Nightmare on Elm Street.
Bath Crayons
Clean up can be colorful and fun if you want to take the time to make up some colored bath crayons. You’ll want to make these a couple of days before you plan to use them to let them harden
1 cup grated soap (Ivory or Dove works great)
3 tablespoons water
Food coloring
Scented oils (optional)
Enlist the help of older kids to grate up bars of soap. Mix the grate soap with warm water and add food coloring and scented oils. Continue to mix the soap until it begins to harden and then shape. You can use ice cube trays, Dixie cups or empty film canisters as molds; you can get candy molds from your craft supply store, and press the soap into the molds.
Colder weather doesn’t have to be dull and boring, and with the right tools you can inspire a whole lot of fun creativity without breaking the bank. Your kitchen may have to endure some abuse, but at least for the time being your ceiling fan and furniture may get a break.

Babysitting bootcamp

So, I wandered off again, falling into the dark abyss of non blogging. It sucked. Maybe someone needs to start a bloggers AA or something. Where I was during my absenteeism, i have not come to know. The important thing is that I make a commitment to not do it again. (keep me in yer prayers)

As far as the baby sitting, well... the sticky unknown substances that have covered my kitchen floors for the past several years have become a normalcy around the Rice household. Sticky fingers leaving little smudgy marks down the beige walls are annoying, but each one has a story to tell. I have a hard time dealing with the disapproving looks of the hubby when he sees a poster paint mess, or play dough balls littering the floor, but even lifeless, multicolored globs of dough have memories of unstiffled giggles and wild imagination.
There is a time where I would much rather duct tape them all to the wall (ever hear of redneck time-out, LOL)then to compile a list of activities to keep their little minds at work, but there is no reward greater then that of a child glowing with self confidence when he proudly sits down and recites his ABC's, beginning to end with out the slightest of stumbles.

Babies and homeschool

All righty, now I know I have probably gone totally nuts by taking up babysitting while I home school. Who in their right mind would take on this kind of monstrosity??? Evidently I was lacking a few pots of coffee before I came to a clear decision. Waking up at 5:00 am is not a big deal, its pretty sweet, actually, being able to be up before the sun comes up, enjoy some peace and quiet. The nightmare comes from keeping tiny terrors from sticking a fork in the electrical outlet while I'm trying to explain algebra to my son who, at the time, has mentally transported himself to the underworld of video games. Or trying to keep two 3 year olds from swinging from the ceiling fan after their 3rd cup of kool-aid. I'm in the wrong profession, the homeschooling, childcare thing, I'm an out side kinda woman, perfectly happy washing my truck, mowing the grass, pulling weeds... So what am I doing to myself?? God only knows, obviously a clear cut case of insanity. So wheres the little white jacket? The padded walls? Clearly I need to make a decision, so any input would be seriously and direly appreciated

xtra cash for homeschool mommies

Ok, how many days can a person stay in the home with out going totally insane?? I have mastered the art of seclusion, hahahaha, Yes I'm afraid that I have gone compleatly off the deep end. There is hope. You may have noticed my other post about my Discovery Toys business. I cannot express the satisfaction these educational toys have brought to me and my family. I use them as teacher helps throughout the week, from the giant peg board to the board games, I am always finding a way to incorporate these toys into the learning process, not to mention they keep my 2 year old well entertained while I teach. I encourage each and every one of you to visit my toystore and explore the possibilities yourself. Creative play is unbridled enthusiasm, in my opinion. Not only do these products open many new avenues to education, it gives me the opportunity to go to the grocery store and work while I shop. Its not about how I can help myself, but rather how I can help others. I have found there is nothing more satisfying then helping someone overcome a difficult situation, very fulfilling for me.

Pumpkins and Molasses anyone?

Another enjoyable trip for homeschoolers and families alike is Burton's Sugar farm Located near Michigan City Mississippi off of HW 72. Owned and operated by a husband and wife, Mr. and Mrs. Al Burton. The 500 acre establishment has been in Al's family since his grandfather moved to Benton Co. from Arkansas in 1879. Burton's opened their farm in 2000 offering hayrides over rolling hills, and selling festive fall decorations. Then in 2001, they added the notorious hayride to the pumpkin patch where you can pick your own family pumpkins. 2002 introduced Al's grandfathers century year old grist machine that in used in an interesting display on how cornmeal use to be ground. A sorghum mill was also purchased, giving us the opportunity to watch fresh sorghum molasses in the making. Straight from watching the horse powered press squeeze the sugar from the cane down to the cooking and cooling process. You will also enjoy a blacksmith shoeing horses, and metal workers, Mountain man survival camp. truck pulls and Civil War reinactments are also part of the entertainment, complete with my favorite catfish dinners to curb the most savage appetite.

Open from September 29 through October 27.
The

Other things I do

Not only do I homeschool 2 great kids, I also have a very energetic 2 year old under my feet. (well, she will be 3 in April of '08) So... i decided I would get into a company that has great (you guessed it) educational toys. Yep I hooked up with Discovery Toys. Its a great investment, as these toys last a long time, and there are so many ways you can play with them. I mean take for example, the giant peg board. This one sells for babies, helps with color recognition, and pattern making, as well as hand eye coordination. BUT... at preschool years can be used to assist with teaching basic math, and even early geometry. COOL huh? yep I thought so.

The books are from Do-re-me-and-you, and are beautifully illustrated and really captivate my daughter. Some come with music Cd's that she loves to dance along to, with really cute music. Look and see! http://discoverytoyslink.com/kristenrice

One of the great things I love is the ability to have a lifetime guarantee on our toys, if something breaks, its replaced. loose pieces to a game? They're replaced. cant say that for some neighborhood stores, now can we? another great perk is no pressure to buy stuff to meet a quota, and I can make a business out of it in my spare time and feel good about what I do. ( I love playing with toys) Theres 3 levels you can participate at, which are:

level 1: Shop for yourself and get great toys at a discount.

level 2: Have a personal toy store for just friends and family.

level 3: Have a business and share with EVERYBODY the fantastic toys and opportunity our toys offer.

That's it in a nutshell. Love it and wouldn't do anything different.

Next homeschool fieldtrip in the making!!