Visit my General Store to find all the recipes for the things that I make myself in one convenient place. They are organized by category for easy reference. Let me know if there is a recipe that you’d like to see that isn’t posted yet. I’m updating things all the time. Happy shopping!
Author: maggielane
“Candy Cane” Toothpaste
In my quest to keep those little teeth clean, a homemade toothpaste that will clean their teeth and mouth and taste good too. Click here to read about our “Candy Cane” Toothpaste. It’s a simple recipe. Only three ingredients. And safe to swallow if you have little ones who don’t know how to spit out their toothpaste.
Conversations…
Join the conversations that are going on in the blog world lately. Visit here to see the blog posts from other bloggers that I find interesting. You’ll find topics like herbs, homemade product recipes, natural remedies, children’s health, and delicious food. Read on….
Welcome!!!
Welcome to my blog. Please stop by and visit my new Welcome page. And if it’s been a while since you’ve been here, you can see the lastest posts since you’re last visit by clicking here.
Crock Pot Cooking: baked and mashed potatoes
I love my little red crock pots.
I’ve been cooking my baked potatoes in my crock pot for the last year. It was a great discovery for me as I can throw them in early in the afternoon while the kids are napping and know that they will get done in time for dinner. And I don’t have to heat up the house by turning the oven on. And my latest discovery is mashed potatoes. Sounds strange for crock pot cooking I know, but it works great and I find it more convenient than using the stove. Tips and directions are on the Cookstove. Click on the link and then scroll down.
Babywearing Bag Actions Shots – scroll to the bottom
A reader requested action shots of my babywearing bag that I posted about
a couple of weeks ago. Scroll down to see me wearing the bag with the baby.
To see the original post with directions for transforming your bag click here.
Action Shots:
Not the best shot I know, but not bad when
taken by your 5-year-old daughter. 😉
Hip carry with a sarong. Bag is over left shoulder
(same side as baby).
Looking from the side.
Back carry. Bag in front.
Better shot taken by my husband.
Homemade Granola
Everyone asks me for my granola recipe when I come back to Texas to visit. So here it is in written form so that I can just refer people to my blog instead of writing it down all the time. Enjoy some yummy breakfasts and feel free to adjust the ingredients to your taste. Yum yum.
Easy remedies for ear infections and sore throats
Caring for sick child is one of the most difficult jobs that a parent faces. Ear infections and sore throats are some of the most common and most painful ailments to deal with. Here are some easy remedies to try at home to help your child when they are hurting. Ear drops for ear infections and Throat Soother for sore throats. Be well.
The Family Doctor: Keeping those little bodies clean Inside and Out
Continuing our discussion of food sensitivities, let’s discuss tips and tricks on cleansing your children’s bodies and their environment.
Keeping the INside and OUTside Clean:
Children with food sensitivities seem to have delicate systems. Thus I try to use homemade cleaners, soaps, laundry detergents, sunscreens, bug sprays, toothpaste and remedies so that I can know what they are being exposed to. This way if they have a reaction, I know what the ingredients are and can more quickly diagnose the offending agent. I also try to support their immune systems by giving them Well Drops daily. And when they have a reaction to a food I give them herbs (in tincture form) which helps support their bodies as they cleanse and heal. Herbs like dandelion (cleansing), milk thistle (liver support), yarrow (healing/cleansing), yellow dock (cleansing), catnip (calming/nutritious), and nettle (nutritious) are among my favorites.
More health topics to follow…. What health issue would you like to see discussed?
Transform your bag into a babywearing bag
I’ve been lamenting not having a babywearing bag lately. I’ve been doing more back carries which means that I can’t carry our regular go-to backpack since the baby is already back there. And most of my shoulder bags or tote bags are too little to use as a diaper bag. But, this last week I found a solution! You only need two supplies – a medium to large bag out of your closet and a scarf. Let me tell you what I did. It’s so comfortable to wear, even when jammed full of stuff.
I pulled out this bag which only has a tiny shoulder strap. I never used it because it would constantly slip off my shoulder. But, I was desperate the other day and realized that if I tied a scarf on to the rings that it would be a comfy cross-body babywearing bag. It holds the weight well, and the scarf spreads nicely across your shoulder like a wrap would. I can wear it with any type of carry front, hip or back because I just put it opposite the baby. If she’s on the front I wear the bag on the back, if she’s on my hip I wear it on my other hip and if she’s on my back I wear the back on the front. And it’s adjustable. I can make the strap longer or shorter just by re-tying the knot. It’s wonderful.
If you don’t have a bag with rings you could get some of these metal book rings
Action Shots:
Not the best shot I know, but not bad when
taken by your 5-year-old daughter. 😉
Hip carry with a sarong. Bag is over left shoulder
(same side as baby).
Looking from the side.
Back carry. Bag in front.
Better shot taken by my husband.
Summer Babywearing
It’s been HOT in New York City this past week with the heat index reaching well past 100 degrees. How do you keep you and your baby cool? The answer that you don’t want to hear is that you can’t really. I always carry sun hats for me and baby, a water bottle, cloth wipes
one-shouldered front carry
with a 25 lb. one year old
hip carry
back carry
Make an air-conditioned sandbox
This is a bonus post this week in honor of the high temperature today in New York City reaching 100 degrees.
What to do when you’re stuck inside all week due to the heat?
Today we made an air-conditioned sandbox. Or an “sandbox” indoors. 🙂
Since we couldn’t go outside we improvised.
We spread a large sheet on the carpet (as pictured above).
Then we raided the pantry for all the partial bags of old
beans, rice, lentils that hadn’t been used in ages.
Dump them all in.
Instant “sandbox.”
We used the box that our building blocks are usually stored in, but you could also use a cardboard box, lego tubs, laundry baskets, dishpan, canvas storage boxes, an old suitcase or even a large plastic or stainless steel mixing bowl.
(Note: Obviously this activity would not be appropriate for babies or young
children who still put things in their mouths. Lots of choking hazards here.)
Add some colored toys or manipuatives and you have an
instant sensory, color sorting game.
Grab some cups and spoons and start digging.
Stay COOL! Enjoy your summer.
Remembering Maggie Lane 