After insect bite relief

*affiliate links below

Are you or your children suffering from nasty insect bites?  Does it look like you have grown another limb with the way you swell up from the bite?   We find relieve from the products below - they are the same Burt's Bees Res Q - they are just different options of it:  the OG, and one with extra soothing in it. 

My family likes to hike so I like to keep these on hand in my pack and around my house.  I've seen a lot of friends with kids who are swelling up from bad bites, I highly suggest checking this out.  Happy Summer! 

Res Q 

Res Q with cooling

OG Res Q ointment

Protein Cereal .... really? honest review

Magic Spoon Cereal

*affiliate link

Honestly I heard Protein cereal and thought no way that could be good.  Protein is so hard to get the taste right and not be bland or chalky.  

 However we had the opportunity to try them, and WOW!  We all loved them.  We liked them dry and we liked them with milk.  If you are trying to get your protein intake up, but you are craving cereal, Highly recommend magic spoon cereal.  

Jell-O and Golf Cub Storage

 

*affiliate links included

What do Jell-O and Golf Club storage have to do with each other?  Well they were both part of yesterday's fun!  My AUDHD little man loves Jell-O, red Jell-0 .... well if you have read any of my last posts you know that we discovered an issue with dyes.  At first it was just blue (because it set him off in less than 15 min) but as we went dye free for 2 weeks and then added different ones back just to test them out, it turned out all the dyes have an effect on them it just takes them longer to show up in his behavior.  So of course his red Jell-O was out.  

Trying to find replacements was not easy for Jell-O.  We do not find most things difficult to find dye free replacements, i.e. marshmellows, gummy bears, chicken nuggests, but Jell-O took some experimenting.  Finally we fond Simple Mixes - we have only tried the Strawberry and Cherry but both are kid approved. Mixes up just like any Jell-O mix brand.  We have not found ones we like that are read made so I have to plan a little bit a head, but honestly it takes less than 5 min to make the mix and then it just needs a min of 4 hours to set.  So even last minute before I jump in bed I can through this together.  Now if only I could find a clear, flavorless protein to add to it to up his protein level it would 100% perfect! If any of you mom's or dad's have found a good clear protein that mixes in well with things please comment below. 

Ok so where do the Golf Club storage come in with all this.   Well living where it extremely hot we decided to keep our clubs inside. However we kept tripping over them.  I have had golf club storage racks in the past, but they have tended to be heavy and bulky  One day while searching I came across the one below and on a whim got it.  It sat around for weeks in the box, but last night we decided to put it together. We are having visitors and need to get the clubs out of the way.  

Well let me tell you!  1. So easy to put together. 2. Very light 3. We went with the wheels option (yes they are lockable) and I have been able to move it around my house fully loaded to find the right spot for them with no issue.   I do not have the lower draws "full" of balls, but there is weight on there.  So if you need golf bag storage I highly recommend.  And we do not have super big bags so we can easily fit 4 sets on it, if you have the bigger type you will only get 3.  I love that all my golf stuff can now be in one place, clubs, shoes, unbrellas, hats!  Bonus even the little man helped put it together! 

Jell-O mix

Golf Club Storage

Mama's self care

*affiliate links included 

We are Moms, sisters, daughters, bosses, employees, partners....pick your titles and add more.  It is easy to get lost in each and everyone of them, so I challenge you today to pick a title that let's you give you some love and self care.  

I have been an athlete my whole life and the older I get the more I enjoy running/walking and golf.  So each year I sign up for my local running stores 7 run series.  I pay for them all up front, because now that I paid I "have to" participate.   It helps me keep all the other excuses from stopping me.

Tuesday, the 4th of July, is the kick off Firecracker 5k. A girlfriend of mine is also going to be there sans family so we are going to attempt to run together... our paces are usually very different, but I am looking forward to seeing my friend and catching up. 

Rule number 1 of race day - wear nothing new...so I had to test run my skirt today, I already did the socks last week ( wasn't about to create more laundry for myself that had to be done before 6am on Tueaday!)

So here is the skirt trial,  it worked great, but man was it hot. I've included links to the interval timer I use and the shoes I wear, but please go be fitted for shoes. 

Gymboss interval timer

Hoka arahi 6

Little things

 *affiliate links included

Everyone always says do your own research, be yours and your childs own advocate.  Well on this journey we have found that antihistamines and dyes are a problem. Like turn into the hulk type problem.   

If dyes are not a problem for you and your family - awesome, I agree they are not an issue for everyone. However if you are having issues that even medicines seem.to be helping and then they get worse - give it a try just two weeks cut out all dyes, read every label.  That's right out, even our son's medicine had dyes in it. No you cannot just look at it and say it's white so no dye, they use blue to make it whiter.   

We haven't found a real good alternative to the antihistamines yet, but I'll keep you updated.  What has helped us keep more even keeled is Chillax, two in the morning and two at night. Now this is not medical advice, but it is what is working for our family.   It doesn't work stand alone or if we are already in the middle of a melt down.  It isn't a miracle medicine,  but one more tool in our bag.  

Navigating AUDHD - new journey

 Wow, it has been a hot minute since I last posted!  To say life has been just a bit crazy is an under statement.  

My youngest along with ADHD impulsivity has just gotten diagnosed with ASD Level 2 .... simples terms the levels indicate what level of support is needed for the child, there are 3 levels.  I am not a doctor, psychologist, etc; just a mom new to this journey looking to and for support in this new level.  

If you are like us you are feeling lost! Because my son does not have any learning disabilities (he tests ahead), but he is behind socially there seems to be a lot less help.  When things get to be too much for him is outlit is physical.   So you can't just put him in a quite space and he will cool down - he quite literally has to bounce off he walls or hit things. Schools are not set up to handle this :( 

At this point we do not know what we will be doing for the school year that starts in a month and two weeks we are still exploring the different school options in our area that say they can handle this type of student.  Unfortunately that is a whole lot easier to say that to fully put into practice, because what calmed him down yesterday might not be what works today.   

What we have seen and have surmised right now is his ADHD and his Autism are in conflict with each other.    What would settle one condition down ramps the other up and vice versa.  So depending on which condition is "setting him off" is the tools you need to settle him down, but unfortunately there isn't a blinking sign above his head that says today is bought to you by my Autism please choose form A,B, or C things to help me.   And oh by the way if it is my ADHD and you pick A,B, or C expect it to get worse and take longer to pull me back.    

We know being in water, playing with water seems to help both - of course no traditional classroom/school happens in a pool!  

I know as he gets older this will even out because he will be able to tell us better what he is feeling, what is going on and if we try something he will be able to say it is making it worse not better.  Until that day we are living in grace and taking one day at a time. 

So as part of this process I have decided to also try some affiliate marketing to give input back on toys/tools we are trying. 

Today is sensory chews:

We love this random pack, because with the different options it meets different needs.  they cords have a break away so if it ever gets caught it just unclips and releases.  

Sensory chews

This we like, because it fills the push/pull sensory need - lots of tug of war, but also are safe to bite. Becareful if you step on them though, because they do roll a bit underfoot. 

Sensory chews3

This is a fun pack that I as mom like.  I will wear either the bracelet or necklace when we go out and then if I am out of one of the others or forgotten it I have this as a go to pull or chew.  I got this on a whim and it has turned out to be a great tool in my bag. 

Sensory chews2

Day 2, in the books

 We decided that of were all doing well we would push to make today the longest drive. Well, can I just say we have the best little traveler ever! He was a champ! With stops along the way it ended up being a 13 hour deive today.  This leaves us with less than 10 hours tomorrow.  

We are all looking foward to seeing family and friends. 

Of course the "tingle" (kindle) is always a winner on long trips.  He even worked on one of the reading apps with no prompting from us.  The other big hit was we gave him his own kids camera so he can take pictures along the way. When we got to the hotel we were looking through them. Seeing the trip through his eyes is amazing and funny. I will share his pictures  later. 

For now he is finally out and I will also call it a night. One more day in the car and the it is time to party with family and friends we haven't seen in over 3 years.