Tackle It Tuesday - Migraine Relief Kit

For this week's Tackle It Tuesday post, I wanted to share with you how I made my Migraine Relief Kit and what goes in it!  I have suffered from migraines since I was a teenager and I have learned a lot about what helps relieve them when I have them.  The trouble is, once I have a migraine, I can't think or function well enough to remember all my remedies!  So I was looking at a post about a first aid kit, and I thought, why not make a Migraine Relief Kit?  Something where I can have all my migraine relief remedies all in one place? Here's my kit;

What's in it?  Below are pictures and descriptions of everything in my box.

As you can see, I have a large bottle of electrolyte water.  Often times, migraines and headaches are a sign that you are dehydrated.  I have this in my kit just in case I am out of drinking water, and to serve as a reminder to drink plenty of water once my migraine begins!

This is my favorite lotion from Bath & Body Works.  Stress Relief Hand cream.  Aromatherapy can work wonders for migraines, and rubbing some of this on my hands, neck, and shoulders can really help.  Plus, it helps remind me that some simple self-massage and reflexology can help too.  There are pressure points on your hands, feet, and neck that can help with headaches and migraines.  If you suffer from headaches or migraines I strongly suggest you learn some of these reflexology pressure points.  And this lotion is wonderfully relaxing whether you have a headache or not!

I suffer from the migraines that not only make my eyes very sensitive to light, but there is usually pounding, excruciating pain behind one of or both of my eyes.  I went looking for a sleep mask, and I found this sleep mask at Walgreens.  It has removable gel inserts that you can put in the freezer and then back into the sleep mask.  Oh that nice cool feeling on top of my eyelids, while also shielding my eyes from any light in the room.... it's really a GREAT find for migraine and headache sufferers!  I can pop the inserts into the freezer for about 5 minutes and then be ready to go!

As I mentioned before, aromatherapy can really help.  I have this bottle of eucalyptus oil in my kit to remind me to use it in my oil warmer.  For headaches I would recommend either Eucalyptus or Lavender scented oils in a diffuser.  Experiment and see what works for you, but be careful because some scents can actually trigger migraines.  Also, make sure you use pure essential oil, not perfume oil.  The "perfume" oils contain chemicals that can make your migraines worse.

My heating pad.  I made this one myself, with a fuzzy sock!  I filled the sock with a mixture of dry uncooked white rice, some eucalyptus scented Epsom salts, and some dry crushed spearmint.  I sewed the end shut with needle and thread.  When I need it I heat it up in the microwave for about two minutes and then put it behind my neck.  The heat combines with the soothing scent is so relaxing!  Migraines and headaches often come with neck and shoulder tension, so this is a must-have for a migraine relief kit!

Of course, some obvious essentials... over the counter migraine relief medication!

I found this in a little shop of natural teas and remedies.  It's a loose tea blend of chamomile, white willow bark, and a couple other herbs that are known for pain relieving.  I haven't tried it out yet, but once I try it I will let you know how it works!

I also included a couple other tea bags of my favorite soothing teas.  I have a Stash Chai Green Tea, a Stash Chai White Tea, and Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Extra (with valerian).  A nice soothing cup of hot tea helps me relax and fall asleep.  Plus, I often get a sour stomach and nausea with my migraines, so hot tea helps with that symptom as well.

This is another aromatherapy remedy!  This is a "Bath Tea" of a blend of herbs and essential oils.  You put it in a bath tub full of hot water and it releases the scent into the bath water.  VERY relaxing and effective!

This is some allergy medicine.  Antihistamines can help relieve a migraine.  I put these in my kit because I know it works, but I almost always tend to forget about taking them once a migraine hits!

AND, last but not least, Emergency Chocolate!  Because sometimes a migraine or headache can be caused by, or aggravated by low blood sugar.  And besides that, chocolate just makes me feel better.  If you put some chocolate in your kit, make sure it is Milk Chocolate, NOT Dark Chocolate!  Dark Chocolate is a migraine trigger, and might actually make your headache worse!

If you suffer from migraines, educate yourself on as many remedies as you can, and try to figure out what your triggers are so you can avoid them.  Common triggers are stress, dehydration, hormones, perfumes, chemicals, and some foods.  The most common foods that can trigger a migraine are; Sharp Cheeses, Dark Chocolate, Citrus fruits, and Red Wine.  You may be triggered by one or more of these things, and there may be things that trigger your migraine that are not listed here.  The best defense is to prevent the migraine by avoiding your triggers, but they can't all be avoided all the time, so maybe you will want to put together your own Migraine or Headache Relief kit to have everything in one place when they do strike!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

 

Join the Meme at Book Journey with me!  Come check out It's Monday!  What Are You Reading?

Last time I posted, I had just started reading The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher.  Well, guess what?  I'm hopelessly addicted.  Each time I finish a book in the series.  I say to myself, "Maybe I should look for something different to read for awhile."  And then I say to myself, "Ha!  Who are you kidding?" and start the next book in the series.

So now I'm on book 6.  I think I need to pace myself.  Slow down, take it easy.  After all, what will I do when I have read through all of them, and have nothing left to live for?  I haven't felt this way about a book series since Harry Potter.  Come to think of it, The Dresden Files IS a "Harry Potter" for grown ups.  Even the main character's first name is Harry.  (Although the ubiquitous Harry Dresden was named after the Magician, Harry Houdini.)  Harry the grown up Wizard isn't in Magic School, he's living in Chicago where most people don't know about or don't believe in magic.  Yet he manages to make a living as a Supernatural Investigator, doing all kinds of odd jobs that mostly end up with him battling the ultimate evil and almost losing his life.  He has to skirt around the rules laid down by the White Council, very much akin to how Harry Potter had to question the sanity and integrity of the Ministry of Magic.  With each book there is a new case, a new mystery to solve.  Yet there is an ongoing plot line that continues through each book and takes you deeper into Harry's past (which haunts him), and effects how and why he makes choices through each book.

Did I mention I just LOVE this series?

Anyways, I am in the middle of Book Six, Blood Rites;

"For Harry Dresden, there have been worse assignments than going undercover on the set of an adult film. Still, there’s something more troubling than usual about his newest case. The film’s producer believes he’s the target of a sinister curse-but it’s the women around him who are dying.

Harry’s even more frustrated because he only got involved with this bizarre mystery as a favor to Thomas-his flirtatious, self-absorbed vampire acquaintance of dubious integrity. Thomas has a personal stake in the case Harry can’t quite figure out. But Harry is about to discover that Thomas’ family tree has been hiding a shocking revelation that will change his life forever…"

Sample of Chapter 1; http://www.jim-butcher.com/books/dresden/blood-rites/br-chapter-1

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Monday Ramblings.
Onward, another week to conquer.  This week the kids go back to school.  (They were out on Spring Break last week)  I have my usual work schedule, and faithful hubby is working 7 days a week.  So far, it's been 14 days since he last had a day off.  This week in Mom-Land I will try to stay on top of housework, focusing on Laundry and organizing my Master Bedroom.  I have something exciting to share with you tomorrow for Tackle It Tuesday, so come back tomorrow to see it!

Have a Great Week!  Please leave a comment and tell me what YOU are reading right now!

Living Room Organization

This week I am sharing what I did last week in my home!  I focused on cleaning & organizing The Living Room!  To get ideas for your own "Tackle It Tuesday" project or to see what other bloggers are sharing, check out Tackle It Tuesday at 5 Minutes For Mom!

 

 

 

 

Last week (Jan. 28 thru 31st) was a time to focus on Zone 5 (FlyLady.net).  Each week FlyLady has a different "zone" or area of the home that you focus on for decluttering or deep-cleaning.  So this I a big part of why I focused on my Living Room last week!

 

This week's organization was also inspired by the Home Organization 101 Challenge at A Bowl Full of Lemons!  Check out this awesome livingroom and see where I got my inspiration and see what other bloggers did in their Living rooms as well!

 

 

 

First of all, my Living Room was DUSTY!  One of the joys of living in the desert!  Dust gets everywhere and builds up very quickly!  I had neglected dusting in here for awhile as you can see with the following before and after pictures!

I loved using Shaklee's Basic H2 for dusting!  Just a little spray on a towel and I was able to get all my surfaces super shiny, without any chemical smell, and with the peace of mind of knowing I used a safe & healthy product!

 

 Moving on... the shelves under the tv were a bit cluttered! 

 I sorted through the books and got rid of quite a few that the kids had outgrown.  Some of the books were moved to the girls' bedroom.  What was left all fit on the bottom shelf, leaving the middle shelf open for video games and a few DVD's.  The canvas caddy box with blue spots on it now serves as a storage bin for remote controls and game controllers.

This corner was very cluttered!  A lot of papers and miscellaneous stuff, but most of it was my hubby's guitar stuff.  (Guitar strings, picks, supplies, and books)  He has been teaching himself to play guitar over the past couple of years.

I straightened up the table, and put all hubby's guitar related stuff in a basket! 

Now it looks like this!  Hubby's two guitars, Miss Z's Guitar.  The window unit A/C is tucked under the small table for storage until summer when we need it again.  I even framed and hung up a picture above the table to add some more decoration to the room!

 

It's a picture of Jerry Garcia!  Drawn by my very talented brother.  He did this in an art class in college.  I'm glad it finally has a home, displayed above our little "Music Corner" in the Living Room!

Onward - a couple more areas needed dusting and straightening....

 

Yeah. The ceiling fan was gross!  I used a duster with an extension handle on it to reach it.  Funny how those things get so dusty when they are constantly moving!

 

Anyways... that was my living room project!  It's nice to know that there are specific "homes" for things in my living room now, and easier to maintain with specific places to put things.  If it doesn't have a home in the living room, out it goes!

Product Review - AND ~ A Giveaway!

Have you ever used a product and been so impressed with it that you wanted to tell everyone you know about it?  You feel like a walking commercial when you do that!  But when a product really works, and leaves you feeling happy and satisfied, you want to share that with your friends and loved ones! 

 

This is how I have felt since I started using Shaklee's Basic H2 Organic Super Cleaning Concentrate.  I have been telling my mom, my friends, my online friends... just about everyone I know about how good it works!  They probably think I'm a little crazy... I mean, who gets excited about a household cleaner?

 

Well, first of all I ordered it because I am interested in using products that are less toxic and less dangerous around kids and pets.  Have you read the warning labels and ingredient labels on some of your store-bought cleaners?  I have, and they give me chills.  As a mother of three children and also the owner of a cat who is very much a part of our family... when I heard there was something out there that was safer and more natural, I was excited to make the switch!

 

The thing is, I just wasn't expecting it to actually CLEAN as well as it does!

 

First impression;
I read the directions.  "Mix 1/4 of a teaspoon with 16 oz of water in a spray bottle."  I looked at the spray bottle, measured out 1/4 of a teaspoon, and thought... "surely this isn't going to be enough!"  A fourth of a teaspoon seems so small!  I shrugged... if I needed to add more, I would add more.  I started cleaning.... and then I started to really get excited!  Dirt was coming off of surfaces in my home that I thought it would never come off of!  Things were coming clean with just a couple gentle wipes, that normally would have taken some extra scrubbing.  There is virtually no smell... in no time my kitchen was sparkling but there was no chemical smell in the air!  Get this; as I was cleaning my kids came in.  I said, "Watch this!" and sprayed some on the refrigerator and we watched it start to come clean right before our eyes.  My kids got excited and wanted to take turns using the spray bottle to clean off walls and counter tops!  I am not making this up, this stuff made my kids WANT to clean!  And as a bonus I wasn't worried about my son -who has asthma - while he was using the product... no coughing or wheezing occurred which sometimes happens when he is around the fumes of the harsh chemical products.

 

Since then I have been using the Basic H2 all over my house... to clean walls, counter tops, windows, floors... it really is possible to use on everything!  I have been looking at my house in a whole new way, instead of looking at some things as "terminally dirty", I now look at them and think; "I bet the Basic H2 can take care of that!"  And I haven't even used an 8th of my bottle yet!  Since it's so highly concentrated, a little bit goes a long way!  I have been able to throw away various bottles of toxic cleaners under my sink and now just have one product for cleaning around the house.  Good-bye Pine-Sol, Windex, and Mr. Clean!  Hello Shaklee!

 

Here's the exciting news!  I am so happy with this product, I want to share it with you!  I want others to have a chance to experience what I have!  You can't buy Shaklee products in the store... you have to buy them from a distributor.  Shaklee has some other great cleaning products... from laundry detergent to dishwasher detergent.  I would be happy to tell you more!  Shaklee also has nutritional supplements for adults and children, weigh loss products, and beauty products... all natural, all designed to be safe for you, safe for your home, safe for your family!  When you sign up for a Shaklee Membership, (less than $20) you get a discount on all their products, and you get an inside look at everything they have to offer.

 

I am going to give away one free bottle of Basic H2 Organic Super Cleaning Concentrate!  A $12.15 value... one bottle of concentrate makes 48 gallons of household cleaner!  Everyone who signs up the be a member or distributor in the month of February will have their name entered in a drawing!  At the end of February, I will draw one lucky winner to receive the free bottle of Basic H2!  And you will already be a winner when you sign up for membership because you will be giving yourself access to all of Shaklee's other great products!

 

If you are interested, or would just like more information, please e-mail me at mama_mcd@live.com with "Shaklee" in the subject line.  I will be happy to answer any of your questions, and tell you more about Shaklee products and opportunities!

 

 

It's Monday! What are you reading?

 

It's Monday!  What are you reading?

 

Last week I started reading Storm Front by Jim Butcher.  It's the first book in a series called The Dresden Files.

 

"Harry Dresden is the best at what he does. Well, technically, he’s the only at what he does. So when the Chicago P.D. has a case that transcends mortal creativity or capability, they come to him for answers. For the “everyday” world is actually full of strange and magical things — and most of them don’t play well with humans. That’s where Harry comes in. Takes a wizard to catch a — well, whatever.

There’s just one problem. Business, to put it mildly, stinks. So when the police bring him in to consult on a grisly double murder committed with black magic, Harry’s seeing dollar signs. But where there’s black magic, there’s a black mage behind it. And now that mage knows Harry’s name. And that’s when things start to get… interesting.

Magic. It can get a guy killed."

So far I am REALLY enjoying this book!  It is action packed... just when you think Harry Dresden might catch a break, he finds himself in bad situations again.  Like being threatened by a mob boss, hit on the head with a baseball bat, or attacked by a demon.  He's just trying to earn a paycheck to pay his rent by helping the police solve a double homicide, but of course this puts him in all kinds of danger.  The best part of the book is Harry's narrative.  Despite being a powerful wizard, he is pretty down-to-earth, and reacts to his changing situations in a realistic and human way... his character is very believable and you can't help but relate to him and root for him. 

How is it that I didn't even know this book series existed until now?  There are 13 books in the series, so I know I will have plenty to read!  Thanks to my friend Amanda who suggested this book for me!

What are YOU reading?  I want to know!!

 

Wordless Wednesday - Green Juice!

 

(Recipe; HERE)

 

 

Wordless Wednesday!

D.I.Y. Laundry Essentials!

Recently a friend shared with me this great blog post with some wonderful DIY, Home-made laundry essentials!  I have already been making my own laundry soap for about 2 years now, but I thought this post had some great tips and I wanted to pass it on!
Top 3 DIY Lavender Laundry Essentials!

So check it out!  Today I had a "Laundry Day"... I washed some laundry, made the Lavender Scented Dryer balls as mentioned in the other blog, also made the Lavender Scented Fabric Softener!  I was already using Vinegar as a fabric softener but I loved the idea of making it scented!  Then I washed some more laundry because I had to try out my new products!  I must say I Love the Fabric Softener and Dryer Balls!  Thanks so much, Camp Wander!!

I went ahead and made another batch of laundry soap, since I was almost out.  I make a liquid soap version vs. the powdered version mentioned at the other blog, but the ingredients are pretty much the same!  Here is what I do;

Supplies;
1/2 Cup Borax Powder
1/2 Cup Arm & Hammer Washing Soda
1/2 bar of Pink Zote Soap
* 4 scoops of Oxi-Clean (using the scoop provided in the container... looks like it is also about 1/2 cup)
A cheese grater
a 5 gallon bucket to mix everything in
a medium sized pot for the stove

Directions;
Grate the 1/2 bar of Zote soap with a cheese grater.  You don't have to use the Pink kind, the plain white bar works fine too.  You can also substitute Fels-Naptha soap.  These can both be found in the laundry section of most grocery stores.

In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients... the Borax, Washing Soda, and optionally the powdered Oxy-Clean (Oxygenated Bleach).  Set this aside.

On the stove, bring the medium saucepan filled with water to just below boiling.  Turn the temp down to medium, medium low to keep it warm.  Slowly add in the grated Zote soap while stirring, you want it to melt evenly and avoid clumps and I find it works best if you just sprinkle a little at a time into the hot water while stirring.

In the 5 gallon bucket, fill it half way with warm water and add the dry mixture of Borax, Washing Soda, and Oxy-Clean.  Mix until all the dry ingredients are dissolved.  Slowly pour in the melted pink Zote & water mixture from the pan you had on the stove.  Mix well.  Add more water until the bucket is full, mixing well. 

Cover the bucket with Plastic Wrap, set it aside somewhere safe and let it rest for 12 to 24 hours.  It will thicken and become more gel-like.  Mix again, and then you can add it to empty bottles to be used for laundry!  I used empty bottles from store-bought detergent I had bought before, because they have the lid for measuring and store easily.  Hard to believe that I have been using those same bottles for nearly 2 years, just refilling them with my own home-made soap!

For washing I use 1 cap full of detergent for small loads and 2 cap fulls of detergent for large loads.  I sometimes add more Oxy-Clean if the clothes are particularly stained, or for my work shirts which need to be very white!  Adding 1/2 cup of plain white vinegar to the water at the rinse cycle really helps soften the clothes and leaves them deodorized.  Check out that blog post above to learn how to make the scented version of this fabric softener!

After making my Dryer Balls, my Laundry Soap, and the Fabric Softener, I decided I needed to clean my laundry room, because these great products need a nice cozy place to live, right?  I swept, mopped, and wiped down all the surfaces in my laundry room (top of washer & dryer, and top of the water heater)  Now I have lots of lavender-scented clean laundry to fold and put away, but that doesn't sound too terrible!  I am gonna sit down in front of the TV and start folding!  Sounds like a great way to wind down from my busy day!