Mason Jar Lanterns

With summer coming (it has to come sometime, right?) I start thinking about barbecues and backyard gatherings. And then I start thinking about all the fun things I can do to decorate and set the stage for those barbecues. And I like to do it with the least amount of money possible.

I love to look through catalogs and get inspiration ideas for decorating. A couple of weeks ago I was looking through a Pottery Barn catalog and found these really cool mason jar hanging lanterns for $7.00 each that I fell in love with. 

And then it hit me. I could make my own for a fraction of the price. Because I'm really cheap like that. :) So I went to Walmart and got a case of 12 one pint mason jars for $7.70 and then headed to Home Depot to get some 18 gauge aluminum wire for $3.48/50 feet. I spent that evening crafting away.

Here's how I made the lanterns. For each jar, I cut 2 pieces of wire, one 28 inches and one 24 inches. I twisted the wire and used a pair of needle nosed pliers to twist a two loops opposite each other and tuck the excess wire ends under to hide them. I then twisted the 24 inch piece of wire and made handle with hooks on each end to loop through the jar loops.

And here is my finished product....

My twist in the wire is definitely not as perfect as the inspiration jar, but since I'm not a perfectionist I'm really happy with the way they turned out. The best part is that it only cost me $11.18 for the supplies to make 12 jars, so I decided to get a box of these small mason jars to use as tealight holders. Just because.

If you would like more ideas on what you can to with jars, check out this Family Fun link. 

Keeping Germs At Bay

With flu season in full swing, I have found myself feeling a bit like the ‘germ police’. It seems like every other sentence out of my mouth the past couple of weeks has had something to do with washing hands or sanitizing. At moments I even catch myself about to frisk the kids to check for germs. Just kidding. I’m not quite that bad.

But, seriously, in spite of my best efforts of keeping sickness at bay, I am staying home from church today with my son, who has been ill all weekend with the flu. So, I figured I might as well make good use of my time and put up a blog post while I'm watching football.

While I don’t have any control over what my son's exposed to or how well he remembers to wash his hands when he goes to his Adult Transition Program during the day, I can still work to keep my home as germ free as possible.

In addition to the frequent hand washing and other recommended ways to prevent the spread of illnesses, here are a few tips I’ve learned over the years:

CLEANING TOYS IN THE DISHWASHER

My dishwasher is my friend!! Did you know that you can use the dishwasher to sanitize many household things, besides dishes? When I am in sanitizing mode, I go through the house and start gathering toys and other random items for the dishwasher. Here is a list of just a few of the items I’ve used the dishwasher for:

• kids plastic toys, including bath toys
• pet toys
• toothbrush holders and soap dishes
• toothbrushes
• scrub brushes, kitchen sponges, vegetable brushes, baby bottle brushes
• cup holders from car
• makeup brushes
• brushes & combs

It’s a good idea to use the top shelf for toys, brushes, or anything else that you aren’t sure of it’s durability. If you have toys with small parts you can get a dishwasher basket that will fit in the top rack.

I’ve even heard some people use the dishwasher to sanitize their trash cans and lids, though, personally I’ve never tried that.

CLEANING TOYS IN THE SINK

If you don’t have a dishwasher, or you prefer bleach as a method of sanitizing, you can use the following method.

• wash in warm, soapy water
• rinse in clean water
• fill sink with one part bleach to 10 parts water and submerge items for 10 to 20 minutes.
• rinse thoroughly
• air dry

CLEANING/SANITIZING WITH BLEACH SPRAY

For an inexpensive and effective way to kill bacteria and viruses around the house mix 1 ounce of bleach with 20 ounces of water. This can be safely used around the house on all non-porous surfaces like counters, door handles, sinks, baby changing stations, plastic toys of any type, etc. etc.

I’ve read that you don’t have to worry about toxic residue because bleach breaks down very easily into its component parts within 24 hours. Just spritz the diluted bleach mixture on all the surfaces at night before bedtime and you will have a lot less on your mind the next day about keeping your family healthy.

If ‘Lysol’ is you cleaning agent of choice, be aware that it kills bacteria, NOT viruses. That means flu and cold viruses will still be present after using Lysol.

Diluted bleach, on the other hand, does kill the flu and cold viruses as well as bacteria.

CLEANING PLUSH TOYS

Occasionally I run plush toys through the gentle cycle in the washing machine and dryer to make sure they are clean.

If you have any additional tips that you use in your home, please feel free to share by leaving a comment.

Well I guess since I’m stuck at home I will just have to curl up and enjoy a football game or two. That is, after I gather a few random things and run them through the dishwasher. ;)

Happy Sunday!!

Christian Children's Book Reviews

Hi Mom2Moms!

Hope you are all enjoying the summer. I have been "go-go-go"; so much so, I haven't been posting on this blog very much.

I did however come across a site I couldn't resist sharing with you. I'll spare you all of the descriptions and just tell you to check them out!

Christian Children's Book Reviews

My favorite part is that they are a group of moms with a passion and they acted on it!

What are you passionate about? Can you act on it?

Daylight Savings Time

This Sunday, March 8th, @ 2:00 a.m. marks the start of Daylight Savings Time.

We moms know that this minimal loss of sleep can wreak havoc on children's natural sleep systems. 

In order to help the adjustment go as smoothly as possible, here are some tips parents can follow to ensure their children gain a good night's sleep despite the time change:

1. Make sure that your child is well rested prior to the change.
2. Maintain your child's regular bedtime and nap times. Resist the temptation to compensate for the lost hour by delaying bedtime or allowing your child to sleep in. This will increase the time it takes to transition. There may be some crankiness from being tired, but this should last only a day or two.
3. Make gradual adjustments. Some parents find it is best to try to start making adjustments on Saturday night rather than wait until Sunday, a school night. You can also make a slow transition by starting on Thursday night before the time change, moving your child's bedtime earlier by 15 minutes each night. By Sunday night you will be right back on schedule.
4. Make sure they get plenty of exercise during the day.
5. Avoid caffeine, as this can disrupt sleep.
6. No Internet or video games before bedtime as they are stimulating and can make falling asleep harder.
   
7. Do not use OTC meds such as Benadryl to knock them out, as you will interfere with their natural ability to change over time.
8. Begin the winding down process about an hour before bedtime. This gives plenty of time for hygiene, bedtime stories, prayers and so on without feeling rushed or stressed. A nice warm bath is a good way to help them relax.  
   

Remember, your child will adjust to the time change within a few days to a week.