Prevent the Sunburn Peel

Every Spring, without fail, as soon as I come out of "hibernation" I end up with a sunburn. It usually happens innocently enough. The first time it's warm enough for a tank top I think to myself "I'll only be out for a few minutes... I'll be fine".

Well, even if it's just 5 minutes in the sun without sunscreen, I burn. I'm so diligent about sunscreen with my kids, I should really pay more attention to MY shoulders once in a while.

When I burn, I peel. Always. My whole life. This is how it happens: burn, peel, if it's still red under "the peel" I will even peel again! No joke. I have tried so many things to prevent the peel. Lotions, gels, all kinds of stuff.

Unintentionally, I put some baby oil on my arms and shoulders after a sunburn last month and guess what?! No peeling!! I couldn't believe it!! I thought the baby oil would help hold in moisture so that it wouldn't peel as bad. But it didn't peel at all. Talk about a cheap and quick fix!

Here's what I've figured out about this little trick:

• Baby oil does, indeed, hold in enough moisture to help prevent peeling. Use it everyday for best results. (even when you aren't sunburned, it is still nice to use)
• Don't use the oil on skin that is still hot to the touch. You don't want to trap in the heat. So you may need to wait a day before you start trying to prevent peeling.
• I put the oil on just before I get out of the shower- while the water is still running. This helps to wash the excess oil off so you aren't all slimy when you get out of the shower.
• Blot the water off with a towel when you get out of the shower- you don't want the oil to rub off on the towel.

Obviously, the best way to prevent peeling after a sunburn is to not get one in the first place, so wear your SPF folks. Don't be like me  ;-)

DIY Super Easy Art Board

Ready for summer? Ready for all the down time? Ready for the "mom, I'm bored" when they just woke up 30 minutes ago?

Well, I am ready for summer, and I'm semi-prepared for the perceived boredom.

This little DIY Art Board is super easy and can accommodate chalk art, crayons, markers, even paint! In other words- I hope it entertains my kids for 45-ish minutes a day.

What you'll need:

Chalkboard contact paper or paint

Medium metal cookie sheet

2 clothes pins

• Either place the contact paper on the cookie sheet, or paint it with the chalk board paint.
• Use the clothes pins to hold down paper any kid of paper you want when you aren't using the chalk board.
• Use your favorite art supplies and enjoy!

I told you it was easy :-)

You can take this outside, curl up in a chair, sit at a table, or use it in the car. It's versatile!

I hope it gets you 45 minutes peace once the "I'm bored" sets in.

Get Ready for Going Back to School

Summer is such a relaxing time. Well, for my kids anyway. They get to go to the babysitter's house in their PJ's while I go to work. Must be nice ;-)

Anyway, August means "back to school". Yikes! How did that sneak up on me?! All of a sudden I start thinking about what a shock it is going to be when I have to get the kids up and at'em and dressed and ready... oy.

In an effort to make this a little easier, I have created morning and bed time "routine check lists" for my 5-year-old (he's only 5 years and 1 day old... my baby boy... **sigh**).  Since he is going to be in "big kid school" I know that our mornings will be our most important times- they will set the tone for the rest of the day. You can't have a good morning if you don't have a good bed time. Thus, the routine.

I sat down with Little Man and showed him what I was making- I talked it up "this is your big boy check list!" I included pictures with very simple words. I kept it to just 3 steps. Very simple! He loves being a big boy and getting ready on his own. I make a point to tell him how great he is doing and when I notice he has done something (like get dressed) I acknowledge what he's done and ask him what's next. He has to go check his check list, I don't prompt him. This is part of the experience!

Here are our check lists. You can make your own and customize them, or just use these. If your kids are older you may want to make them a little more in depth :-)

CLMM Morning Routine

CLMM Bed Time Routine

How do you get in the back to school routine? I'd love to hear your suggestions!

Secrets to Surviving Road Trips With Kids

I recently took a road trip with KC and the kids. We drove 10 hours.

t e n    h o u r s

It was actually enjoyable, to be honest. We are fortunate that our kids like don't mind being in the car, they don't get car sick, and they can fall asleep easily when they are tired.

Even taking all that into consideration, 10 hours (one way) is a long time! Here are some mommy machine secrets to keeping your sanity on a long drive:

1. Each kid gets to bring one bag-o-toys.
I have these great 31 square totes that have the kids names on them. My 4 year old gets to pick which toys he brings, I pick toys for my 2 year old (I pick from the stash of toys in her closet that she hasn't played with in a while).

*31 doesn't sell the exact cubes I have anymore, but here is something similar. Not a sponsored post/comment, just lettin' you know.

2. The DVD player is your best friend.
Each kiddo gets to bring 2 DVD's. We take turns picking the DVD they are watching. I usually start a movie when the kids are needing to take their nap and when they wake up from nap- this is when they are their grumpiest.

3. Snacks, snacks, snacks.
Nothing brings on whiny and cranky like low blood sugar, think of the Snickers commercials. The snacks aren't just for the kids, though. KC and I bring snacks along to avoid the "oh look, another Dairy Queen, let's stop" situations. You can pack a lot of the same snacks you make for the week, just make sure you keep ice in the cooler with "refrigerated items".

4. Plan fun stops and meal breaks.
I always check Google Maps & Yelp! before we hit the road. I look for fun rest stops with parks, restaurants that are family friendly and different than what we can find at home, and things that interest my kids. These distractions and opportunities to "stretch your legs" are great for kids and adults.

5. Stay organized.
Nothing is worse than trying to find the Goldfish while your 2 year old screams and cries or having to climb into the trunk to find someones favorite dinosaur. Keeping everything within reach and organized prevents melt-downs, for you and the kids :-) I keep all of our snacks, toys, drinks, diapers, wipes, DVD's, and anything else I may need nice and organized:

• The cold snacks go behind the driver's seat- easy access to the passenger and if you set your A/C to blow on the floor and up on the higher vents it will help to keep the cooler cold.
• The kid's toys ride in between their car seats.
• Other snacks as well as rest stop necessities (diapers and wipes) stay behind the passenger seat in the diaper bag.
• The DVD player rides on top of the center console.

I love road trips! With the right preparation, they can be so fun and they are a great way to spend quality time with your family.

What's your secret to road trip success? We'd love to hear it!

Friday Favorite: DIY Water Slide

Here in Oklahoma, it gets HOT in the summer. So hot it can be unbearable to be outside. We typically stay inside between 10ish-4ish. That doesn't mean we miss the heat though.

In order to make our time outside more enjoyable, we turn the hose on everything. The kids toys get hot in the afternoon so you have to hose them down. Even the giant water pillow gets hot hot hot so you've got to cool it down, too.

At some point I got tired of holding the hose, and the kids get burned out on the sprinkler (pun intended), so the hose, plus the slide and a few pieces of duct tape- we've got a DIY water slide!

Put this on the water pillow and you've got a whole splash pad! Ok, maybe I'm exaggerating, but the kids love it!

 It really is this easy, folks.

But it is also hours of fun!

Stay cool friends.

Friday Favorite: Giant Water Pillow

I'm sure you all have seen this idea on Pinterest. My kids love the giant water pillow! I love it too :)

Since we have done this a few times now, I thought I'd share some tips and tricks to making the most of your $15 investment. If done right, this can provide you with weeks of fun!

First, make sure your plastic sheeting is more than 3 MIL. I'm using 3.5 MIL. Any duck tape will do.

I also get a very large piece of plastic. This way there is plenty of room for both kids- and me! {you'll see}

Unfold your plastic. Then fold it in half. {like a "hamburger" not a "hot dog"} I use a couple of the kids toys to anchor the plastic down. It doesn't have to be super neat, but it does help especially if there is any wind.

Now, I tear off small pieces of tape and use them to keep the plastic's edges together. Every 6-8 inches, put a tab of tape. Make sure to keep the edges even.

Once you've tabbed one side, tear off pieces of duck tape. Try to make the tape pieces 6-8 inches long- you want it to be manageable and not fold over on itself. Place the tape in the top side of the plastic allowing half of the width of tape to hang over the edge. Then, making sure the edges of plastic are even, fold the tape over and press to seal. Like so:

Keep doing this along all 3 open sides {since you folded the plastic in half, one side is sealed already! yay!} If you crease the tape, like the picture above, place more duck tape over the creases. This is where water will leak, so you want to make sure you correct it now!

 Make sure to add extra tape on the corners to really seal them up!

After the sides are all sealed {and I realize I haven't left an opening for the hose- stay with me}, lay the plastic out on a flat section of the yard and anchor it down so it is nice and smooth.

Using scissors, cut a small opening in one of the corners, preferably the corner that is on the "highest ground". Stick the hose in and keep threading the hose into the water pillow. You will want the end of the hose to be in the middle of the water pillow for even filling.

It will take a while to fill... so go inside and get on swim suits and sunscreen or something :-) Try to keep the kids off of the water pillow as it is filling.

You might have to prop the hose up to keep the water from spilling out of the opening as it is filling up.

If your yard is like mine, with no flat spots, then use toys or even the fence to help keep the water pillow from rolling. 

Once the water pillow is full, remove the hose and seal up the hole with more duck tape.

As you are playing, look for leaks and use more duck tape to seal them up.

This is my preferred arrangement. I like to lay out while the kids are on the other end. It kind of feels like you are floating :-)

This isn't a permanent play place. It will lose water- you can refill it. It will stretch and tear- you can repair it. Once it has been worn out, just throw it away!

My last recommendation is actually from KC, move the water pillow around so you don't kill the patch of grass underneath it ;-)

Have fun and relax while the kids play! I will have one last tip for you next Friday to really upgrade this Friday Favorite experience... stay tuned!

Summer Sanity Savers #1

School's out and summer is here, well, sorta. It's been unseasonably chilly here in Minnesota, so we're just now getting our first taste of warm weather. We are, however, trying to adjust to the new summer schedule... or lack thereof.

Speedy's teachers have stressed the importance of keeping a pretty regular schedule during the summer in order to keep him calmer and happier. Most kids thrive on routine, and that's especially true with kiddos with Autism. So, in an attempt to keep my sanity and keep him and his sister busy and happy this summer, I came up with a daily schedule that we could stick to most days of the week. It includes the basics- snacks, meals, outside time, planned activities, and free time.

I set aside a time in the morning and a time after "quiet time" for activities I have planned- usually one outdoor and one indoor and they are relatively simple. A wagon ride in the morning before it gets too hot and a sensory bin in the afternoon after quiet time. I also try to plan a couple play dates during the month to keep the kids social.

Weekends aren't planned, but we usually have something going on with friends or family.

I know it sounds a little tedious to actually plan and schedule every day of the summer, but it really isn't that bad. It keeps the kids busy, they get to try new activities, and I keep my sanity. At least that's the hope. I use my Summer Sanity Saver Pinterest board to find new and fun ideas, too!

Here are my recent summer sanity savers. Pretty much everything came from the Dollar Tree and has been a big hit with the kids! I think I spent about $10.00 and it's provided us an entire month of fun so far!

Things I purchased:

• 2 bags of dry pinto beans
• Set of toy gardening toys
• Set of plastic cups
• Polka dot paint roller
• Various bags of plastic animals
• Glitter glue
• Marbles
• Mesh strainer

Take a peek at a couple activities we've done using these items...

I hid marbles(they're hiding in the picture above) in play-doh (we already had some). 

The kids loved trying to find all the marbles and it was great for fine motor skills.

One of many sensory bins. Just beans and creatures. Add scoops and cups for more fun! 

Stay tuned for more summer sanity savers!