I am interrupting my regular scheduled blogging for a public service announcement.
Please, If you want your hair stylist to keep you as a client, Do not come to my house at 8am, unannounced, on a Sunday with a pack of kids with head lice.
It is against the law for me to let them in the salon and I certainly will not let them set on my sofa.
Head lice are insect parasites that are found on the scalp. Infection with head lice is called pediculosis. It is pretty common for kids to bring home lice from school and daycare. They are so contagious that they sweep through just like wild fire.
Contrary to popular belief, lice like clean people better than dirty ones. They don't have to work so hard to get their food source.
Suspect lice if your child is scratching her head and has red rashes on her scalp and the back of her neck. Look closely at the back of the neck and you can see the nits, tiny tear-drop shaped lice eggs, that attach to a single hair. The color can be anything from clear ones that are just laid all the way to dark brown ones that are not viable any more.
You may have to treat you child several times before you get it all. Even when you have taken care of it keep checking for a few weeks if your child attends public school.
Reduce the chances of a re-infection by cleaning the house really well. You my want to consider tossing out all combs and brushes that you child has used and replace with new ones. It may be a good idea to let them have their very own brushes. Anything like pillows and stuffed animals that can be tossed should be. Wash all bedding on hot (with bleach if you can) and dry on the hottest setting for 2 hours. This includes your child's coat and back pack. If there is no way to wash something you need to put it in a sealed garbage bag outside or in the garage for 3 days to a week. Vacuum the furniture and rugs really well and then toss out the vacuum bag. Wipe all hard surfaces down. Use bleach where you can. use citrus oil on you wood. Instruct your child not to place their coat and backpack next to the other coats and backpacks. Hang them on the back of their chair. If your little girl has one of those cute coats with the fur around the hood... check it for nits.
If you have little boys giving them a "buzz" hair cut or a military high and tight is the fastest way to be done with the lice as it leaves no place for the lice to hide.
If you have girls it is a lot harder to shave their heads so you are going to have some work to do. There are plenty of over the counter head lice treatments. Some of them are really harsh and full of chemicals that strip the hair not only of the lice but of the cuticle too! That is going to make the hair break and split. The following are natural and conditioning formulas that kill the lice.
Baby lice oil
Ingredients:
1/2 C. olive oil
30 to 40 drops of eucalyptus oil
20 drops tea tree oil
Combine oils in a jar and use enough to cover the whole head and hair. Don't get this in the eyes.
This is best for children 3 years old and younger.
Strong lice oil
Ingredients:
1/2 C jojoba oil
4 T. coconut oil
15 drops chamomile oil
30 drops tea tree oil
30 drops oregano oil
In a small sauce pan heat the coconut oil just till it is melted. Remove from the heat and add the jojoba oil followed by the essential oils. This will keep in a sealed container for 2 to 3 weeks.
Tea tree shampoo
Ingredients:
4 ounces of natural shampoo
10 drops tea tree oil
10 drops oregano oil
Mix the oil into the shampoo right before you use it.
For both oils you cover the entire head and hair. Massage it in really well and cover with a shower cap. leave it on overnight or for 12 hours. Wash it out with the tea tree shampoo. Then take the nit comb and go through the hair. I recommend going to a place where you have direct sunlight so you can see the nits better. Start at the nape of the neck and work your way up in small sections. If the nit comb doesn't work you may have to use your fingers to pluck them.
Repeat this daily till you no longer see any new nits. Good luck!
2/11/12
Pomegranate Kiss
If you are planning on smooching your sweetheart this Valentines day you my want to make a special potion for your lips so they are sure to be soft and juicy.
We have already talked about sweet lips and how to make minty coco kisses. Now its time for one more lip smacking recipe!
The color of passion and oh so fragrant and juicy Pomegranates are the perfect ingredient for lip color.
Ingredients:
1 t. coconut oil
1 t. shea butter
1/2 t. aloe gel
pomegranate juice
essential oil of your choice
(I made a triple batch here)
In a small sauce pan or a double boiler melt the coconut oil and the shea butter over medium/low heat.
At this point you have a decision to make. If you are just adding a small amount of juice you can remove the oil from the heat and mix in the aloe, pomegranate, and essential oil. If you are going for a darker version with more juice add the aloe and the juice and keep it on the heat till it is cooked down a bit. 5 to 10 minutes will be fine. Make sure you stir it constantly.
Add the essential oil last after you are finished with the heat. I used lemon and it turned out just Luscious.
Place the mixture in an ice bath and whisk it till it is about the same thickness as creamy peanut butter.
This step is Supper Important! If you don't emulsify this all the color will sink to the bottom of the container and not be pretty at all.
When you are done whisking the mix, spoon it into clean containers and place in the freezer for 5 minutes. Any container will work. I save my old eyeshadow containers and they work perfectly! Other ideas for containers are old lipstick tubes, pill boxes, film containers, tiny tupperware and tins like altoids come in. Really you can use what ever you dream up. I like to have something that seals tight to keep it from going bad.
Note: If you are worried about it going bad you can add 1 or 2 drops of citrus seed extract as a natural preservative.
Isn't this beautiful? I played around with the color a little. I like both the lighter and the darker color.
If you want to make this mix more "man friendly" don't add any color and pick an oil like mint or cinnamon.
When this is all set it turns opaque because of the shae butter. Don't worry, your lips will not look like bubble gum.
This lip balm melts the instant it hits your lips and makes them feel amazingly moisturized with just the right amount of color.
I LOVE this one!
((KISS))
We have already talked about sweet lips and how to make minty coco kisses. Now its time for one more lip smacking recipe!
The color of passion and oh so fragrant and juicy Pomegranates are the perfect ingredient for lip color.
1 t. coconut oil
1 t. shea butter
1/2 t. aloe gel
pomegranate juice
essential oil of your choice
(I made a triple batch here)
In a small sauce pan or a double boiler melt the coconut oil and the shea butter over medium/low heat.
At this point you have a decision to make. If you are just adding a small amount of juice you can remove the oil from the heat and mix in the aloe, pomegranate, and essential oil. If you are going for a darker version with more juice add the aloe and the juice and keep it on the heat till it is cooked down a bit. 5 to 10 minutes will be fine. Make sure you stir it constantly.
Place the mixture in an ice bath and whisk it till it is about the same thickness as creamy peanut butter.
This step is Supper Important! If you don't emulsify this all the color will sink to the bottom of the container and not be pretty at all.
When you are done whisking the mix, spoon it into clean containers and place in the freezer for 5 minutes. Any container will work. I save my old eyeshadow containers and they work perfectly! Other ideas for containers are old lipstick tubes, pill boxes, film containers, tiny tupperware and tins like altoids come in. Really you can use what ever you dream up. I like to have something that seals tight to keep it from going bad.
Note: If you are worried about it going bad you can add 1 or 2 drops of citrus seed extract as a natural preservative.
Isn't this beautiful? I played around with the color a little. I like both the lighter and the darker color.
If you want to make this mix more "man friendly" don't add any color and pick an oil like mint or cinnamon.
This lip balm melts the instant it hits your lips and makes them feel amazingly moisturized with just the right amount of color.
I LOVE this one!
((KISS))
2/3/12
Chicken, olives and tomatoes
Jim has been getting a little tired of the same old simple food, so we decided to try a new recipe. I checked out my betty crocker cook book and figured out how to make this recipe "Primal Friendly". I think it turned out really good. It takes a tiny bit of prep time but not bad.
Ingredients:
6 chicken breasts
1/4 black pepper
1/4 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. dried thyme
1/4 t. dried basil
2 T. butter
2 T. olive oil
3 T. butter
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can chopped tomatoes, drained
12- 20 ripe olives, pitted
12- 20 green olives, sliced
salt and pepper to taste
Mix the spices together and rub on both sides of the chicken. Wrap it in plastic wrap and let stand for 30 minutes. You could even do this in the morning and keep it in the fridge till you are ready to make dinner.
Melt 2 T. butter and 2 T. olive oil in a frying pan over high heat. Add the chicken and cook till it is golden brown. That should take about 5 minutes on both sides. Transfer it to a plate and set aside.
In the same skillet, over medium heat, add 3 T. butter and the onion. Saute it till it is nice and tender.
Add the garlic and tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the olives and cook for 5 more minutes. Serve over the top of the chicken breast and garnish with fresh basil..
I thought this tasted better the next day after the flavors had a chance to mingle more.
Ingredients:
6 chicken breasts
1/4 black pepper
1/4 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. dried thyme
1/4 t. dried basil
2 T. butter
2 T. olive oil
3 T. butter
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can chopped tomatoes, drained
12- 20 ripe olives, pitted
12- 20 green olives, sliced
salt and pepper to taste
Mix the spices together and rub on both sides of the chicken. Wrap it in plastic wrap and let stand for 30 minutes. You could even do this in the morning and keep it in the fridge till you are ready to make dinner.
Melt 2 T. butter and 2 T. olive oil in a frying pan over high heat. Add the chicken and cook till it is golden brown. That should take about 5 minutes on both sides. Transfer it to a plate and set aside.
In the same skillet, over medium heat, add 3 T. butter and the onion. Saute it till it is nice and tender.
Add the garlic and tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the olives and cook for 5 more minutes. Serve over the top of the chicken breast and garnish with fresh basil..
I thought this tasted better the next day after the flavors had a chance to mingle more.
2/1/12
Cheesecake stuffed strawberries!
It is February.... and that means LOVE! Not only is it valentines day, four of my family members have birthdays this month. Yes, one of them is my Sweetheart.
So the theme of the month is Sweet Love!
Starting with cheesecake stuffed strawberries! These are really easy to do and I promise that who ever you share these with will loooove you.
Ingredients:
1 large package of fresh strawberries
8oz package of cream cheese, softened
2-4 T. powdered sugar -depending on how sweet you like the filling.
1 t. almond extract
gram cracker crumbs or nuts
First take your strawberries and wash them really well. Cut the stems off and then use a knife to hollow out the berry. I found that a lot of the berries already had a hole in the middle so it didn't take much work.
Mix up the filling in a bowl. It should be soft and creamy. I scoop mine into a Ziploc bag and snip one corner off to make a make-shift piping bag. A real piping bag is fine too.
Fill the berries with the cheesecake filling. If you want them to stand up better on the plate cut the end off of the berry.
Dip them in nuts or gram cracker crumbs and your done. Next time I do this I think I'll add some dark chocolate shavings to the crumbs.
Note* These taste best the same day you make them. They will keep in the fridge for a couple of days...if you hide them in the back.
So the theme of the month is Sweet Love!
Starting with cheesecake stuffed strawberries! These are really easy to do and I promise that who ever you share these with will loooove you.
Ingredients:
1 large package of fresh strawberries
8oz package of cream cheese, softened
2-4 T. powdered sugar -depending on how sweet you like the filling.
1 t. almond extract
gram cracker crumbs or nuts
First take your strawberries and wash them really well. Cut the stems off and then use a knife to hollow out the berry. I found that a lot of the berries already had a hole in the middle so it didn't take much work.
Mix up the filling in a bowl. It should be soft and creamy. I scoop mine into a Ziploc bag and snip one corner off to make a make-shift piping bag. A real piping bag is fine too.
Fill the berries with the cheesecake filling. If you want them to stand up better on the plate cut the end off of the berry.
Dip them in nuts or gram cracker crumbs and your done. Next time I do this I think I'll add some dark chocolate shavings to the crumbs.
Note* These taste best the same day you make them. They will keep in the fridge for a couple of days...if you hide them in the back.
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