How I Got Rid of Ants Im My House

  So a few days ago I noticed that we had...ANTS! Not just a few either. A whole mess of ants with a few good trails. (I have been re-arranging my house and getting rid of all my little man's baby items we no longer use so half of my living room/kitchen was blocked off for a few days. After I moved the items out to storage is when I noticed them.) My son has recently started crawling and so I knew I wasn't going to put any toxins down. I try not to use any toxins anyways but especially around my son.

  I didn't know what I could use to get rid of them. I posted on a board I am part of and got some great responses. Here are a few of them:

• Vinegar. Spray the area the ants are at. It works to erase their trail.

• Q-tip or cotton swab doused in peppermint essential oil. Ant's hate it and they will disappear. It also makes your house smell good!

• Lemon scented soap mixed with water apparently kills them too.

• Bay leaves. They also apparently hate bay leaves. Just put some around their trails and where they are entering your home.

• Chalk. Crush some sidewalk chalk and sprinkle around where they are coming in  your house, or outside of your house. They won't walk over this.

• Diatomaceous earth. Sprinkle on ants or around entrances. Be careful about breathing it in and it is best to not use around children. One lady mentioned using this before going out and then vacuuming it up before the kids are playing and crawling around near it.

• Corn Meal. They can't digest it and it kills them.

• Baby powder. Not sure if it kills them or they just don't like it but it got rid of them for one lady. She just swept it up the next day/later that day.

• You can also make this Ant poison. But be careful using it around children as it contains Borax. :
  
  Ingredients:
  1 cup water
  2 cups sugar (another lady said to use 2 TBSP's I guess just try it out)2 tablespoons Borax
  
  Directions:
  Boil in pot in stove for 3 minutes, let cool & put in shallow container(s) in home or outside. The ant's will drink it and take it back killing the other ants too.

This is what I used.

Before I even read the responses I decided to try Apple cider vinegar (ACV). (I was to impatient to wait...turns out I was thinking smart! :) )I mixed it with some water, more vinegar than water, and poured it everywhere the ants were. Than I got a rag and scrubbed the area down.

About half an hour later, and after I had read the responses, there were a few ants left so I got a lemon from the fridge and squirted the lemon juice over them.

The next morning there were only a few ants so I got a q-tip and added a few drops of peppermint oil to each side and laid one near their entrance and one where they were branching off to their 3 different paths. Now two days later not a single ant! I am so happy! No ants, no chemicals, happy mommy and safe baby! :)

What are some of your favorite natural bug killers and repellents?

~MissC

5 Ways I use Coconut Oil

  Hello everyone! I have recently been introduced to the wonders of coconut oil. In the month since I have become aware of this awesome-ness (that's a word right? :D)  there have been 5 ways that I have and am using it.

 

  1. Cooking. This is so much better to use than vegetable oil and even if you aren't a big fan of the taste of coconuts (like me) you should be fine cooking with it. Or baking. I used coconut oil to grease my cookie sheet and the flavor didn't stick to my cookies. (No pun intended ;) )

 

  2. Baby wipes. I used this recipe and really liked it! I will admit I haven't been using them lately but that's because I stopped using everything on my baby's bottom that I hadn't been using in the previous 2 weeks while I was trying to find the cause of his rash. I also want to make my own soap before I whip up some more wipes for him.

 

  3. Toothpaste.

 

2 tablespoons coconut oil
3 tablespoons baking soda
20-25 drops of peppermint oil or spearmint (This is optional, but gives that minty taste we are used to. I didn't use it since I didn't have any on hand.)

 

I have been loving my new toothpaste!! My teeth have gotten whiter, less plaque build up and I feel good about what I am putting in my mouth. Also, if I swallow some (or my son does once he gets teeth to brush) I don't have to worry because all the ingredients are edible!  

 

  4. Deodorant. Another use of coconut that I am in love with. I hate using deodorant because of the aluminium that they out in them, which can cause breast cancer. Among the many other ingredients that I can't say properly. One big thing that I know is a big reason a lot of people don't want to try homemade deodorant is because they don't want to smell. We'll let me tell you this has done a great job for me so far! Better than my nasty store bought deodorant that's for sure! I have been using my new homemade deodorant around the house, which I never did with my store bought deodorant, because I don't feel like I am putting poison on my body....especially since it is so close to my breasts and my little mans head while he eats and sleeps! 

 

  5. Shaving. Another thing coconut oil is great for is shaving! No need for expensive shaving cream. (I use to just use my body soap actually) Just bring some in (I brought a spoon full in and set it at the end of the shower on the ledge) and when you are ready to shave wipe some of the water off of your leg (with your hand or a small washcloth)  get some of the oil and rub it over your leg. Than shave! Super easy and it also left my legs moisturized which is good cause I don't have time to lotion after my showers anymore. 

 

 

All 5 of these things I have listed only take 3 ingredients max. All of which you should have in your cupboards! Coconut oil, baking soda, and cornstarch (or arrowroot) and baby wash (for the wipes). That's it! Super easy and you can ditch your toothpaste, deodorant, shaving cream, and baby wipes for a healthier, cheaper alternative! :)

 

~ MissC

Meal Planning: Succes!

  It's been a few days since my last Real Food post. Sorry about that! I have though been eating real food!

  Wednesday I went grocery shopping for the 2nd time with this whole "Real Food" thing in mind. Last time I didn't make a list just went and pretty much just shopped the perimeters of the grocery store. It worked well. But I felt lost making my meals and didn't really know what I needed to make before it went bad. (I tend to forgo the vegetables unless I have a meal planned to use them in.)
 
  This time I sat down and made a list and what?? A week long meal plan! My first one ever!

  First I looked in my fridge and cupboards and made a list of foods I could make with those items in mind so they wouldn't go to waste. After I figured that out I made a list. I don't have a fancy meal planning calendar (and I wasn't about to use my regular calendar... I'm particular about my calendar...and journals...most things that I write on actually!) instead I just used a little notebook I have.

I wrote down each day and then added my meals in. Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. I planned to make 5 different dinners using the leftovers for the extra days and also for some of my lunches. Here's what my meal plan looked like:

Wed: D-chicken salad

Thurs: B-Oatmeal   L-Chicken sandwich (using leftover chicken from previous night) D-Burger/rice/green bean goulash
 
Fri: B-Pancakes (Click here for my post about them and link to recipe) L-Egg Salad with Triscuits
D-Leftovers

Sat: B-Granola Cereal (Recipie here. I'll post my version after I make it tonight)   L-left over egg salad with Triscuits   D-Tacos

Sun: B-Pancakes/eggs   L-Chicken Sandwich/pb&j    D- Potato Dish with pork

Mon: B-Granola cereal   L-Tuna  D- Chicken/egg/rice dish

Tue:Oatmeal  L-Kale smoothie (What I used to make it here) / Pb&J  D - Leftovers

Wed: B-Eggs (with bell peppers, onions)

After I had my meals all written out I made a list of all the ingredients I would need. Including a few snack ideas. Then off to the store I went! It was so much easier shopping with a solid list! I was also so happy to find out that my grocery store carries:

Lara Bars - They are like Quaker or other snack/power bars. Except they only have 5-6 ingredients (Or less)  and are: Dairy, Soy and Gluten Free. They are also Non-GMO, Vegan, and Kosher.  How awesome is that! (I found about Lara Bars here.)

Almond Butter. They carry MaraNatha Organic Raw Almond Butter! Even though my little man seems to be fine with Butter I'm glad I can substitute a lot of our butter use with this.

Triscuits- I knew they carried these but what I didn't know is that only contain 3 ingredients! (I also found out about those here)

I was so happy with my finds! :) What things have you been happy to find at your grocery store? Comment below! :)

My little man is trying to eat my mail so I must go. I'll be back with more soon!

~MissC

Wonder Week 26

 Sorry I haven't been around much the last few days. My little man is going through Wonder Week 26 which means this momma isn't getting as much sleep at night and naps have been almost non-existent. Thankfully last night was better and he is napping soundly in my arms right now. He has also started working on getting up on his hands and knees more during the last few days. :) (part of his Leap) If you don't know about the Wonder Weeks I highly suggest checking them out! They have an app you can download that I have and it is really nice to be able to see where my little man is at in his developmental leaps, they are also surprisingly accurate. 

  I love the app because it tells you what you can expect during the leaps, what you can do to help them through it, some things they might start doing towards the end and after the leap is over. My favorite thing though is that it gives me a little insight on what he is going through. It helps me be so much more patient when he wants to nurse the whole time he sleeps, or wants me to hold him a certain way while he sleeps, or when he just plain won't sleep! It reminds me that this is just a phase and it will be over with soon.

  The other day I was so tired and just stressed (with non baby related things) and I was reading my little man books while he was laying on his tummy and then...he get up on his knees and it just made me so happy! The lack of sleep was worth it to see his new skill and how much he is growing and developing. Not going to lie, it also made me a little sad...my little boy is growing so fast! A little less than 2 months ago he wasn't even sitting up unassisted and now he moves all around! It does go by so fast! So don't forget, even though your little one may not be sleeping, may want to be more, eats less or eats more, it is just a phase and will go by so fast!

Enjoy your babies! They will only be so young for such a short amount of time!

~MissC

Diary caused Eczema

I have been dairy free for about 4 months now. I cut dairy and beans out of my diet when my little man was about a month old and became very fussy and my good sleeper wouldn't sleep as long and took forever to get to sleep. Thankfully my mom was here with me and would help with him so I could get some rest. My mom was the one who suggested I cut out all dairy and beans and sure enough within a few days he was back to being my happy and good sleeping baby.

 While my mom was still here we tried reading beans to my diet and that night he was up until 4 in I the morning screaming. Again, thankfully my mom was here and around midnight I went to sleep so I would be able to get some rest between nursing him. After that terrible experience I was in no hurry to try and add dairy back to my diet!

 Well about 2 weeks ago I felt that I was up to adding it back in because I missed cheese! I started eating some dairy and he seemed fine. He wasn't fussy and he was still sleeping like normal. A few days later he started getting a diaper rash. I put coconut oil on it and it didn't go away. After a few days I put him in some disposables (yuck!) with desitin. It would get a little better and than come back. About a week later it got really bad! I thought maybe it was his cloth (I had been switching him between cloth and disposables during this rash, normally we just use cloth) because around the same time I started dairy I switched his diaper detergent. I switched back to the Purex Free and Clear I normally use. The rash didn't go away so I decided to bleach them. Nothing. I was starting to think I should take him in and get it looked and (I was starting to think maybe it was yeast?) get prescription. At this point his poor little bum was so red, dry and patchy and bumpy.

  Later that night after deciding I was going to take him to see if they thought it was yeast, I was talking with my mom about it. And then it dawned on me. I started eating dairy just a few days before he got this rash! I looked it up and it said dairy can cause eczema and that another sign could be an increased amount of spit up. He had been spitting up more than normal but I just thought that was due to teething. I looked at him again and his "rash" had started spreading up to his tummy and sides.

  This was not a normal diaper rash and after doing some research I read a story of a lady who's little one experienced the same thing, eczema due to dairy. I immediately cut out all dairy again and 3 (4?) days later his eczema "rash" is gone! I noticed a change for the better the next day actually. I also gave him a coconut oil bath and that helped his little dry "rash" too.

  I felt so bad that it took me over a week of trying to get rid of his rash before I realized that it was the dairy causing it! The spitting up also. He has only spit up 1 time today instead of the 3+ times a day like he was! I was talking with my husband the other night and told him about the dairy causing him an eczema "rash". My husband mentioned that when our little man was little he was always getting rashes! That got me thinking and he was right! Around the time I cut out dairy originally he stopped getting bad rashes.

 Although I do miss dairy sometimes (especially cheese) it's actually not as bad as I thought. Thankfully I can still eat butter and hidden dairy but every once in awhile I do miss it. But breastfeeding my little man is very important to me and I hope he grows out of this allergy more for himself than for me. I can handle not eating dairy but I want my son to be able to enjoy all foods without getting rashes etc.

If you have a little one that has Eczema or an unknown diaper rash try cutting out dairy to see if it gets better. It's worth a shot! :)

~MissC

Flour-less Pancakes...so delicious!

   Good morning everyone!

  This morning while I was browsing Facebook I came across this post for Grain Free Banana Pancakes. I have been using Hungry Jack Complete Pancake Mix for the last oh...7 months? If not longer. I knew they weren't healthy but laziness, coupled with being pregnant and then having a newborn got the best of me. But no more! So when I saw this post I was instantly intrigued! I happened to have all the ingredients...minus the almond butter. I substituted with real butter and I also used Almond milk instead of Coconut milk(which I do have but I prefer almond).

  I'll admit I was a little skeptical. No grain? Alright if they say so. But after I put it on my skillet and it started to look like a pancake I was more and more excited to try them! Especially since they give off this heavenly aroma of cinnamon. I am eating them now as I type, with honey instead of syrup, and I must say...these are probably the best pancakes I have ever had!! And I am a pancake fanatic. :) Whenever I tell my husband I'm having pancakes for breakfast he says, "Yep, sounds like a Camille breakfast!"

*Excuse my misshapen pancakes...they may not look the best but the taste...delicious!*

  So you can trust me when I say I love these! :) Either way you should give these a try!


~MissC

LPF. Day 2

Today was my first full day of being aware of the food I am eating (well, more aware). It went pretty well!

 For a quick breakfast before church I had a peach and a big cup of Almond Milk. (I knew this wasn't going to be enough to get me trough but I was in a hurry. I ended up eating some Gold Fish from nursery since I am a nursing mom and was starting to feel shakey)

For lunch I had a Tuna Sandwich with lettuce and tomatoes along with Guacamole and Chips. (I love Guacamole!) Oh and a homemade Pumpkin Chocolate Chip muffin :)

For a snack I had a nectarine...and another Pumpkin Choc. Chip muffin.

Dinner is on the stove now. I am making Pork Chops (cooked in a tad of Extra Virgin Olive oil and seasoned with Nature Seasoning), a baked potato (sadly I microwaved it) and some asparagus. I cooked it on the stove in an inch of water with some salt. This is my first time cooking asparagus so I wasn't sure what to spice it with. Once it's done I'm thinking I'll add some salt and pepper to taste, or nature seasoning.

I feel so healthy today! I also must admit to feeling a little proud of my self for venturing out and using kale and asparagus the last 2 days. :)

Well dinner is done and then it is time to get my little man ready for bed!

Happy dinner everyone!

~MissC