A Melatonin Testimony

Hi everyone! I am very excited to share this post with you! Use wisdom but don't operate out of fear, special Moms!

     A couple years ago I was desperate for suggestions on helping Noah get to sleep (and stay asleep) at night. I sought the help of one of Noah's specialist that treat kids with Autism and he told me of other families that had a lot of success using melatonin and highly recommended it. I was more than skeptical. I didn't really know what it was, how it worked, or anyone else who used it... and to be honest, it kinda sounded way too easy.

 

What is Melatonin? <----Learn more

     More time passed, and bedtime was becoming more and more of a battle. I seriously HATED BEDTIME. HATED. IT. I would dread it every night... My mood would go from "positive" and "upbeat" to "someone shoot me" as the sun went down on a seemingly rapid pace. It was like a bad movie appropriately titled: 

Groundhog Day: Mommy's Personal Hell.

     Every night my children turned into sun downers on speed and I was exhausted by just knowing what was coming my way. 

Noah is over stimulated. 

Lydia is overly tired and crying. 

Sophia keeps leaving the room. 

I can't seem to make Roman happy. 

1 hour. 

2 hours.

3 HOURS (!!!!!) 

sometimes went by.... 

And just when I thought I had won the battle,  Noah would wake up a few short hours later, READY and EAGER to start his day. 

     It may sound funny, but really was clinically exhausting. I was not getting the sleep I needed, nor were they. Every morning the boys were starting their school day stressed out, tired and emotional. I hated it and something had to change.

     Over the last couple years I was learning and becoming more and more comfortable with using essential oils, pro-biotics, herbs and vitamins. But for some reason I was STILL nervous about this melatonin thing. Maybe it was because it was a sleep aid and I was fearful that I would give them too much and GOD FORBID! **FYI, that has never been reported as happening** But honestly, looking back, I know this ridiculous fear came from the pit of hell to keep me exhausted, frustrated and overwhelmed!<---RealTalk

     I decided to seek the opinions of fellow Moms on Facebook- and immediately assumed they would judge me or have nothing positive to say. And that was if I was lucky enough to know ANY ONE who would do such a thing to their child(ren)! 

Wow... was I SHOCKED. 

I received overwhelming and POSITIVE responses from 20+ Mom's who's child(ren) regularly use it and had been for years!

     I was ready to give it a go. I called Noah's Doctor and the nurse explained to me how to use it and how to find the appropriate dosage. I bought the recommended type based on Noah's sensory issues- liquid instead of sub-lingual, and a higher potency so there's less to ingest. I purchased it at our local drug store, and have continued to use the same brand ever since. It took a couple weeks of adjusting the time administered and dosage to make it work effectively. Every night got easier, and easier, AND EASIER. Before long it happened. it really happened... A NIGHT TIME ROUTINE. 

It was like a MIRACLE. 

            ^These cards are funny!^

     A few days into our new routine I was successful in taking their TV out of their bedrooms. A week or two after that I was removing sippy cups at night with out a fight. These were 2 things that caused a lot of obsessive behaviors and frustrations at night for Noah, and were a distraction to the other 3 as well! Its been over 2 months now, with absolutely no issues, problems or concerns. Their sleep patterns have been better established. The two girls no longer need to take it every night, yet if we have a couple nights activities that disrupt our routine, one dose gets them right back on schedule. Everyone is waking up well rested and that makes a big difference in their behavior at home and performance at school. Can we say "No more stimming at bedtime?!" Thank you, Jesus!

More Evidence that Melatonin Eases Autism Associated Insomnia

 ^Learn More^

     Our time together in the evening is now my favorite part of the day. Instead of yelling and tears, there's reading bedtime stories and saying night time prayers -and I'm not having to bribe or threaten anyone in the process! It's so fulfilling in fact that I understand why the devil would  mess with me for so long in regards to using melatonin! 

     So again, use wisdom but don't operate out of fear, special moms! Here's to a good nights sleep!

**Not all children are able to take melatonin (like those with respiratory issues and some heart defects) as well as many other supplements and dietary aids. So ALWAYS discuss with your child's doctor first!** 

Deep Cleaning: Kitchen

I'm going to do a blog mash up of everything I referenced when "Spring Cleaning" my kitchen!

Some I used, others I didn't get to, but this will make a great reference guide for next time.

These are some great tips and tricks!

(And they are all natural recipes!) 

Click on each highlighted text if you would like to be redirected to the original blog!

Clean your refrigerator. Line the shelves with Saran Wraps "Press & Seal." Next time there's a spill, just remove the Saran wrap and replace! From "Iowa Girl Eats"

Who knew running a wash cycle with just a glass of vinegar would make the inside of your washer sparkle like new again!? From one of my favorite blogs "One Good Thing By Jillie"

Clean your counter top appliances and make them look new with this awesome trick! Thanks, "Tales and Tips- A Real House Wife"

Make stainless steal shine! Use these tricks on your sink as well as your appliances! Courtesy of "Happy Home"

Get that gunk off your cabinets! My white kitchen cabinets show everything! BOO! Again, this is from "One Good Thing By Jillie"

Clean your glass stove top! Never had one until we moved here, and I used to scrub the heck out of it! Silly me- this is so much easier! And the proper way, with damaging! OOOPS! Thanks, "Behind The Studio!"

Clean IN BETWEEN The glass on your oven door! Looks brand new again! From "Moms 4 Real"

Now you cant forget how to organize! Thanks, "Clover Lane"

I will update as I find more gems! 

Have you found some kitchen cleaning tips that are to die for on Pintrest? 

DO SHARE!

Enjoyed this post? May I also suggest: Multipurpose, Multisurface, Orange Cleaner

Multipurpose, Multisurface, Orange Cleaner

So, I know you have seen this floating around Pintrest....

I had to give it a try! I couldn't find where it had originated from but most recipes were exactly the same, so I am guessing there's really only one way this can be made. All you need is some oranges peels, glass jars with lids and some distilled vinegar.

Simply take the orange peels and pack them into the jars. Then fill the jars with vinegar and close them up tightly. Store them in a cool dark place for 2 weeks (I put mine under the kitchen sink.)

Once the two weeks are up, you want to store it in something with equal parts water and the orange/vinegar solution.

Ok, now to try it... I will say, on hard wood floors, I was not impressed. It did leave a lack luster film, that kinda bummed me out. I think it may possibly work a lot better on laminate flooring. As a surface cleaner it worked well, I really didn't have any complaints. It did carry more of a vinegar odor rather than a clean  orange scent. I think I will add orange essential oil to this batch.

*Do you have a recipe that's natural and cleans wood floors? Let me know!

*What to do with all the oranges you just peeled??? Stay tuned!






Looking for more DIY projects? Look here: DIY Carpet Powder

DIY Carpet Powder

Soooo, I seriously love(d) Arm & Hammer Carpet Powder.... It made the house smell so yummy with all of its, errrr, chemicals..... :( I had no idea before reading an article on this stuff that it was actually some very toxic stuff. One thing that really bothered me is that it can trigger symptoms of Parkinson Disease. WOW. Well, I hit up Pintrest, with my box of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda in hand, and here's what I found- and oh my word, not only does it work, is extremely cheap, but the use of essential oils actually makes your carpet smell fresher- LONGER!.

I used:
baking soda- absorbs dirt and grime 
Borax- Naturally kills anything living in the carpet that shouldn't be
Essential oils- I used my lavender oil, LOVE IT, especially since I only have carpet in the bed rooms. 
(I swing open my bed room door and have a laundry detergent commercial moment....)

I save all of my shake cheese containers just for this. I had 3 and filled them up all in one sitting and it took literally minutes.

You want a recipe similar to this:
3 1/2 Parts Baking Soda
1/2 Part Borax
(I used 20 drops of essential oil)

So, if you have 3 1/2 cups of baking soda, you would add a 1/2 cup of Borax. Its really dependent on how large a batch you want to make in one sitting.

Use a whisk to mix together and then pour into your containers. Sprinkle on carpet and allow to sit for at least 5 minutes, then vacuum up!

HAPPY VACUUMING! 

DIY Febreeze, Wrinkle Releaser & Stain Remover

DIY Febreeze, Wrinkle Releaser & Stain Remover!

I am on a roll, let me tell ya :)

I love my DIY laundry soap, fabric softener and dryer sheets... so with the theme of laundry on the brain I started doing some research...

What are some other things in my laundry room that I could replace with a much more natural and less chemical version? And here's what I've found, AND LOVE!

3-18 OZ. SPRAY BOTTLES 

(I FOUND MINE AT WALMART IN THE GARDENING AREA)

YOUR DIY FABRIC SOFTENER 

ESSENTIAL OIL 

(THE SAME YOU USED IN YOUR FABRIC SOFTENER)

BAKING SODA

BLUE DAWN DISH SOAP

HYDROGEN PEROXIDE 

DISTILLED WATER

I used chalk board paint to make my labels :)

Febreeze 

1/8 Cups of Fabric Softener

2 Tbs of Baking Soda

30 Drops of Essential Oils (the same you used in your fabric softener)

The rest Distilled Water

Wrinkle Releaser

3 Cups of Distilled Water

10 Tsp of Fabric Softener 

Stain Remover

2 Cups of Hydrogen Peroxide

1 Cup of Blue Dawn Dish Soap 

HAPPY WASHING!

DIY Fabric Softener & Dryer Sheets

 So, as many of you know, I am trying to go as chemical free as possible but being realistic with my expectations. If something just simply doesn't work, then to me its obviously not worth it. Since I am just so in love with my Homemade laundry detergent, I decided to take it a step further and go for fabric softener as well as dryer sheets. I know what your thinking, "isn't each of those only a dollar or two?" And yeah, they are, and for this project I pretty much broke even.

DIY Fabric Softener:
(Double the recipe if you plan to make the dryer sheets as well) 
1 Cup of distilled water
1 Cup baking soda
2 Cups of white vinegar 
25 Drops of essential oil (I used lavender purchased from Whole Foods)

In a large bowl, whisk water, baking soda and essential oil. Then SLOWLY pour in your vinegar. You will start to see the fizzle from the chemical reaction of mixing the 2 (think high school science fair volcano project). Once done fizzing, pour mixture into a sealable jar. After sitting a while, it will separate so  simply shake it up a little before using. 

DIY Dryer Sheets:
Take a package of coffee filters and separate them as best you can. Loosely put them in a container and pour your fabric softener over them until completely saturated. Wait about 15 minutes  for them to soak. Once time is up, ring them out as best as you can (you can pour what is left back into your jar to use as fabric softener if you want, don't wanna waste those essential oils!)  Separate them as best you can and lay them out on a cookie sheet to dry. It may take over night. Once dry, put them loosely in a large container and cover with a lid.

So, I have now been using both for over a month now. And it is lasting me a lot longer than I expected. When doing towels, pour your fabric softener in your downy dryer ball and it will sanitize and soften your towels. When drying clothes use 2-3 dryer sheets depending on the size of your load. When you take your laundry out, grab your shriveled up dryer sheet and stick it in a bag, you could easily get a second use out of them! Saving you a little bit more money :) As your sheets sit in the container they may change color a tad, simply due to the type of oil you use, but don't worry, it will not effect your clothing in any way.

And again:

HAPPY WASHING!

DIY Baby Wipes

Here's something I wish I knew about, oh.... like 6 years ago...! Sophia, baby number 4, has been no stranger to the evil diaper rash... as with all my kiddos, she too has that super sensitive skin. Baby wipes are made mainly with alcohol and can really ruff up a tushy, as well as dry out their faces after a messy meal. Being the faithful (addicted) pintrest adventurer that I am, I came across many different ideas for home made baby wipes. Here is my recipe, along with ingredients found at your local Walmart.

You will need 1 roll of Bounty paper towels
 (Trust me, they must be Bounty. I have tried the comparison brand and it just didn't hold up.)
1 Tbsp of coconut oil
1 Tbsp of baby wash
(I have never had a problem with Johnson's, but use whatever is best for your child during bath time)
2 containers with lids
(I found mine in the food storage isle. Make sure the roll of paper towels will fit snugly into the container)
1 1/4 Cup of distilled water
knife and scissors 

Find the middle and begin cutting in half. Using your knife, slice in the same direction  (NOT a back and forth motion)  Turn the roll of paper towels as you cut. It will look a little messy when done, but don't worry.

Using your scissors, trim off  the shredded pieces from cutting.
Now mix your water, coconut oil and baby wash in bowl. The measurements are for 1 container of baby wipes. If you are making 2 at a time, like I do, then double up the recipe.
Place each roll into their container. Pour  the mixed solution over top each one. Close with lid, and wait 5 minutes. 

After about 5 minutes, take the rolls out and turn them over. The rest of the solution will begin to move to the bottom of the roll.  Now you should be able to wiggle the paper tube out of the middle. Once you do that, find the end of the paper towels from the center and pull out.

Now to make a lid. Using sharp scissors, begin making an "X" 

My lid is made from a hard plastic, so the "X" wasn't flexible enough for the baby wipe to pull through, So I began to make more of a hole.

Put the lid on and pull through!

They smell awesome! And make the skin silky smooth! Since playing around with the home made baby wipes I have learned that a little goes a long way- unlike some store bought brands. I have tried Bounty "select a size" and actually liked the regular sized ones better. And as I said I also tried off brand paper towels and really just wasted my time (and money) as they just didn't hold up like they should. After purchasing your ingredients, which obviously you can/do use for other things, each tub of wipes will only cost you around 50 cents!  

DIY Laundry Soap

One of my goals for 2013 is to get my house as chemical free as possible. What I'm quickly learning, oddly enough, is that this is actually putting extra bucks IN my pocket, rather than taking more money out. 

I do at least 3 loads of laundry a day, and go through laundry soap like crazy. So when I learned that I could not only make my own, but save some money, I was eager to try it out.

My last batch lasted me 4 months for a family of 6! And guess what? It only cost me about 25 bucks. I spent that easily in 1 month of purchasing my name brand laundry soap in the past. 

Here's what you will need:

2 Tubs of Sun Oxygen 
1 76 oz box of Borax
3 Bars of Fels-Naptha Soap
2 Cups of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda
1 55 oz box of Arm & Hammer Washing Soda
1 64 oz bottle of Purex Crystals (Optional, but worth it!)
(All of these items you can find in the laundry soap isle. I got everything at my local walmart)
A food processor, OR a cheese grate 
2 Garbage bags (Doubled bagged)
Knife

Step 1: Food Processor: Open and dice each bar of Fels-Naptha soap, place in your food processor. I used our magic bullet, and it did the job easily, grinding them into small beads. Set the soap aside.

Step 1: Cheese Grate: If you do not have a food processor, or just dont want to use yours, instead of dicing your soap, simply shread it with a cheese grater. I did this with my first batch, it was quite the work out, but it works just as well. Set the soap aside.

Step 2: On top of a table spread out your double bagged garbage bag. Start adding all ingrediants into the bag. Once finished, make sure you tie it up really well so nothing escapes while mixing.

Step 3: MIX! Roll your bag around on the table several times (It will be very heavy). Go in all directions to be sure it is mixed evenly. 

Step 4: Put into containers. I used a measuring cup to help scoop the detergent out of the bag and into my tubs. I save my Sun tubs and use them to store my detergent in. Exactly 4 tubs will hold this entire batch. 

I use the scooper from the Sun tubs as my measuring tool. I pour 1 cup directly into the laundry machine, then place my laundry and then a scoop on top. My kids are really dirty! 

*This laundry soap is HE safe

* Your soap may start to seperate in the tub over time due to the different weights of mixed ingrediants. All you have to do is just shake up your tub every now and again :)

*The Purex Crystals are optional, and the detergent will work just as well without them. However, these give your laundry such a sweet aroma that fills your entire house every time you wash. I like the lavender scent as well as the ocean breeze. 

HAPPY WASHING!