Sore Throat Remedy

Today's guest blogger is my friend Jen.  She is a fellow Navy wife and mother.  Since I will be moving soon, I will (hopefully) be featuring guest bloggers to help me keep current! Here is what Jen had to say about a Home Remedy for sore throats! 

Source: nancyvienneau.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

In lieu of the cold/flu season upon us I thought I'd share this awesome pin I stumbled upon. It's a great little homemade remedy for a sore throat, cough, chest/nasal congestion or any yuckiness you may feel. I have personally recreated this recipe 4 times and suggested it to friends and family members as well. It's been a hit with all of them. It has simple ingredients that are likely already sitting in your pantry and it takes just minutes to whip up a batch. It stores well and the best thing is......IT WORKS! I didn't use organic vinegar or raw honey either, yet I still felt its effects and beware, it packs a punch! But it's what your body needs when a cold/flu is coming on. 

Just combine the ingredients shake it up and take a few teaspoons, or more. My sister was feeling sick so I suggested this concoction. She drank the whole thing that night, and reported back, feeling so much better the next morning! Next time you are feeling like a bug is coming on remember this quick and easy remedy and give it a try!

Knit Piggy Hat

I was asked by a friend to knit a Piggy Hat for her daughter and found this pattern on Ravelry, a wonderful source for knitters and crocheters (kind of like Facebook for us!).

Source: ravelry.com via Kate on Pinterest

I really liked this pattern.  I did what I usually do when I use patterns like this, which is using them as a template and I tweak to techniques I prefer or find easier.

One thing I didn't understand was the pattern's way of doing the edging.  I usually prefer a crochet edging, pretty much the ONLY time I prefer crochet since my brain can't understand how to do anything other than single crochet. Ha!  I also used size 8 and 9 needles, instead of 8 and 10... mostly because I couldn't find my size 10 needles and was too lazy to look for them in my stash.  I had fun learning how to do the curly ends!

Overall, the pattern is great and super adorable.  I hope my final product does the pattern justice!!

Felt Super Hero Capes

A few weeks ago, my son turned 4.  He wanted to have a Super Hero/Hulk birthday party.  His birthday is after Christmas, which usually means I am a bit out of  a slacker when it comes to planning his party.  I wanted something for the kids to be able to take home that wasn't a goodie bag full of candies and toys that will break within moments.  The capes were a perfect idea.

I checked out a few pins, but this one seemed to be the easiest, minimal sewing tutorial.

Source: quiltedturtle.blogspot.com via Kate on Pinterest

I bought felt by the yard and velcro.  After cutting all the capes, I just had to sew about an inch of velcro onto the cape.  Then I used scrap felt to make circles (I traced a small bowl to get the correct size) and I cut out the first initial of every kid who was attending.  I made extra circles so the kids had lots of colors to choose from.

Each kid go to pick their cape and circle color.  We used felt glue to glue the pieces together during the party.  I also bought a few bags of foam star stickers so the kids could decorate the capes.  I think this was a big hit!

Making A Mess With Slime

Source: ourbestbites.com via Kate on Pinterest

Sometimes I have to let go of my internal control freak and let my kids get good and messy.  My daughter has been begging me to do a science experiment, something fun and hands on, so I decided to try making slime with the kids today.  4 ingredients, easy to follow steps.

All the ingredients can be found at grocery stores, Target, Walmart... anywhere that sells laundry detergent is likely to have Borax.  If you already make your own detergents, then you've got it on hand.
I couldn't find clear glue while I was at the store, so we used the cheapest kids glue we could find (.34 cents!).

At first I thought I had a major Pinterest failure.  My "slime" was slimy alright... and soupy.  VERY soupy.  However, after many many minutes of mixing by hand, my kids were able to make it more like the solid substance that was pictured on the pinned post.  Of course, my kids had a blast no matter what it was like!

I put the slime in an airtight container and am anxious to find out how long the slime lasts before I have to make a new batch.  Regardless, the kiddos want different colored slime, so we will surely be making this again!