Bath Recipes

Bath Indulgences Recipes

Bathtub Finger Paints 1/3 cups clear liquid dish soap 1 Tbsp. Cornstarch food coloring Mix liquid soap and cornstarch together in a small bowl until blended. Pour mixture in equal amounts into ice cube tray. Add a couple drops food coloring into each compartment and mix. Do not let little ones get this into their eyes.

Bath Cookies 2 cups finely ground sea salt 1/2 cup baking soda 1/2 cup cornstarch 2 T light oil 1 tsp vitamin E oil 2 eggs 5-6 drops essential oil Preheat your oven to 350 F. Mix together all the ingredients. Take a teaspoon of the dough and roll it gently into a ball (about an inch in diameter). Continue doing this with all the dough and place the balls on an ungreased cookie sheet. (You can decorate the cookies with clove buds, anise seeds, or dried citrus peel if you wish.) Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, until they are lightly browned. Do not over bake. Allow the cookies to cool completely. To use: drop 1 or 2 cookies into a warm bath and allow to dissolve. Yield: 24 cookies, enough for 12 baths.

Simple Shaped Soap Bars & Soap Crayons

Soap Crayons (I didn’t have much luck getting these to write on the tub but they work a little on skin) 2 cups Ivory soap grated food coloring Melt soap in microwave 15 sec at a time, add food coloring and pour into muffin tins or ice cube trays. The crayons will take a couple of days to dry. – Simple shaped soap - press mixture into cookies cutters. Set the cookie cutter on it's side so the soap dries on both sides, or flip it often. Put in a dry place to dry for about 24 hours. Gently pop your soap out of the cookie cutter. More: Instead of using cookie cutters, you can make miniature bars of homemade soap by pressing your mixtures into ice cube trays. You can also roll them into balls. For a simple gift, tie a ribbon around the home-made bars of soap, or fill a small gift basket!

Milk bath 1cup dry buttermilk ¾ cup salt ½ cup baking soda

Bath salts ¾ cup Epsom salts ¼ cup baking soda 1 ½ cup sea salt 1 t scent coloring Mix

Bath Fizz ½ cup baking soda 1/8 cup cornstarch 20 drops essential oil 1/8 cup citric acid
Bath Bombs 1 cup baking soda 1/2 cup cornstarch 1 cup citric or ascorbic acid 1/8 cup epson salt 1/2 cup olive oil 20 to 28 drop fragrance oil Mix very well. Add UP to 1/2 cup olive oil, until the consistency of pastry dough. Add a 20 to 28 drops fragrance oil if you want them scented. Put on cookie sheet and put wax paper down. Form into small, golf- sized balls, and Store in cellophane wrapper, and then put in glass jar for each scent you make.

Bubble Bags Used in the shower, when there is no time to take a soaking bath. 2 parts oatmeal 2 parts dried herbs 1 part grated soap Place ingredients in a cloth bag and use as a washcloth.

BATH BAGS These are easy to make bath bags to sew and put soap in for fun bath-taking! Washcloths in bright colors and/or patterns Ribbon or lace Thread Scissors Sewing machine Fold a washcloth in half. Take a length of ribbon or lace, fold it in half, and place it (folded edge in) inside the open edge near the top of the washcloth. Pin sides together, making sure to capture the ribbon! Sew up side and on end (make sure you sew closed the end opposite where you put the ribbon). Turn inside out, fill with soap or bath beads/salts and tie closed with ribbon.

Lip balm 1 1/2 t cocoa butter 1 ½ t bee’s wax grated 5drops flavoring
Cherries Bubble Bath Recipe 1/2 cup unscented shampoo 3/4 cup water 1/2 teaspoon salt (regular table salt is fine) 15 drops cherry fragrance oil Pour shampoo into a bowl and add water. Stir gently until well mixed. Add salt, and stir until mixture thickens. Add cherry fragrance and place in decorative bottle.

BATHTUB COLORS Inexpensive shaving cream Food coloring For each color, mix 2 tablespoons shaving cream with food coloring. Mix, and put each color into an old muffin tin. Give a paintbrush to the child, and let him/her draw their own art on the bathtub. This washes off very easilyOatmeal Milk Bath 1 cup cornstarch 2 cups milk powder 1/2 cup oatmeal (ground finely first or use baby oatmeal) Combine all in food processor until mixed. (Remember...this may scratch your food processor bowl if its plastic) Add 1/2 cup to hot bath water. You can also add rose petals, lavender, rosemary, any herbs will do. Just remember to grind them up finely first!
http://www.acplace.com/Crafts/bath.htm

BATH BAGS
These are easy to make bath bags to sew and put soap in for fun bath-taking!
Washcloths in bright colors and/or patterns Ribbon or lace Thread Scissors
Sewing machine
Fold a washcloth in half. Take a length of ribbon or lace, fold it in half, and place it (folded edge in) inside the open edge near the top of the washcloth. Pin sides together, making sure to capture the ribbon! Sew up side and on end (make sure you sew closed the end opposite where you put the ribbon). Turn inside out, fill with soap or bath beads/salts and tie closed with ribbon.

BATHTUB COLORSInexpensive shaving cream Food coloringFor each color, mix 2 tablespoons shaving cream with food coloring. Mix, and put each color into an old muffin tin. Give a paintbrush to the child, and let him/her draw their own art on the bathtub. This washes off very easilySURPRISE GLYCERIN SOAPParents - please supervise, especially with the heating, adding essential oil and cutting steps. 1 bar clear, unscented glycerin soap Small toys, shells, etc. to go inside the soap (make sure the items aren't too small as they could go down the drain)Small loaf pans or small molds Essential oilPut a bar of soap in a bowl in the microwave and melt it until it liquefies (about 1 minute) or in the top of a double boiler on the stove. Pour 1/4 inch of this soupy soap into any mold that is 2 inches high. In about 3 minutes it will get a skin on the top. Lay the small objects to be encased in the soap on it, with the pretty side face down. Reheat the remaining soap jelly until it is completely liquefied again. Add just one drop of an essential oil, blend gently with a fork and pour it into the mold until the soap is 3/4 inch to 1 inch higher than the object inside. Wait about 30 minutes for it to harden. Run a knife around the sides of the soap and then to hold the mold upside down under hot water and band it on the counter . These steps are necessary to release the soap. Keep as is or cut it into chunky blocks and display in the bathroom.EASY SOAP MAKINGGlycerin soap in lots of colors* Soap or candy molds Microwave Microwavable cupsPlastic or metal spoons and/or wooden Popsicle sticks or coffee stirrers Sharp knife* This only works with glycerin soap. Transparent Neutrogena bars will work fine.Set out everything you need, all ingredients, etc. on top of the kitchen table (or other comfortable working area) that has been covered in newspaper. Cut bars of soap into about three pieces. Put a piece into a cup (cut the pieces in half if you are going to mix colors). Put soap in microwave and melt it on HIGH for about 10 to 15 seconds. It may take a bit longer on low-wattage microwaves. If it doesn't start to liquefy in 15 seconds or it starts to bubble or boil, you may not have a pure glycerin soap bar. Remove soap using a potholder, and stir it to mix thoroughly. Pour melted soap (you have to work quickly here as it hardens fast) into molds. Wait about 5 minutes for soap to harden and cool. Remove soap from molds, and put soap into gift bags or bath bags. NOTES: If you are having difficulty getting the soap out of the molds, put molds in the freezer for up to 30 minutes. If the soap still sticks to the molds, you can put olive oil in the soap or oil the molds with oil or cooking spray.Bath Cookies 2 cups finely ground sea salt 1/2 cup baking soda 1/2 cup cornstarch 2 T light oil 1 tsp vitamin E oil 2 eggs 5-6 drops essential oil Preheat your oven to 350 F. Mix together all the ingredients. Take a teaspoon of the dough and roll it gently into a ball (about an inch in diameter). Continue doing this with all the dough and place the balls on an ungreased cookie sheet. (You can decorate the cookies with clove buds, anise seeds, or dried citrus peel if you wish.) Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, until they are lightly browned. Do not overbake. Allow the cookies to cool completely. To use: drop 1 or 2 cookies into a warm bath and allow to dissolve. Yield: 24 cookies, enough for 12 baths.Bathtub Finger Paints1/3 cups clear liquid dish soap 1 Tbsp. Cornstarch food coloring Mix liquid soap and cornstarch together in a small bowl until blended. Pour mixture in equal amounts into ice cube tray. Add a couple drops food coloring into each compartment and mix. Do not let little ones get this into their eyes. Soap Crayons2 cups Ivory Snow soap 1/4 cup warm water food coloring Mix soap and water, add food coloring and pour into muffin tins or ice cube trays. The crayons will take a couple of days to dry. milk bath 1 cup dry buttermilk ¾ cup salt ½ cup baking sodaBath salts ¾ cup Epsom salts ¼ cup baking soda 1 ½ cup sea salt 1 t scent coloringBath Fizz½ cup baking soda 1/8 cup cornstarch 20 drops essential oil 1/8 cup citric acidLip balm1 1/2 t cocoa butter 1 ½ t bee’s wax grated 5drops flavoring

Bath recipes

Bath salts Bath Fizz
¾ cup Epsom salts ½ cup baking soda
¼ cup baking soda 1/8 cup cornstarch
1 ½ cup sea salt 20 drops essential oil
1 t scent 1/8 cup citric acid
coloring

milk bath Shave soap
1 cup dry buttermilk 1 bar unscented glycerin
¾ cup salt 1 T mineral oil
½ cup baking soda 10 drops sandalwood

Heavy Cream
½ cup petroleum jelly
1 T bee’s wax
¼ cup distilled water
½ t borax
5drops oil
1drop food coloring

vintage moisturizing tonic
½ cup rose water
¼ cup dist water
¼ cup glycerin
spray bottle

lip balm
1 1/2 t cocoa butter
1 ½ t bee’s wax grated
5drops flavoring

6 steps to a guilt free no

Here are six steps toward a guilt-free "no":
· Explore Your Motives – Why do you continue to say yes, even when you’re overextended? For some, it’s the need to be needed. If this is the case, make a checklist of the people who need you and the things you need to do already. This will remind you of what will suffer if you say yes to an additional project.
· Practice, Practice, Practice – Practice doesn’t only make perfect; it makes habit. Practice saying no – to your kids, your spouse, even your reflection in the mirror. Then try it with strangers, starting with those pushy telemarketers. After some practice, you’ll be surprised how much easier that “no” will come, especially when you’re put on the spot.
· Stop Hesitating – She who hesitates often finds herself stretched to the limit. If you know you can’t do something, let the person making the request know as soon as possible. “Maybe” isn’t good enough. A definite “no” will make you feel free immediately (and will also give the person more time to find someone else!).
· Delegate – If you can’t do something, why not suggest someone who can? Or, if you find a project irresistible, delegate some of your “everyday” responsibilities to your spouse and children so you can give your time without guilt.
· No Now, Yes Later – Remember that “no” isn’t forever. In some cases, it may just mean “not now.” If you’re particularly busy when a request is made, say so and add that you’d be happy to help out later when your schedule isn’t quite so full.
· Define What You Can Do – The PTA may ask you to bake 10 dozen cookies, but that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t be happy with five dozen or even with a donation of punch. If you’re interested in helping out, but unable to fulfill a particular request, let the requestor know what you CAN do. Then he can decide if your help – on your terms – is still necessary.

Holiday Stress relief

Stress Relievers Have Good Posture (make changes if needed) Support Your Back Take Regular Breaks From Activities Exercise Regularly Adopt Health Eating Habits Take Deep Breaths Prioritize Your Tasks (make a check off list) Smile a Lot Close Your Eyes and Relax a few minutes Take a Walk Hum, Whistle or Sing Set Realistic Goals Learn to Visualize Yourself in a Relaxed Setting Laugh Often Find Something Good/Fun in Everything You Do Avoid Distractions (focus on the problem) Verbalize Your Feelings (talk to others) Adopt a Positive Attitude
(surround yourself with positive thinking people) Ask for Help
(be willing to work with others) Participate in Activities to Relax
(work out the frustration) Relax - Enjoy Life - Be Happy !!!
Follow the example of those in the Christmas story
Shepards: kept watch over their flocks & were blessed for doing so.
Angels: Sing and rejoice
Wise Men: Brought gifts that had meaning and resembled who they were.
Mary & Joseph: Traveled a long journey and met difficulties with a sense of duty and focus. They were thankful even though things were difficult. They didn’t complain and focused on what they had.
Jesus: Was himself.

5 qualities of Healthy Women

From FlyLady post by Leanne the dinner diva.

Here then, are my Five Qualities of Healthy Women:

1)A healthy woman is AWARE. Her mouth is a treasure, not a trash can. When it is time to fuel up, she chooses food that will nourish her body so she can nourish herself first, THEN the people in her life. Her nutritional needs are NOT on the bottom of the list!

2)A healthy woman TAKES THE TIME. Contrary to what we think (that we don't have time), we all have the same 24 hours in the day. Taking 5 minutes to make a nutrient packed salad or waiting 5 minutes in the drive thru amounts to the same amount of time?one of those choices has huge dividends, the other one just offers a huge backend!

3)A healthy woman is CONSISTENT. It's not about being on a diet to lose weight to get into your smallest pair of jeans. Consistently eating well means you are consistently doing something proactive to affect the quality of your health. Nutrients feed your body's cells, giving them life and giving you vitality and energy!

4)A healthy woman is APPRECIATIVE. Good, healthy food eaten with a happy, grateful heart makes all the difference! When you eat poorly, you feel guilty. We all do! We vow to better next time, but next time doesn't come. Appreciating what YOU DO FOR YOURSELF (via healthy eating) will change EVERYTHING! Your energy levels, the sparkle in your eyes, the constant smile on your face?people will wonder what you're up to!

5)A healthy woman MOVES her body! We need this--it is nature's best anti-depressant! Endorphins ladies, endorphins! You feel GREAT after an invigorating walk! You can give yourself hearty congratulations and high five yourself?yes you can! Doing something and moving is like the frosting on the healthy woman's cake. Yes, you can do this. Yes, you DO have time!

Being a healthy woman starts with your attitude, regardless of where you are health-wise. It's possible to have a bright and shining attitude and have a lot of health issues. I've been with women with chronic health conditions that I never knew existed because their bright and cheerful attitudes outshone their health issues. Likewise, I've also been with women whose health problems were the focal points of their lives and conversation. Guess who I'd rather spend my time with?

I believe with my whole heart that our attitudes can affect our health and either make things better or worse. Our attitudes are like the emotional compasses for our bodies?they determine our direction.

I want you ALL to be healthy women! Being a healthy woman starts with the food you eat. Look at those five qualities again and choose to be an empowered and healthy woman!

Love,
Leanne
Your Dinner Diva at www.savingdinner.com

Breakfast of Champions

Some breakfast ideas from FLYLady

Crockpot Oatmeal
Serves 6
**disclaimer on this recipe. It may not work for YOUR crockpot! A 2:1 ratio on water and oats may be better, OR it could burn. I know this sounds flaky but you need to consider all the variables: brands of crockpots, ages, models, sizes and the temperatures even, that they operate on. Be FLEXIBLE with this recipe and experiment with it to get it just right for your family.

1 cup old fashioned oats (NOT the quick cooking kind)
4 cups water

Throw this in a crockpot and let it cook overnight on low. That's it!!

For fun, add some chopped apple, raisins and cinnamon. YUM! The smell of this first thing in the morning is glorious!

Pancakes and waffles are more "weekend" food. Who has time to make them during the week? YOU do if you can get these mixes together. Even better, you can make extra pancakes or waffles on the weekend, freeze them in big freezer zipper topped bags and use them instead of those expensive and less nutritious toaster waffles in the freezer section in the store.

Here's a terrific mix:

8 cups flour (if you'd like an all whole wheat mix, use whole wheat pastry flour from health food stores)
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups buckwheat flour (at some markets, but for sure at health food stores. Optional)
1/2 cup cornmeal (stone ground)
1 1/2 cups oatmeal (blend in your blender till powdered)
2 cups buttermilk powder (this is in the baking section of your market)
5 tablespoons baking powder
2 tablespoons baking soda
1 cup sugar (or sucanat—natural sugar at the health food store)
2 tablespoons salt

This will make four quarts. Mix all together in a very large bowl and divvy up into gallon sized freezer storage bags. I would mark the date with a Sharpie pen and keep it in the freezer although you can keep in your pantry.

To make pancakes or waffles:

1 cup pancake mix
1 egg
1/2 to 2/3 cup water (start with the lesser amount first and add if you need to)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

In a medium bowl, stir mix with water, egg and vegetable oil. Heat your griddle and make your pancakes as usual! To make waffles, double the batter and follow the directions for your waffle iron.

Basic Muffin Mix
Makes 11 cups

8 cups flour (again, if you prefer whole wheat, use whole wheat pastry flour)
3 cups sugar (can use sucanat if you prefer, see note on pancake mix)
3 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons nutmeg

Combine everything in a large bowl and divide into freezer zipper topped bags. Mark date with a Sharpie pen and store in the freezer or cool dry place.

To make muffins:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a bowl, mix together 3 cups baking mix, 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, 2 eggs, 3/4 cup milk and 3/4 cup berries, raisins, chocolate chips or whatever else you'd like.

Bake in a prepared muffin pan—that means lightly greased (I prefer the cupcake papers—easy clean up!), filling cups 2/3 full. Bake for 20 minutes or until nicely browned. Cool for five minutes in the pan then turn out on to a rack to cool. Makes about 12 muffins, depending on the size of your muffin tin.

Enjoy these recipes---great for back to school and it's just around the corner y'all!

Love,
Leanne Ely
www.savingdinner.com
follow me, www.twitter.com/savingdinner

Family Health Team Step 2

Step 2 Make some observations about your current choices. It's a three day experiment to see how things are going.

1. Take a full length picture
2. Keep a food, activity and wellness diary for three days
What you eat - calories, fat, nutrition
Activities you do -
How you feel -

Here are some links that might help...
Live strong

printable food diary basic
Printable Food Diary Specific Nutrition

physical health at provident living

Family Health Team Step 1

A sedentary lifestyle destroys. A poor diet destroys. What do we destroy? What do we waste? Think about it for a minute then ask yourself is it worth it to change? YES!!! We are in this together. We are fighting for each other and WE WILL WIN!

"The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there." (Leslie Poles Hartley) Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. The past is the past we need to let go of our past failures, move on and make a change. Altogether now let's let go of our diet baggage. Ahhhhhhhhh wasn't that nice. Ready to move on? Me too.

I read a good book about weight loss called Families Always Succeed Together - The F.A.S.T. Diet by Tony Dean. The thought process behind the diet is that your family loves you and wants to be healthy. Please note that last sentence did not say Your family loves you and wants YOU to be healthy. It said your family loves you and wants to be healthy. We are all struggling. We all need help. We are in this together. It's not you. It's WE.

The F.A.S.T diet is successful when the health and success of each member of the family team is seen as important. The Family team provides accountability and support. Your family team can be biological or a super group of adopted friends. The point being when you want to bail on your health your family won't bail on you.

The first step - recruiting your team

In Dean's book he says you can't just go up to somebody and say "Hey you're looking a little fat want to loose some weight with me?" While this blunt tactic might be a wake up call it sounds like it came out of a book called How to loose friends and alienate people. His suggested approach is more subtle. Tell people about the Dean family of eight that lost 500 pounds in a year and see if they want to hear more. You can read The F.A.S.T. Diet book or learn more about them here or watch the video In your conversation admit that you need help and ask if they are willing to be part of your team. Often we fail because we go it alone.

F.A.S.T. Diet review

I'm not going to post a copy of the book. I'll post the basics and additional information that I think is helpful too.

Step 2 Accountability coming soon - get your team together first

Health

What's your risk

Cancer
Diabetes
Heart Disease
Osteoporosis
Stroke

http://www.diseaseriskindex.harvard.edu/update/

Find out your Body Mass Index
http://www.barnesjewish.org/survey/bmi.asp

Depression Screening
http://www.depression-screening.org/

Family Fitness DANCE!

Dancing is fun! 15 minutes is good for you and everyone. Find music you like and get down and boogie with the fam.
Dancing was the first time my colicky baby stopped crying while awake & not eating. What a blessing.

First Aid Kit

My hubby made this First Aid kit checklist
Our kit was stolen out of our van. Crazy world. Maybe an emergency precipitated the theft but doubt it. Hope it helps you.
Car/camp first aid kit contents

Meds:
q Excedrin – pain, fever
q Ibuprofen – pain, fever
q Acetaminophen – pain, fever
q tums/famotidine - antacids
q loratidine – allergy, itching
q trazodone – sleep, sedative
q children’s acetaminophen – pain, fever
q children’s benadryl – itching, sleep
q loperamide – anti-diarrheal
q antibiotics – doxycycline, bactrim
q hydrocortisone cream – rash, itching
q benadryl cream – rash, itching
q antibiotic ointment - cuts
q carmex/chapstick
q sunscreen
q bug repellent

Bandages:
q gloves
q Band-Aids
q moleskin
q steri strips
q 2x2
q 4x4
q kerlix
q telfa
q abd pads
q elastic wrap
q tape
q povidone iodine
q quikclot

Gear:
q small swiss army knife with scissors, tweezers
q photon micro LED light
q shears
q rubber tourniquets
q hemostats
q scalpel
q barrier mask
q safety pins
q 60 cc syringe
q emergency blanket

Ice Packs

I'm full of random bits today...

put a wet sponge in a Ziploc then freeze.
I'm amazed how many boo boos are miraculously cured with these.