If you want to give someone money as a gift, but want it to stand out as something memorable or special, there are many creative ways to give money as gifts. Whether it’s the holidays, a birthday, or some other special occasion, when you put some thought into how you give money, it becomes a lot more personal and special than it would if you just tossed a couple of bucks into a card. Many people especially like to find creative ways to present money as a gift in settings where many people chip in together to give them something, such as students for a teacher or coworkers for someone they work with.

The first thing to do is to consider what the occasion may be. For example, if you are attending a baby shower, and not really interested in buying anything from the baby gift registry, then one idea would be to take a diaper, place the money inside the diaper, attach a note to it that says “Baby diapers are full of surprises” and then wrap or give it to the person, that is a cute and fun way to give the gift. Obviously this would not work for say a grad student or a Christmas present however, so that’s why we’ve decided to come up with a few other ideas and tips that will help get your creativity moving.

The Money Tree: This is one of the best gifts I ever got – and it’s simple to do! All you need is a miniature tree (or you can even just use a tree branch in a flower pot) and then tie bills and coins onto it with ribbons. If it is near the holidays, you can usually find inexpensive small Christmas trees.

Clothesline: Just about any craft store offers little mini clothespins, so all you need is a package of those, a small basket, and a piece of rope. Then, all you do is attach the money to the rope with the pins and then fold it up to go into the basket.

Small Bills: If you want to give someone a unique gift, consider using smaller bills, such as single dollars, and then stuff them into a decorative jar or place them in a mini book.

Animals With Backpacks: It’s not too hard to find small stuffed animals with backpacks, so another creative thing to do is find one of these and then place the money into the backpack.

A Wallet: If you ever give someone a wallet as a gift, it’s an unspoken rule that it’s really extra nice to place a little money in it, too! You could also do this with a small purse.

In a Book: If you have a favorite book you think the person will like, you can always tape the money into one of the pages inside.

Calendar: A calendar is another good alternative for a card to give cash – just tape the bills or coins to the different pages.

In a Bar of Soap: If you’re someone who likes to make soap, you can place coins in the silicone soap molds and then make them a few bars of soap!

Origami: If you are good with origami or paper folding, another fun thing to do is shape the dollar bills into different things and then place them into a box and wrap the box. You can make rings, bracelets, animals, cars, etc. etc. – the possibilities really are endless for this one!

Miniatures: Maybe the person you are giving the gift to is saving up to buy a house or a car or maybe even a new computer. If this is the case, simply buy a miniature of this item, such as a toy car or a key and affix the money to that with a small personal note.

Clue Hunt: If you have the ability to do this, it can be fun to send someone on a hunt for the money! You can either do it like a treasure hunt with a treasure map and a treasure chest, or do it something like an Easter egg hunt. Either way it can be a lot of fun to finally find it!

Cold Hard Cash: All you need is a container, a waterproof plastic bag, and a freezer to wrap the money in the bag and then fill it and the container with water and freeze it!

Self Counting Piggy Bank: Anyone who’s ever had a lot of loose change can know what a pain it is to count all of it! You can get an Electronic Money Jar that will count all that loose change, and you can give them some loose change so they can have fun adding it all up in the jar!

Favorite Food: If the person you are shopping for has a favorite food, you can wrap $1 or $5 bills around each of the items as well, which makes it an extra sweet treat!

These are just a few ideas, but I’m sure they’ll help get your creativity flowing for different ways to give money as a gift! Have any ideas you’d like to share? Tell us about them in the comments below!

Giving a safe haven to our children is our responsibility and while there may be people who wonder why these things are required since they are recent inventions, being safe than sorry is always a better idea. The fact is that those who belong to the old school of thought think that children were brought up earlier too without the aid of these baby proofing products and therefore they can be brought up in the same manner even now.

However, what they fail to understand is that times have changed and there are far more dangerous products that can be found in a home than earlier. In addition to that it is not possible to run around the house behind the child all the time ensuring that he does not get into trouble. If you want some peace of mind and want to be able to sit for a while knowing that your baby is safe, baby proofing is a must. While comprehensive baby proofing can be planned keeping the specific requirements of your home, some aspects of baby proofing that you must consider are provided below.

Childproofing the Staircases

If you do not live in an apartment and have a home, ensuring that your staircases are gated is very important. You will need to ensure that every landing in the house has a staircase gate that has a baby proof latch. In most cases, you will be able to assemble these staircase gates on your own. Do not hesitate to get a custom made one if that is a requirement for your home. Check out the various latches that are available. There are those that have latches at the bottom and can be operated with the foot, something that can be very helpful if you are alone at home and are carrying the baby and some other stuff too and have both hands full.

Safety In the Kitchen

The kitchen is a place that needs baby proofing with care. The task of baby proofing the kitchen is so large that sometimes parents leave out the area completely and just ensure that there is a gate that does not allow the baby to enter the kitchen area. In some homes, however, that is not possible because of the structure. And then again, you are likely to be spending a fair amount of time in the kitchen and therefore may want your child to be playing close to you rather than in another room.

To baby proof your kitchen, ensure that each and every cabinet that is at the low level is latched properly using a baby proof latch. In addition to that latch the cabinet beneath the sink that is used to keep trash in too even if this causes some inconvenience. You do not want your kid rummaging in the trash. This cabinet also tends to contain dishwashing liquid and cleaning agents and therefore keeping it closed is a essential thing to do.

Bathroom Safety

Bathrooms can be slippery when it comes to baby proofing. Make sure that you have anti-skid products that you use in the bath and the floor to keep the baby from slipping. Make sure that you never leave the baby alone in a bath that has water. Even a small amount of water is enough to drown your baby.

Safety Around the Home

Make a small play area for your child that has minimal furniture and padded carpet so that he can play while you watch television or catch up on some work. This will also give you some space when you need to take a break from the hectic schedule.

Have any baby-proofing tips you’d like to share? Tell us yours in the comments below.

There are a lot of different activities that are great for kids to learn their colors and numbers. Probably one of the favorite ways for a lot of kids is to use color by number printables for kids, which is why we decided to show you how you can easily make your own. While I love printables for kids as much as the next person, the cost of paper and ink can really add up if you’re not careful, which is why a great alternative is to learn how to make your own by reusing the coloring books you already have at home.

Color by numbers are usually like any other page in the coloring book, except they have numbers that coordinate with a color in the white spaces of the picture. For example, the number 1 could be the color blue, the number 2 the color orange, the number 3 the color yellow, number 4 the color green, number 5 the color purple, and it goes on and on and on.

These types of activities are great for teaching kids everything from recognizing numbers and colors to learning how to color things to be more realistic.

If your child already has a coloring book, then you don’t really need any printables because you can easily do this on your own using the ones you likely have just sitting around somewhere.

To convert one of your coloring books into a colors by number book, here are the materials you will need:

A black or dark gray colored pencil
An Index Card
Blue Crayon
Red Crayon
Green Crayon
Orange Crayon
Yellow Crayon
Red Crayon
Purple Crayon
Brown Crayon

Now, all you need to do is on the index card, write the numbers 1 through 8, with 4 on each side. Then, take the corresponding color and color in a little box beside it. If your children are older, you may want to spell out the color and then have them take the right color and color own its spelled name so they’ll have something to use for quick and easy reference.

The next step is to go about converting the pages in your coloring books with the numbers. Using the black or dark gray colored pencil, determine which things in the picture should be blue, and then write the corresponding number in that space. Do this until you have gone through all the numbers and colors and there are no empty spaces to color in left.

Once you’ve converted the book, the next thing you’ll want to do is to show your child how to use it! Your kids will love this simple and easy activity, and you’ll be glad you didn’t waste valuable printer ink or paper by reusing the old coloring books you already have!

We love our pets. But it’s also important that when you have kids you take some time and research what the best dog breed for children is, too. Some breeds do better with kids than others, and getting the right type that suits your lifestyles and the needs of your family will help make sure you’re all happy with the choice you made. It’s not just a matter of protecting your children (though that should be your #1 priority of course!) – you will also want to make sure the dog is safe and happy as well!

The first thing to do is ask yourself this:

Is your family really ready for a pet?

Depending on the ages of your children, you may want to consider if it will add stress to your lifestyle or not.  A dog should not be taken lightly – and it will be yet another person in your family who needs fed and potty trained and attention. All dog breeds need exercise and food and love, and so you have to be sure that you can give your pet those things.

When discussing pets as a family, here are some things to consider:

How Much Time Do You Have? Most of us don’t have a lot of time. But, pets deserve time just like any other member of the family does. If most of the family is away from the house during the day for school or work, what will you do? Hire a pet sitter? Schedule someone to come home?

Are You Active? Even the calmest of dogs need exercise in order to prevent a lot of common pet discipline problems. Taking your dog for a walk or to play in the park are just as important as check ups with the vet.

Does Your Budget Allow for It? Pets, just like kids, are not cheap. An average vet bill can be several hundreds of dollars, if not thousands. You’ll also have to consider purchases such as bedding, collars, food, toys, treats, and more. Some will argue money shouldn’t matter, but if you’re already on a tight budget, you may want to consider saving a little first.

Now that you’ve answered those three questions clearly and you’ve decided that yes, you can give a pet an excellent home, you are then ready to start considering which breeds are best for children.

Should You Consider Hypoallergenic Dog Breeds For Children?:

Many people are allergic to pet dander, so you may want to consider a hypoallergenic breed if that may be an issue your kids. Kid allergies can lead to a lot of sinus problems or ear infections, or even behavioral problems (weird, but true! My son goes nuts anytime he is around a cat!), so it’s important to consider this before committing to a pet for a lifetime – you won’t want your kids to be heart broken that their pet has to go away because it makes them sneeze and have problems breathing! Good options for this include Poodles, Labradoodles, Lagotto Romagnolo breeds, Bichon Frisé (this was my husband’s first dog), Coton de Tulear, Bergamasco, and Irish Water Spaniels.

What are Other Breeds to Consider?

If you are certain that allergies are not an issue with your family, then you have many more options in addition to the great puppies listed above. Beagles, Spaniels, Golden Retrievers, and Labradors are all popular “family dogs”. One of the best dogs we ever had was a German Shepherd/Yellow Lab/Beagle Mix – but shedding was an issue! Mixed breeds can sometimes be nice, but you’ll want to make sure you carefully research the different breeds to make sure each individual one is okay and so you know what you may expect.

What Size Dog Is Best With Kids?

With kids, it will greatly depends on the size and personality of your kids in choosing what size of pet to get. For example, if your children are big and active, they could accidentally hurt very small pets. On the other hand, if you have toddlers, you may not want an extremely large dog because they are also huge and could easily knock a child down by accident.

What Age Should the Dog/Puppy Be?

Many people wonder if they should get a dog or a puppy with kids. Puppies are often best for a family with active kids because it will allow for the dog to grow up with the children, and so many issues can be avoided that you can sometimes get with older dogs who may not be used to children. It will greatly depend on the breed, and what the animal’s past history has been. Obviously, even the best of breeds may not be a good choice if the dog has a history of abuse or is temperamental.

Do you have a dog? What do you think? What kind of dog breed is best for families with kids? Share your thoughts and ideas on best types of dogs for children below!

Baby gift registries are great when you are expecting a baby because it can help all of your friends and family know exactly what you want and need – without everyone buying the same things!

But how can you decide which one to choose? Here are some things to consider when signing up for a baby gift registry:

Online Access: It is nice to choose one that has online access for two reasons: 1. You can “shop” online to add everything to your list and 2. Your friends and family can check it all out online too without having to mess around with complicated systems at stores.

Can People Get to the Store? I have had many friends register at Babies R Us and other types of specialty stores for baby gear. Unfortunately, while those stores are great for finding and buying baby gifts – if you don’t have one near where you live it can be difficult to get there!

What Should You Ask For?
A lot of people when they start signing up for baby gift registry programs don’t really think a whole lot about what they need to ask for. You should as the very least ask for clothes, diapers (at least size 1-2), a Boppy pillow (they really are nice!), crib bedding, portable crib/playpen, bouncy seats, car seat and an exesaucer. You might also want to add in the smaller stuff, like soap, towels, washcloths, etc. I’m a minimalist mom (I don’t even own a diaper bag!), but some things are definitely worth asking for! Other things you will likely never use: a bottle warmer, stuffed animals, three million blankets, etc. Never ask for blankets – you can’t give them to a baby anyway and everyone buys them for you. I believe I have about 45 baby blankets in my closet!

What Should You Not Ask For?: You’re having a baby, so stick to things that are only baby related. It wouldn’t be appropriate for example to list a lawnmower or big screen TV on your baby shower registry list!

Should You Have More Than One Baby Registry?: Some people wonder if they should register with more than one store or not. Personally, I don’t think there is anything wrong with having a few stores to choose from, since that will make it easier for guests to buy for you. BUT, and this is a very BIG BUT, make sure you don’t ask for the same things on both registries. Otherwise, what will likely happen is that people will go to one store and buy something and people will go to another store to buy another thing.

How to Tell People About Your Baby Registry? If you will be having a baby shower, then it’s certainly appropriate to include a note in your invitation that reads “The parents-to-be (or use your names) are registered at XYZ and TYQ Stores. If you are not having a shower, it’s still fun to create a registry anyway, and then if anyone asks you can just tell them you are registered and they can take a look there if they want but you’ll be happy with whatever.

If possible, you may want to consider adding a gift card to your registry as well. That tells guests that if they do not buy a gift off of your baby gift registry that a cheque or cash or gift card is perfectly fine. A lot of people worry about baby gift registry etiquette, but usually it does not really matter. I have yet to think that any of my friends or family members who were having a baby were being rude. I LOVE buying gifts for people who have babies, especially because I’ve had three and I know how nice it when someone gives you a gift, even if it’s not something you exactly needed or had on your wish list.

So, Where Can you Find a List of Baby Gift Registries? Right Here, of Course! Here are some of the ones we’ve used before:

Amazon – You Can Sign Up or Search Here – They have all the baby stuff you could ever need! This is also great if you have a lot of friends and family who are out of town or won’t be able to make it to a shower.

Target & Walmart - These two box chain stores are always big ones that I see a lot. Their registries aren’t too complicated to use, though Wal-mart is a little clunky. You can also go to the store nearest you with a scan gun and scan for things which is always fun, too. Sometimes it helps when you can see all the things in the stores to help you decide what you like.

Babies R Us & Baby Depot: These two stores are slightly better as far as selection goes compared to the big box chain stores for things for having a baby, since that is all they sell! You’ll want to make sure if this is your only registry place however that it is convenient for people to get to or that they can order stuff online, otherwise it can be tough.

Do you have any suggestions for other places to create a baby registry? Share your comments below!

Finding time for family bonding activities can be difficult sometimes, especially if everyone in your household has their own individual schedules. However, even when you may find that it’s hectic or hard to schedule, a little forced family fun (also known as FFF) is important to do.

A lot of the different things you can do together as a family will greatly depend on the ages of everyone in your home and the number of people as well. To make our list of family bonding activities, we tried to make it so that they only require a minimum of two people but can be expanded for larger groups as well. We also tried to come up with as much as we could that is all ages friendly. Want to plan something with a two year old, a grandma, and a teenager? We’ve got you covered here.

Here are our ideas for family bonding activities:

1. Make a Collage: This can be a really fun activity to do with each other that might even become an addiction over time. It’s a great way to spend time with each other and you’ll be able to talk about almost anything. All you will need is a few magazines (at least one per family member), a piece of poster board or cardstock, and scissors and glue sticks. You can decide whether you’ll choose a theme, make the picture into a story, or cut out all of your favorite quotes and phrases. When you’re finished, you can hang it up on the wall, the fridge, or make smaller ones to save in a special book you make.

2. Play Cards: Card games have been a longtime means of entertainment for families and can also be a lot of fun. Younger children can play memory, go fish, old maid, uno, spoons or war. Older children and adults will like games like Rummy or maybe even pull out a few of your college drinking games (minus the drinking of course!)

3. Take a Walk: This is not only a great way to spend quality time together, but gives your whole family a great way to get some exercise as well. Even younger children may enjoy riding in a stroller and taking in the sights and sounds. You can walk in your neighborhood, the park, and many other places.

4. Family Movie Night: Pop some popcorn, pick a movie everyone in the family will enjoy and watch it together. Make sure that everyone gets a chance to watch something they enjoy to avoid fighting. Some might not think that watching tv together makes a difference, but it does – make sure you talk about the movie afterward.

5. Cook Together: Even younger children can get into the fun by measuring, mixing, and pouring ingredients into the bowl. Family dinner night is important but with our hectic lifestyles it is easy to overlook and forget about this classic way for spending time together.

6. Play Catch: Yes, this might sound like something from the fifties, but it’s a classic way to get to know your kids better. Catch doesn’t have to be reserved for just fathers and sons – moms and daughters can get on it as well. You can all stand in a circle and throw a large ball to one another or go with the old baseball and glove if you’d rather do that. If this is something you want to try and do on a regular basis, consider switching it up each time – maybe throw a frisbee or water balloon.

7. Go Shopping Together: While yes, it can be a lot easier to shop by yourself, taking a shopping trip together can mean a lot. Children can feel special and important helping you make choices, read labels, and push the cart around. The more you shop together the easier it gets and you’ll have time to talk to each other out of the busy schedule.

8. Family Makeover Night: Something that can be fun to do is to have everyone in the family get a makeover – this means where clothes they wouldn’t normally wear or wear their hair in a new way. While yes it’s likely girls will like this one more (especially if you involve non-toxic nail polish) you can still get the boys and Dad involved by spiking their hair or making them try on some silly clothes.

9. Karaoke Dance Party, Anyone?: All you need is a stereo and some speakers for this one. Dance around or sing to your favorite songs together. Go ahead and break out that air guitar.

Do you have any ideas or suggestions for what family bonding activities you can do together are? Share them in the comments below!

Deciding what to wear for a family portrait is probably one of the most important things to consider when getting a picture together with everyone. After all, these types of pictures with the family are the kinds that get passed around, made into calendars, photo cards, and more.

To help you decide what you should wear and get a beautiful family picture together, here are some tips below:

1. Timing is Everything: If you will be going to a professional photographer for the portrait, you’ll want to make sure that it’s a time when you and the other members of your family are not stressed. Make sure the kids are well fed and rested since this usually helps them be the most cooperative. If you go when you are all feeling rushed or stressed out, you’ll end up with pictures that show it.

2. Choose a Color Scheme: A color scheme is very important and can help determine what all of you should wear. You can stick to just one color, or choose several colors that compliment together naturally. Having the same colored shirts or shirts that are complimentary to one another will help you get the best looking picture.

3. Minimize Logos, Writing, Etc.: Your family portrait should not be an advertisement for your favorite clothing brand. Make sure that whatever you are wearing it doesn’t have any writing or emblems on it. The only exception to this rule would be if you are going for a sports theme and everyone in the family will be wearing their favorite team’s jerseys.

4. Avoid Patterns: Too many patterns of different clothes can make it difficult for one to determine where they should focus when they look at the picture. Choosing solid colors may be the most simple way, but some can be successful with mixing and matching patterns if you have a good eye for it.

5. Pick the Right Background: The backdrop of the photo will be another important determination in deciding on what you should be wearing. If you are going to a studio, most backgrounds will either be blue, gray, or white. Some photographers also have the ability to change the background. If you’ll be having the photo done outdoors, you may want to consider what colors will contrast well against the sky or the greenery.

6. Look at Galleries for Inspiration: Most photographers will have an online gallery of their work, or you can always spend some time surfing the internet by searching for images. Looking at examples of what others have done and what you like the best can also help with deciding how you should all dress for a picture that will look professional and be memorable.

These are just a few tips and pointers that will help you achieve the best possibly family portrait. Remember the most important part: Smile and Have Fun!

You can’t really write a blog about being a mom and not write a post in honor of Mother’s Day. So to all the moms out there who have stopped by to read Loud Mom, Happy Mother’s Day to You!

I’ve decided today, since it’s a busy day filled with visiting hubby’s mom and of course my own mom, to spin off an article I wrote and published last year, so hopefully you will enjoy it.

The 10 Things I Love About Being a Mom:

1. An Excuse: Kids are wonderful excuses. Showing up late? It’s the kids fault. There’s chocolate all over my shirt? That’s from all the sticky hugs and kisses I get. Want to get out of somewhere you don’t want to be? Oh geez, the kids are really getting tired/hungry/restless – we gotta go!

2. On Demand Hugs: While this might change as my kids get older, for the time being I can always get a hug or a kiss anytime I ask for one.

3. Handmade Gifts: Who needs fancy store bought gifts when I get the best presents of hand drawn cards and dandelions picked out of the backyard? This year for Mother’s Day my son wrote a book all about me. Apparently he loves me the most because I go trick or treating with him. (Hard to believe he’s thinking about that in May!) He also wrote that I was a few years younger than I actually am and only weighed 95 pounds. Smart kid.

4. Watching the Kids Sleep: No matter how much your kids annoy the crap out of you during the day or what they’ve managed to destroy or make impossible to do, when you tuck them in at night and they fall asleep, there’s just nothing cuter or more rewarding.

5. All the Great Books: If I didn’t hae kids no doubt I would miss out on reading fantastic stories such as IF YOU GIVE A MOUSE A COOKIE and others.

6. Great Movies: It’s always relaxing to snuggle up with the kids watching a good movie or cartoons. We just watched Meet the Robinsons which ended up being a great little movie I liked more than the last 10 adult movies I’ve watched.

7. A New Language: Kids teach you all kinds of new words that you wouldn’t know otherwise. I doubt few people beyond moms would understand words like Boppy, binkie, bubba, gamote (remote) and elegator (elevator).

8. My Mini Van: I can’t believe I drive a mini-van and love it. It is seriously scary to me, since I thought as a teenager I would never drive one. But as the guy at the car dealership said, “Nobody wants to drive a mini-van, but you’ll be glad you do!” It’s super comfortable, the kids love it, and it’s got a built in DVD player to entertain them and lull them to sleep on those long car rides.

9. Let’s Play: I get to play with all kinds of cool things all the time. Legos, play dough, tea parties, pirates. I doubt if I didn’t have kids I’d be enjoying those things half as much.

10. I’m never lonely: Kids like to follow you everywhere and getting a minute to yourself can be tough. It’s good to know that even when I want to be alone I usually never am. I can’t even take a shower or go to the bathroom without some company usually!

If you’re a mom, share what you love about being a mom in the comments below, or what you love about your mom. Have a good one everyone!

Inspired by my first official mosquito bite of the season and a lifelong hatred of mosquitoes I decided I would share some of the numerous home remedies for mosquito bites I have tried and what has proven to be waste of time and effort as well as a few that sometimes actually work. They do make products that are a mosquito magnet in hopes that they would be helpful for getting rid of them, but I am not sure how well they work, and I’m not too keen on the idea of spending several hundred dollars to find out if it doesn’t. (Though if you want to send me one, I’ll surely test it out.)

I don’t remember exactly when I started hating mosquitoes, but I do know that it started pretty early. In the eighth grade I wrote an essay about how much I hate mosquitoes. It was our first writing assignment of the year and I was sitting in class itchy as could be.  Here is a short little excerpt of what I had written as a 13 year old girl:

“I hate mosquitos more than anything in the world. They must see me and somehow mistake me for the central blood bank. In the summer, it looks as if I’ve caught some strange contagious infectious disease from the pink polka dots of calamine lotion.”

Not much has changed since then, except I now no longer leave my house without bug spray. There’s a small bottle of it in my purse, the kid’s diaper bags, the trunk of my car, and I also keep it nearby on our porch and in the medicine cabinets. This probably seems like a little overboard, but it’s seemed to have become a necessity – without it I would be one itchy miserable mom!

Anyways, if you are like me, even with the best prevention methods you still end up getting bit from time to time, especially in unsuspecting situations such as while grocery shopping or taking a shower. So here are some things you can try for quick fast relief. Some of them worked for me, but not others – others I know swear by methods that were a total failure for me. Remember that this is no substitute for medical advice in any means  – I’m not a doctor, a nurse, or specialist of any sorts.

Calamine Lotion: My dear Calamine. (Y’know, Calamine could actually sound like a pretty girl’s name if I didn’t associate it with one of my biggest pet peeves in the world. ) What can I say about Calamine? It’s pink and so a lot of times it will get all over your clothes. It feels good for about 5 minutes and then the itching starts all over again.

Benadryl: Benadryl in both the over the counter oral medicine and the spray is always good to have on hand, though it only works about 75% of the time for me. When I have been attacked by mosquitoes sometimes taking benadryl medication will provide some relief for about an hour or two. Make sure you follow the dosing carefully – it will make you sleepy.

Witch Hazel: I’ve tried this one a few times, with and without baking soda mixed with it. This is usually best only for the mildly irritating single bite – not so good when your whole leg is covered in them and you are going crazy.

Deodorant: Someone suggested this to me once and I tried it. Unfortunately, the kind I use may be strong enough for a man and ph balanced for a woman, but it doesn’t stand a chance when it comes to battling bug bites. I haven’t tried other kinds or brands, which I’m sure may have different effects since they all have different ingredients.

Toothpaste: If you use a toothpaste with fluoride and baking soda in it, this may provide some very temporary relief. It works much better at making acne disappear than bug bites unfortunately.

Asprin: Supposedly if you rub an aspirin over the bite immediately after being bitten it will prevent it from getting all swollen and itchy. Haven’t used this one enough to say it works.

Aloe Vera Gel: Hey, while you’re rubbing a bunch of other weird things like toothpaste all over your skin, why not try aloe vera gel? Sometimes that cool soothing feeling helps.

Salt Water: Mix a solution of salt and water and apply to skin. Warning: If you’ve scratched the bite to the point where it is bleeding this is going to burn a LOT! The pain will make you forget how itchy it is!

Now that you’ve read all of these crazy concoctions and supposed cures for itchy bug bites, you may understand why mosquito bite prevention is the best thing and why I have a ridiculous supply of bug spray. There are two kinds of bug spray I have used that do actually work pretty well most of the time – they are Avon Skin So Soft, which even now comes in a spray bottle and is DEET free, as well as OFF! Skintastic . The Off! Shouldn’t be used on small children however, since it is believed that DEET is bad for them, which makes the Avon Skin So Soft a better choice if you have small kids.

Anyways, have any thoughts on mosquitoes? Anybody have an experience with a mosquito magnet? What crazy home remedies for mosquito bites have you tried?

On a hot sunny day there’s nothing like a fresh squeezed lemonade shakeup recipe to enjoy while outside basking in the sun. We’ve finally got our first warm sunny day with temperatures above 70 degrees and let me tell you right now it’s wonderful. We’re supposed to have this beautiful weather for the next week or so – so if this blog seems a little neglected that very well could be the reason why!

I’m not sure what it is about lemonade that makes it the perfect compliment to when we’re outside grilling on a charcoal grill and enjoying a little barbecue picnic. Fresh squeezed lemonade is also perfect for sitting out on the front porch or the back deck while working outside or watching the kids play on their swing set.

So, to celebrate this beautiful day, here’s my favorite fresh squeezed lemonade shake up recipe to make an entire gallon for you and friends and family to enjoy:

You Will Need:
A nice big pitcher
12 Lemons at room temperature
Cold water
2 cups sugar or sugar substitute (As much as I try to be sugar free completely lemonade does need a little sweetener added to it! You may want to use more or less depending on the tartness of the lemons and your own preferences)
Ice

Directions:

1. Juice the Lemons: There are a few ways to get the fresh squeezed juice out of the lemons. For the best results, the lemons should be at room temperature. (You can cook them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds which may also help. You will then also want to roll them on a table to help the fibers break apart and get the juice flowing. There are all types of lemon juicers available from motorized to the standard type of citrus juicers. You can usually get them pretty cheap – less than $1 if you get a secondhand one or $5-$6 for a plastic one at the store. You simply cut the lemons in half and then turn it over the juicer, which will collect the juice for you.

2. Mix juice and sugar: I’ve found I like to mix the juice and the sugar on their own. This is the part that makes me call it a “shakeup” recipe. If you cover the container and shake it really hard I’ve found that’s the best way to make sure the sugar and the lemon juice is mixed together the best. Just be careful not to spill all the lemon juice you worked so hard on squeezing!

3. Add Ice and Water: Once the lemon juice and sugar is mixed, you are ready to add the water. I usually use a 2 quart pitcher and so just fill it up to the top line with water. Then using a wooden spoon I stir it all together. I do not like ice cubes in my drinks, but I’ve learned that this is just some weird strange quirk unique to me. Most people like ice in their drinks, and so assuming that you are “normal” you would pour it over glasses of ice. You can then decide to garnish with fresh lemon wedges or slices.

So there you have it, a fresh squeezed lemonade recipe for a hot sunny day. Enjoy!