Showing posts with label camping. Show all posts

Surviving Mosquitoes

Oh how I loath mosquitoes. A few of us in my house are extremely allergic to them. We have a beautiful pond that is stagnate in the property behind us, so we have a lot of mosquitoes around our house and it is no fun. I turned to you on Facebook to find out what you all do to survive the mosquito. A lot of the ideas are for essential oils. To buy yours from me, go here. Here are the ideas. This post contains affiliate links.

Repelling Mosquitoes

Nikki said: I seem to attract mosquitoes, while my husband never gets bitten. Luckily, I think our daughter inherited his "naturally repellant" skin. We also have dogs, so Im not a huge fan of nasty chemicals, but HATE getting bitten. We stumbled upon Super Garlic, which is a super concentrated garlic solution that you can spray on your yard periodically throughout mosquito season. It helps us/me a lot and I love that it's natural. I also use Citronella oil on my skin, instead of Off. Kind of expensive, but we have had the same jug for 2 summers now and still have some left for next year!: Mosquito Barrier Mosquito Repellent
Jan said: using a spray bottle put in half water,half witch hazel,20 drops Eucalyptus oil shake it up, spray ALL exposed areas(scalp,ears etc) they won't come near you. Keep spraying every half hour. They love me and the mix kept me safe.
Things to Do for Kids said: Essential oils! Lemongrass repels them. I use a spray of Lemongrass, Wild Orange, Peppermint and Lavender!
Megan said: Garlic! There are garlic pills you can buy, that don't make stinky breath. That came from a farmer friend and it works!
JoAnn said: use Peppermint oil spray before going outside. mix with water and spray on. I've been told skeeters don't like the smell...
Joyce said: We live in Singapore where mozzies thrive. Citronella or Lemongrass oils are great repellents.
Diedre said: I LOVE this stuff, it's made in the town I live in and it is amazing! Gentle enough for babies and VERY effective. Lion-Skeeter Beater.
Liz said: doterra brand doTerra TerraShield essential oil is made specifically as a natural insect repellant
Jessica said: If you have bats in your area, get a Bat House. They eat thousands of mosquitos.
Sarah said: My sis had this at her son's baseball game. Has a 15x15 bug free zone… and there is one with bigger I think. All the parents in the stands were very grateful! Thermacell MR-GJ Mosquito Repellent Device
Shaunda said: The best non toxic way is Young Living essential oils. We make our own bug spray with the oils and also use them if we get a few bites. Lavender, purification, peppermint and Melaleuca/tea tree oil. Love our oils and use them to survive!
Paula said: essential oils: to repel, Citronella and Lemongrass, to relieve itching after you've been bit, Lavender
Whitney said: Our pest control company sprays our yard for them and I cannot believe how much it has helped! They are drawn to one of my little boys and he swells up badly if he gets bit. I don't think he's been bitten once in our yard since we had them start spraying last year.
Jenni said: Bug off essential oil blend from Native American Nutritionals (same quality as DoTerra without the multilevel marketing which means less $$). Or Ava Anderson Non Toxic bug spray. Great natural products. My son had cellulitis (bacterial infection) around his eye from what I think was a bug bite that led to an ER visit. Never want that to happen again!!!
Grace said: Coconut oil! Also, if you can buy a few Citronella Plants (also called mosquito plants) you can place them around your house, and also rub the leaves on your LOs which provides all day protection. Even if they are playing in the water.
Ray Ray said: I live in one of the highest mosquito populated places. My son gets staph infections in every place a mosquito bites him...so we battle staph every summer. However if we remember to putSKIN-SO-SOFT oil all over him he won't get bitten...it's just hard to remember to reapply the oil throughout the day
Allison said: Avon SKIN-SO-SOFT Bug Guard - includes SPF 30 & smells amazing!
Jackie said: TerraShield essential oil or honest co bug spray for prevention.
Katherine said: I have friends in the midwest who swear by these Vitamin B skin patches
Ashley said: This year we are trying a new product (on our son, mainly) and have had good results! We don't like to douse our son in Deet, but this is an organic option available in stores...we founds ours in Target. So far, so good! It even helped us survive vacationing where the mosquitoes were very bad! EcoSMART 33106 Organic Insect Repellent
Tiffany said: TerraShield essential oils (do terra)
Lacey said: My daughter and I have to wear long sleeves and pants outside.

Treating Bites

Deanna said: Get Bayer Aspirin (the little white pills). When but. Crush the aspirin & mix with a tiny bit of water to create a paste. Apply paste to bite.
Britney said: Lavender and Peppermint take away the itch and reduce swelling!
Sere said: I have only tried it on myself but putting apple cider vinegar on a cotton ball and taping it over the bite until it dries stopped the itch entirely!
Linda said: Wet a Fels-Naptha bar and rub on the bites.
Rebecca said: We use Young Living Purification oil, or Lavender oil to soothe. Also, calamine lotion or hydro cortizone to soothe. My daughter swells really bad too.
Joyce said: We live in Singapore where mozzies thrive. Citronella or Lemongrass oils are great repellents. But when bitten, nothing stops the itch and soothes the swelling better than Tiger Balm. It's made in Singapore, and sold in the airport's transit lounge.
Susan said: My daughter is severely allergic as well. We have our yard sprayed monthly to kill nests. I put Johnson and Johnson baby creamy oil on all exposed skin which is amazing. Any sign of a bump I immediately apply topical benedryl (Benadryl Topical Itch Stopping Cream).
Jackie said: Lavender , Frankincense, and Melaleuca on the bites.
David said: For those on a very limited budget, try dabbing vinegar on them. Vinegar dabbed on them.
JoJo said: Benadryl topical cream. Benadryl Topical Itch Stopping Cream
Tiffany said: Miracle salve for bites (beeyoutiful.com)
Lacey said: I use Caladryl Clear Lotion calamine lotion as soon as I feel or seen the bite. Lavender oil also helps as well as a cold washcloth.
Emilysaid: My little guy is supper sensitive to bug bites as well. I use Young Living Lavender Essential Oil either straight or mixed with coconut oil (whatever is handly) and it calms those big red puffy bites right down. Also great for sunburns!

For my simple, prove, five step process to relieve those itches, see The Ultimate Mosquito Bite Itch Relief.

Brinley Toddler Summary {24.5 Months Old}

This is a summary for Brinley from ate 24-24.5 months old.

CORRECTION
For the last summary, I accidentally put that Brinley has a sippy of milk her bed. That is not correct--she has a sippy of water. I like water by my bed, so I give it to my kids. They all have water. But we haven't ever done milk.

SLEEPING

Sleep is pretty much the same. She is still crying when you leave the room because she is trying to figure out how to delay for one more moment. She cries for less than a minute. I am trying to figure out how to stop this. I am super consistent with nap time and nap routine. Some days, she doesn't cry and I can't figure what the difference is. I think it is really just her mood at the moment.

EATING

Eating is good. Nothing of interest going on.

PLAYING

Playtime has been good. She can't get out with the safety knob on the door.

Speaking of doors, she is able to open the doors to the outside AND can unlock handles. She can't reach dead-bolts, so at least we have that going on.

LEARNING TIME

Brinley is loving learning time. She loves to color and she loves playdough. I got it out the other day and she played happily for an hour solid. I had to stop her at nap time. She just loved it.

UNDRESSING

One day, I told Brinley it was time for a bath. I was just finishing cleaning up breakfast. She responded, "Okay!" When I turned around, she had completely undressed herself! Hopefully she doesn't use that ability in bed!

CAMPING

We went camping during this period. Not just any camping, but our first time camping in a tent with four kids. I was concerned about her being warm in the first place because toddlers do not stay in sleeping bags or under blankets (at least none of mine). When we got there, it was raining and cold. My parents were there, too, so the first night she stayed in their camper with them. The second night, we put her in our vehicle. We had her in her peapod She slept really well in there and slept until 8:30-9:00 in the morning, which is pretty unheard of camping. She enjoyed camping and things went well.

WELL-CHECK

Brinley had her well-check during this time. Everything is looking great! She is healthy and doing well.

ICE SKATING

We also went ice-skating during this time (indoor). I share just to tell you that when we ice skate with a little one like Brinley who could never skate, we put her in an umbrella stroller and have her ride in that around the rink. The other kids love to push her and she loves to ride along.

SCHEDULE

8:15 AM--Wake up/Breakfast

8:45 AM--Get ready

9:00 AM--Walk/Bike ride

9:30 AM--Outside Time

11:00 AM--Independent Playtime

12:00 Noon--Lunch

12:30 PM--Learning Activity

1:00 PM--Free Play

1:30 PM--Nap

5:00 PM--Free Playtime

5:30 PM--Dinner

6:00 PM--Family Time

7:30 PM--Get Ready for Bed

8:00 PM--Bedtime

HELPFUL BOOKS

RELATED POSTS/BLOG LABELS:

Toddler Summary: 2 Years Old! (for McKenna)
toddler summary (blog label)
child-proofing
camping

Tips for Camping with Children

Camping is pretty much our family's favorite thing to do. It is a great vacation with young children. It is inexpensive and really relaxed. There are a lot of amazing places you can go camping. Camping can accommodate napping schedules nicely. If you haven't tried it, do it! But be sure to read all of my tips because camping does have some harsh realities you need to be mentally prepared for.

We have camped with children starting at age 2 months. In my opinion, camping with a baby under one is relatively easy. A pre-toddler (somewhere between 12-18 months) can be the most challenging. They don't like to sit still and aren't really able to safely wander around the camp site.

The First Night Sucks

It just does. You absolutely need to expect the children to go to bed late and wake up early. They might even wake up periodically in the night. If you go camping, plan on going for at least two nights so you can have one good experience. Just know the first night will be the worst as everyone gets used to it. Go into it with that expectation.

This photo is my husband one morning after the first night of camping--this was about four years ago.

Think Through Sleep

There are many sleep considerations for you to take. Here are the basics--I will elaborate below:

Remember and enforce family sleep policies. If you expect your children to follow them, they will.
Try to have sleeping arrangements so that the children will sleep as well as possible. Have own beds/places to sleep as much as possible.
Dress appropriately for weather. A tent or even a camper does not provide the protection from weather changes that a house does.
White noise can be very helpful when camping.
Keep bedtime and naptime at about the same time as usual as much as possible.
If you have multiple kids sleeping together and need to stagger bedtime, think wisely about how you do it.

What are rules?

Think about your sleep rules at home and decide if they will be the same when camping. Can your kids get out of bed? Can your children be noisy after put in bed? What are consequences to rules being broken?

One time when we went camping, McKenna had been put to bed first, then was woken up when Kaitlyn went to bed, and she was ready to party. My husband didn't want her waking up Kaitlyn, so he kept going in to her and telling her to sleep and be quiet. She quite enjoyed his visits and she kept up the party for most of the night. I finally told him he needed to just ignore her no matter what. He did and she finally went to sleep. That was our *best* camping experience ever. And by best, I really mean worst.

With that in mind, review sleep rules when you are getting your children ready for bed. Explain that the same rules apply when camping as they do at home. I let my children know that if they want to go camping in the future, they will do their part to make it enjoyable now.

Where to sleep?

Where will all sleep? Will you be in a camper, tent trailer, or tent? How will you arrange sleeping arrangements so that people can sleep as well as possible.

If you don't share beds at home, you might want to think twice before doing it while camping--especially if you have young kids. Young children move A TON while sleeping. If you put two kids together, they might wake each other up as they kick the tar out of each other. If you sleep with a child, you will have your tar kicked out. Yep, been there. You also can have issues if you are sharing an air mattress with adults and children. My husband learned that the hard way one night when he slept on an air mattress with our three oldest and had them all rolled into him and on him all night.

If possible, have people in their own beds so their sleep only impacts themselves. For babies and toddlers, use bassinets, pack and plays, or a pea pod. In a bassinet, use blankets to cover the sides so the child won't wake in the night and get woken fully by seeing an unfamiliar surrounding. For preschoolers and older, consider foam pads, air mattresses, and cots. The more comfortable your child, the better the child will sleep.

lots of personal space for Brayden on this twin in a tent

Kaitlyn taking a nap on the beach in her pack and play

A sleep arrangement for us

How to dress for sleep?

When Brayden was two months old, we took him on his first camping trip to the mountains of Wyoming. What was I thinking?!?!?!?!? It is FREEZING in the mountains of Wyoming at night. He was a two month old! In a tent! After that, we bought a camper so our babies could have a heater to keep an even temp at night.

For warm dressing at night, consider:

Layers. For the babies and toddlers, have socks, onesie, footed PJs, and sleep sack to keep them warm. These little ones do not keep blankets on them, so you have to dress them for sleep as though they have a blanket attached to them. You don't want to over dress because people don't sleep well hot, either.
Blankets and sleeping bags. As children get older, they start to keep their blankets on them. You can then dress them warmly (socks are very important for sleeping in the cold!) and then get a sleeping back and a blanket for each child.

While it is cold at night, it gets hot in the day. As soon as everyone is awake, I open all windows to let things cool down. This is wise whether in a tent or camper. When you are choosing your spot to camp, if at all possible, set up where there will be shade. If you have a cover or awning of some sort, use it.

If it is warm at nap time, have your child sleep in a onsie only and be sure to have some air flow in the place the child is sleeping.

How to block noise when sleeping?

A great thing about a camper is that it is quieter than a tent. I have loved having one for my babies. When we are choosing a spot to set up the camper or tent, I always try to be a distance from where the action will be. We always go camping with my extended family each year. I stay away from the fire pit because that is where the action is and the noise will be.

this was our first camper we owned--you can see we are parked all by ourselves away from the wild and crazy people

There is a lot of natural "white noise" when camping, but if you are worried about things being noisy, bring along a sound machine that runs on batteries. I love white noise for naps so the child has a better chance of sleeping with the chaos that is usually going on around you during the day. Then if you have older children, they can plan

When to do bedtime?

For younger children--toddlers and babies--I try to keep bedtime as close to normal time as possible. Remember, overly tired people don't sleep as well as well-rested people, so if you want the best shot at sleeping well, you want your child down on time.

As children get older--4-6 usually depending on their natural flexibility--they can start staying up later when camping and they still sleep fine. Don't be fooled into thinking a late bedtime will equal a sleep-in session in the morning.

How to stagger kids?

When you have all of your children in a tiny space, you need to be smart about how you stagger their bedtimes. I put my deepest sleeper in bed first. I also consider how long the child will likely take to fall asleep. A fast fall-asleeper is wise to put to bed first.

A tricky thing in staggering is you don't know when the first child fell asleep. We have put the second child to bed before shortly after the first actually fell asleep and then the first child has had a power nap. Not fun. If your kids will be quiet and go to sleep quickly, it can work to have them go to bed at the same time.

What about that sun?

Where I live, the sun comes up early in the morning and goes down late at night in the summer. A hard thing with camping for people around here is that the sun is up in the 5 AM hour and usually people wake with the sun. Keep this in mind as you are setting up your sleep situation.

Prepare for Playtime

When camping, you might worry about how your child will entertain him/herself while camping. I find a child 2 or older is really quite adept at entertaining themselves with the nature around them. Yes, there are some things you can bring with you for your child to play with, but don't overpack! You don't need to over complicate the situation. And don't pack things you can't clean easily. Have your child play with nature and imaginations (but be careful about any poisonous plants you might have around you!).

One note, when Brayden was a toddler, he REALLY needed his consistency. He had to have independent playtime even when we were camping. He would need a place he could be alone and play for a bit. You could do this in a pack and play, tent, or camper.

Here are some things we commonly do when camping:

whittle sticks. My husband does this ad the kids sit and watch forever.

play in dirt. A lot.

sometimes they eat dirt, too

when I think camping, I definitely think horseshoes

We play with frisbies more than anything when camping. They are easy to clean and can be used for a lot.
We LOVE to play frisbee golf when camping.

We also love to go for hikes and walks when camping.

bikes can be fun if your location is suitable for them

fishing is a great camping adventure

for the young ones, I do bring along a small tote with baby toys in it to play with. I also bring books for all kids.

Campfires are soothing and fun to be around. Be very alert and cautious with children around fires.
Most are naturally careful, but you have some who are a bit crazy.

Prepare for Mealtime

When you are deciding what to eat and what food to pack, don't forget to consider where you will eat. While an adult can sit down on a log with a plate of food and eat it, children are not that coordinated. If you have a baby, bring along something that can be a high chair. If you have toddlers or preschoolers, you might like a small table of some sort that they can sit at. Be aware of what your campsite is like. Many campsites have pic-nic tables at them. We tend to camp in the middle of no where so we need to provide our own stuff.

Pack Wisely

Packing for camping is hard. You can justifiably pack a TON of things. You need jackets, warm clothes, light clothes, pajamas, socks, shorts, pants, diapers, sunscreen, bug spray, perhaps swimsuits...sleeping gear, tables, food, wet wipes, entertainment items...oh my goodness. The list goes on forever. The more you pack, the more you have to wash and put away when you get home.

Return Home with Realistic Expectations

So...when you get home, everyone will be tired. You might need early bedtimes and longer naps. You might have kids falling asleep during independent playtime.

You will have a ton of laundry. Really, a ton. Just be prepared.

Relax

One of the best things about camping is that you can just relax. Don't stress too much. If you really feel like you need more knowledge on what to expect before setting out in the great outdoors, try doing a trial run by setting up a tent in your backyard or in your family room. See what curve balls your children throw you and what you will need for your family's camping trip.

Let your children play with nature while camping. Don't worry about getting dirty. Let it happen. Have fun! Let me know if you have any questions.

Do you have tips for camping with children?

Check out Rachel's tips for Traveling with Small Children.

5 Freeze Dried Foods To Use On Camping Trips {Guest Post}

A family campout is a fun time to be together without the distractions of work, school, electronics and housework. However, moms and dads are still responsible for purchasing, preparing, serving and cleaning up three healthy and nutritious meals every day.

For those parents seeking a delicious and convenient alternatives to hot dogs and tin foil dinners, consider freeze dried foods on camping trips. Compare these 5 freeze dried meals with their traditional counterparts:

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Traditional version: You’d need to make space for in pasta, a jar of marinara sauce, pre-made meatballs and a pot in your camp supplied in order to prepare this family favorite. Don’t forget about keeping the meatballs cold without refrigeration.

Freeze dried version: Since a single freeze dried meal comes in its own pouch, all you need to do is boil water, pour in the correct amount and seal it. Wait for the meal to hydrate, based on the recommended time. Open the pouch and eat right away. When everyone is done, just toss the pouches in the garbage.

Chicken Teriyaki

Traditional version: This Asian-style meal requires chicken, teriyaki sauce, fresh vegetables and instant rice, plus the pot. Even if you brought in pre-cooked chicken, refrigeration is still an issue, not to mention all that chopping and dicing that would require a knife and cutting board.

Freeze dried version: Treat yourself to a tasty blend of sweet teriyaki chicken and rice with vegetables. Simply add water, seal, wait and serve. You’ll get a gourmet-style meal for one with no more effort than making a pot of coffee. As with other freeze dried pouch meals, cleanup is done when you throw the pouch away.

Rotini with Beef

Traditional version: Your shopping list must include ground beef, sour cream, green pepper, mushrooms, shredded cheese, tomato sauce, canned tomatoes, and rotini pasta if you’re going to make this hearty classic in your camp kitchen. Without refrigeration, this meal would be tough and the additional prep time is discouraging for any camp chef.

Freeze dried version: Imagine a steaming hot pouch of rotini in zesty tomato sauce with chunks of beef—it’s enough to make your mouth water just thinking about it. You’ll gain all the benefits of this Italian-style dinner without the prep and cleanup. You can have it at your family campout when you choose the freeze dried version over the traditional style.

Turkey Tetrazzini

Traditional version: This creamy pasta dish generally includes a cream sauce, mushrooms, and diced chicken or turkey. All the troubles of refrigeration and preparation would be present if you wanted to make this for your family while camping.

Freeze dried version: Rather than take up tons of room in your already full coolers, a freeze dried pouch of turkey tetrazzini is compact, portable and lightweight. Just add boiling water, seal, sit and serve and you’ll be rewarded with this delicious noodle casserole dish.

Berry Cobbler

Traditional version: Whatever berries you decided to include in a berry cobbler, such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries or boysenberries, you’d need a way to keep all those fruits fresh and flavorful until you were ready for them. Add in the topping ingredients and you’ve got a sizeable pile to carry just for a simple dessert.

Freeze dried version: Hot, tangy and delicious, a freeze dried berry cobbler will compliment all the s’mores you’ve been eating. Most versions of this hot dessert even include a cracker or cookie crumble topping to make it extra tasty.

Many parents are discovering freeze dried foods that make full meals that can be used on camping trips. These hearty, freeze dried meals are guaranteed to satisfy everyone’s appetites and make cleanup so easy that you’ll have extra time to sit around and enjoy yourself.

Dirk Puckett enjoys writing about his camping and outdoor adventures with his family. He’s also a big fan of integrating freeze dried food from Daily Bread Food Storage into family food storage and emergency preparedness plans.

Brinley Pre-Toddler Summary: 12 Months Old {One Year!}

Here it is folks. One year old. This is a summary for Brinley's 53rd week. She was 52 weeks old. I noticed that for McKenna's summaries, I moved to every two weeks at this age. I think I will do that, also. They seem to not have as many dramatic changes week to week as they get older.

NURSING

Done! Done! Done! I don't really know how to describe how I feel about nursing. I obviously find it important and value it. I have nursed all of my babies for one year. I find it nice and easy--it is always ready.

I also find it slightly confining. I have to be there every time baby wants to eat. And I honestly get a little weirded out when the baby gets old enough to start playing with my nipples. Just not my idea of a good time. So by the time the baby is one, I am very ready to be done.

EATING

Her appetite was still lower this week from her sickness. It was slowing increasing, but not up to normal. She pretty much didn't want any purees except for her morning oatmeal and prunes. I started giving her more of what we were eating at meals.

SLEEPING

Sleep was normal--perhaps even a bit sleepier as she wanted some more sleep as she was recovering from being sick.

BIRTHDAY!

Brinley had her birthday this week! Here is what she got for her birthday from us and grandparents:

Step2 Big Splash Waterpark (Love it)
Sandra Boynton books (we did Happy Hippo/Angry Duck and The Going to Bed Book)
BABYBJORN Soft Bib (I like that the pocket stays out to catch food, but the converse side to this is that the bib is more stiff and harder for her to get her arm across her body. Not a huge deal at this age, but a baby a few months younger could possibly not reach the mouth because of it)
Baby Doll
Fisher-Price Go Baby Go! Poppity Pop Muscial Dino (She LOVES this. It is very similar to the Playskool Busy Ball Popper, but the dino is easier for a 12 month old to use. Brinley loves the busy ball popper, but she can't play with it independently. She can the dino).
Britax Boulevard--I threw that in there since I couldn't think of things she needed! "Needed" I guess this is a real need, but she was getting it anyway :)

I don't do big birthdays at all. I make a cake, we have family over for dinner, presents, and cake.

PRAYING

She started putting her hands together for prayer this week. It is so cute. She also loves family prayer. We kneel down in a circle each night and pray as a a family. When we say "Family prayer!" she zips on over to the spot, gets on her tummy, and puts her hands together for the prayer.

CAMPING

We went camping during this week. The first night was the roughest night we have ever had with a baby camping. I had to go in and hold her/rock her several times until about 10 PM before she finally went to sleep (not in my arms, but after I rocked her). She had fallen asleep initially, then we put McKenna to bed and it woke her up when we did. Brinley is a SUPER light sleeper. McKenna is a SUPER deep sleeper, so we have never had a problem with her waking up when we put another child to bed when she is already asleep.

Brinley did sleep fine after that and slept until 7:30 the next morning. This is earlier than her usual wake up time, but much later than I am used to kids getting up when camping.

The second night, we put McKenna to bed before Brinley since McKenna is the deep sleeper. That worked perfectly.

DOCTOR & VACCINATIONS

Brinley had her well-check visit this week. Everything looked great. She also got her one-year vaccinations. She was not happy with them, but calmed right down with a sucker. Ha! Sticky mess. She didn't have any sort of reaction to the vaccinations at all.

SCHEDULE

8:45--nurse with solids (fruit, cereal, yogurt, finger foods). Independent Playtime happens in this block.

10:30-11:00--nap starts

12:45-1:00--wake up, bottle with solids (veggie, fruit, other foods we are eating)

2:30-3:00--nap starts

5:00--wake up, bottle with solids (veggie, fruit, dinner)

7:30--bottle, then bedtime. In bed by 8:00-8:30.