Extraordinary Uses/Ordinary Products

Did You Know....

Vinegar can kill the bacteria that creates a Sore Throat? Just mix 1/4 cup of vinegar with 1/4 cup of honey and take 1 tablespoon six times a day.

Olive Oil can relieve Achy Muscles during a bout with the flu? Mix 1 Tablespoon of horseradish in 1 cup of olive oil. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes, then apply it as a massage oil, for instant relief.

Vinegar can Heal Bruises ... Soak a cotton ball in white vinegar and apply it to the bruise for 1 hour. The vinegar reduces the blueness and speeds up the healing process.

Prevent Motion Sickness

If you're a parent you know nothing can kill the fun of a summertime road trip like a sick kid in the backseat.

Carsickness is pretty common -- especially for kids. Often they experience nausea, paleness, cold sweats and/or vomiting. Health experts say the good news is the condition usually peaks between ages 2 and 12, and then slowly wanes.

Experts with the American Academy of Pediatrics have some suggestions you can try to prevent carsickness:

-Stop frequently. It helps your kids burn energy and helps prevent motion sickness. If your child has already thrown up, it's also important to stop so they can recover.

-Have some light snacks and drinks available. Water, crackers, fruit and other healthy snacks are much better than empty stomachs and greasy fast food.

-Urge your kids to keep their eyes on the horizon. Booster seats and higher-profile SUVs can help give kids a better view out the front windshield.

-Keep the books, DVD players and handheld video games tucked away while traveling. Focusing on something inside the car while it's in motion can intensify the nausea.

-Open a window. Sometimes a breeze can help.

-Consider driving at night so your children can sleep while you're on the road.

- If these don't seem to help you may talk to your child's pediatrician about some medication. You should also make sure to keep the car stocked with cleanup towels and plastic containers.

**Thanks to Mom Squader Dana who also offered this tip: My son, Jacob (who is now 12), has finally outgrown it, but it was torturous for him as a young child. All of the tips you mentioned helped him. In addition, a pediatrician recommended to us Sea Bands because Jacob would be sick every day on the school bus. Sea Bands are a few dollars at the local drug store. They are small terry cloth wrist bands. They have a button that is placed on the inside of the wrist. I guess this is a pressure point. Needless to say, for a few dollars, I was willing to try it and IT WORKED !! Just thought I would share.

Thanks Dana!!

Recipe Of The Week

Broccoli & Cauliflower Casserole

Package of Frozen Broccoli
Package of Frozen Cauliflower
Ritz Crackers
1 Package each - Sharp & Mild Cheddar Cheese Cubes (Shredded Cheese is fine)
1 Stick of Butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Steam the Broccoli and Cauliflower as directed on the package. Drain and pour into a casserole dish. Melt Butter either on top of the stove or in the microwave. Crush one roll of Ritz Crackers and pour into the melted butter and stir. Stir the Ritz Cracker mix into the veggies and mix gently. Place the cheese evenly on top of the veggies. Bake approx. 20 minutes or until cheese melts. It is a tasty side dish, however, if you are a vegetarian it makes a delicious main course. This is soooo delicious! Enjoy.

Inspiration - Keep Holding On

He Is With Us Always, Even During The Darkest Times

"I’ve found that when life’s brush obscures my view
With gloomy strokes that seem to mar the scene,
God’s hand appears and gives to sunless hue
And dreary skies a more majestic sheen." —Gustafson

"When it is dark enough, men see the stars."—Emerson

The Bible tells us, the battle is not ours, it's the Lords. 2 Chronicles 20:15. We are to continue to pray and PRAISE Him as if the problem we are experiencing has already been worked out...and eventually, one way or another, it will be! That's the beauty of faith. Noted Bible Teacher, Beth Moore, mentioned that even in illness, we can be delivered in one of 3 ways but there is ALWAYS deliverance: God can make the illness completely disappear as if it were never there; God can give wisdom to the doctors so healing takes place; or God can choose to call us home where deliverance takes place right into His arms. He never leaves us. Keep believing in Him. Keep praying. Keep holding on.

Any Night Can = Family Fun Night

When children are young, they love to see their parents do funny things. As they become older, some begin to act as though the funny things parents do are embarrassing. Here's a secret...deep inside they still enjoy your humor so don't give up. They may never tell their friends they participated in a Family Fun Night but it is something they will never forget. Here are a few suggestions to get the laughter started!

Guess What's In The Bag: Decorate the outside of the bag beforehand if you like. Then fill the bag with a variety of things: a feather, fruit, rocks, gummy feeling toys, candy, marbles, etc. Gather the family together and have one family member at a time put their hand into the bag, without looking. Let them guess what the item is that they selected by touch alone. Another scenario is to blind fold someone and have them smell a series of things or taste a series of things and have them guess what each item is. The room will fill with laughter by those watching, because the person selected usually makes a lot of funny faces as they touch, smell or taste. You can even do this during a theme night and every 20 minutes or so yell out, "It's Time For Guess What's In The Bag!"

Sockey Poo: Encourage everyone to put on a pair of socks 1/2 way. (It is even more fun if everyone chooses their wackiest looking pair). The object is for everyone to run around trying to step on the loose end of another's sock which will make it come off. Whoever collects the most socks by the end is the winner. Set a designated time limit using a timer or alarm clock.

Prizes for the participants are a real plus. Have fun!

Interesting Weekend Fun For All

School of Rock All-Stars Redux Their first gig sold out, but the Winchester Tavern & Music Hall is bringing them back for another go. The School of Rock Allstars have roots in the school founded by Paul Green and made famous by Jack Black when they made the School of Rock movie. Watch these kids rock it out on Sat 7/28 at 8:30PM. The Winchester, 12112 Madison Ave., Lakewood. http://www.schoolofrock.com. http://www.thewinchester.net.

5th Annual Waterloo Arts Festival Better Than Ever! Arts Collinwood presents a day-long celebration of the arts with activities for all ages Saturday, July 28 11:00am-7:00pm, North Waterloo at E. 156th Street. The annual Waterloo Arts Festival is a vibrant and lively day of live music, art and demonstrations. There will be something to catch every eye, from innovative storefront exhibits to dazzling street performers; great food to sample from local restaurants, the event caters to diverse tastes, and lets residents and visitors explore an eclectic array of buyable and unusual art. Fun FREE crafts and activities for kids and families - Bike Rodeo - Original artwork for sale - Hands-on, interactive art demonstrations - Dance performances - Chalk art festival - Exhibits and installations http://www.artscollinwood.org/

Check out 95.5 The Fish - Events and Community Areas There are several wonderful listings for July 25 - July 29. http://www.955thefish.com/events.asp http://www.955thefish.com/friends.asp

Developing Physical & Spiritual Health

Balance That Works When Life Doesn't
By: Susie Larson

This book is so inspiring. Ms. Larson offers an encouraging invitation for each of us, as women, to respond and adjust to the opportunities and assignments God offers. By examining core beliefs, unique personality traits and God's will for our lives, this book will help in learning how to make choices that create a natural flow and rhythm to life as physical and spiritual health are developed.

Children Make Great Consumers!

My son really enjoys purchasing his own personal items. One day in examining our bathroom cabinet, I saw a huge tube of toothpaste. It was not one I had tried before so I asked him what made his toothpaste more special than mine and he replied, "Mom, when I brush my teeth with Aquafresh Extreme Clean EmpowerMINT, I feel like a waterfall of mint is refreshing my mouth and my teeth have never felt so clean!" Needless to say, I became anxious to try it and I agree. The mint flavor alone is powerful and it lasts a long time. The box indicates the gel has microactive foaming action plus whitening. It's a winner! You can order a FREE sample at www.aquafresh.com, get coupons and obtain tips for a healthy mouth.

New Uses For An Old Product

Gun cleaning brushes make a great cleaning tool! One end has just one row of bristles so you can get in some really tight spaces. They are great for cleaning short or long fingernails. There is nothing better to clean around sink edges and to reach faucet nooks and crannies. Gun cleaning brushes are much stiffer than toothbrushes, so they last forever. They are also much cheaper than normal nail and cleaning brushes.

Recipe Of The Week

Tuna Turnovers

1 large Can of Bumble Bee Albacore Tuna
1 Can of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
1 Can Campbell's Cheddar Cheese Soup
1 small Can of Carnation Evaporated Milk, regular or skim milk
Any variety of the following chopped veggies that you would like (Approx. 2-3 Tablespoons total): celery, mushrooms, onions, green and/or red bell peppers

Please feel free to substitute any of the name brands above with whatever brands you normally use.

Preheat oven, 350 degrees. In a small sauce pan, combine the Cheddar Cheese Soup with enough milk to make a sauce. Stir frequently over low heat. Set aside.

Open the Tuna and drain well, then put in a bowl and flake. In the same bowl, add the combination of chopped veggies you chose and 1/4 -1/2 cup of the Cheddar Cheese Sauce and stir.

Open the Crescent Rolls and separate into 4 squares rather than 8 crescents. Divide the Tuna Mixture up to place some on the bottom half of each square (about 2 tablespoons) and spread out a bit. Then pull the top corner over diagonally to meet the opposite bottom corner to make a triangle (turnover shape). Even if you wanted to just fold the top directly over the bottom to make it a rectangle that works too. Pierce the edges with a fork and stick the fork into the top of each Turnover once or twice to vent. Place Turnovers on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven until golden brown 10 - 12 minutes. Once Turnovers are done, use the remaining Cheddar Cheese sauce over each Turnover at your discretion. Serve with rice and/or steamed broccoli. The Cheddar Cheese sauce is good with either of these side dishes as well.

An Inspirational Quote - Experience Joy Everyday

This quote is by John Ortberg from the book, The Life You’ve Always Wanted.

"We all live with the illusion that joy will come someday when conditions change. We go to school and think we will be happy when we graduate. We are single and are convinced we will be happy when we get married. We get married and decide we will be happy someday when we have children. We have children and decide we will be happy when they grow up and leave the nest — then they do, and we think we were happier when they were still at home.

“This is God’s day,” the psalmist says. It is the day God made, a day that Christ’s death has redeemed. If we are going to know joy, it must be in this day — today."

Family Tips Booklet

Everyone has their own set of family recipes, cleaning tips, beauty tips, garden tips, etc. Here's a great idea...select a family captain and have that person create a Favorite Recipes - Favorite Tips form. Send the form to each interested family member (male or female) and have them contribute in whichever categories they would like. Then compile the info by categories, type it up and present family members with a copy. This is a great project for families to work on together. Not only is the info helpful, but it brings back so many memories! You can make this project even more special by adding family photos. This would make a great gift at Family Reunions, holiday times or you could give a copy to someone raised in a small family or as an only child.

5 Sites for Family Travel/Family Fun

1. Brooke and Len spoke with Michele Zavatsky on May 21. The Zavatsky's have taken the guess work out of family travel fun time. These books would even make great gifts. http://www.kidslovetravel.com/

2. "Ohio Road Trips", by Neil Zurcher is a compilation of over 500 attractions including the predictable, like the Cleveland Museum of Art, and the offbeat, like the Cleveland Accordion Museum in Rocky River. Bed and Breakfast listings too. http://www.grayco.com/cleveland/books/28957/index.shtml

3. Want to stay even closer to home, check out the Community Calendar provided by News Net 5. http://www.newsnet5.com/entertainment/3755371/detail.html Here are just 2 of the many things happening this week:

Sat. 7/21 First Annual Multicultural Praise Fest - Cleveland Zoo - Featuring Praise-Apella, Steve Savol, Jessica Ruiz and more! $18 Zoo Box Office or any Ticketmaster location 216-241-5555.

Thurs-Sun. 7/19-7/22 "Ingenuity ‘07” is Here! - Playhouse Square - This is a celebration of 1000 artists, performers and creative types from Cleveland and around the world - the best entertainment value of the summer ($5 daily).

4. You can also subscribe to an online newsletter to receive info on the latest happenings. http://www.coolcleveland.com

5. Last but definitely not least, 95.5 The Fish puts the icing on the cake as my Mom would say. Click on the Events, Concerts and Community tabs at www.955thefish.com for even MORE family events!

Excellent Book for You and Your Teen To Share

How To Stay Christian In High School, By Steve Gerali is filled with wonderful, thought provoking information to help teens deal with the stresses and pressures of growing up from a biblical prospective. He takes youths from the Bible and retells their stories in a way they might sound and live today, which helps today's teens to visualize themselves in various situations. This book helps teens to really search their hearts to get to know themselves better, so they can stand tall and be confident in Christ, no matter what situation they find themselves in.

Still Loving This Product

I ran into a couple of ladies actually searching for Andy's Seasoning in 2 different grocery stores. In case you missed my November 1 review, this by far, is the best seasoning packet I have EVER tasted and I actually use the Yellow Breading everyday (sauteing Malaysian Basa, Tilapia or Orange Roughy in a little Extra Virgin Olive Oil)! If you want your fish to be seasoned just right...without adding a single thing...you can't beat Andy's. They make a seasoning for chicken too! I have used the Mild and made homemade chicken nuggets for the children. Add a bit of Paul Newman's Light Honey Mustard dressing as a dipping sauce and I guarantee your children won't mind that you did not get these from a fast-food restaurant. You can usually find Andy's near the meat and fish counter or in the seasoning aisle; otherwise ask for it by name. www.andysseasoning.com

Helpful Hints to Repel Mosquitos

Try rubbing one of the following on your legs and arms:

*Since our original post, we have received an update regarding the Bounce Dryer Sheet hint. See below. Thanks Crystal!

1. Avon Skin So Soft mixed with a bit of rubbing alcohol.
2. Vick's Vaporub.
3. Pure clear Vanilla from Mexico. Supposedly repels mosquitos and ticks.

Here are 2 more suggestions:
4. Cut your banana consumption during the summer. Mosquitos are drawn to the oil bananas create in your pores.
5. Take a B1 Vitamin tablet a day.

*On my way to work yesterday morning, someone mentioned tips on how to repell bugs. The first tip you gave was to rub a dryer sheet on you or your baby. I know that this information is not well known, but God tells us to test EVERYTHING! Dryer sheets are TOXIC and should never be used.....for anything! Mainstream dryer sheets companys won't tell you what is in them. They hide that information by saying it is their trade secrets. A few ingredents that we do know are some formulations of benzyl acetate, limonene, and chloroform. Individually, these chemicals have been linked to cancer. Fabric softening product companies only brag about fragrances. I found this information at www.grist.org I would think that you would want to put the truth out there. God Bless!

Recipe Of The Week

Cucumber Salad

(This a huge favorite because basically everyone loves cucumbers and because it's very easy to make.)

3 tablespoons mayonnaise
Add enough milk to make the dressing smooth*
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 cucumber
1/2 small onion sliced into very thin 1 inch strips.
1/2 teaspoon sugar or Splenda
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)

Directions:

Mix the mayonnaise, milk, vinegar, sugar and salt together in a small bowl. Mix until smooth.

Peel and slice the cucumber very thin. Pour the sauce over the cucumber and onions; serve. *If you add too much milk, just add more mayo.

Ice Cream Sandwich Cake

Place Ice Cream Sandwiches in a row (in a pan you can put in the freezer)

Ice with Hot Fudge Sauce and then Cool Whip on the hot fudge

If you choose you can do a second layer of the above ingredients!

Place in freezer until you are ready to eat!!

Ziploc Omelet

ZIPLOC OMELET


I saw this on the website Catholicmom.com and I LOVE this idea! Great for camping or just a quick, no-mess breakfast!

Have guests write their name on a quart-size Ziploc freezer bag with permanent marker. Crack 2 eggs (large or extra-large) into the bag (not more than 2). Shake to combine them. Put out a variety of ingredients such as: cheeses, ham, onion, green pepper, tomato, hash browns, salsa, etc. Each guest adds prepared ingredients of their choice to their bag ands hakes. Make sure to get the air out of the bag and zip it up. Place the bags into rolling, boiling water for exactly 13 minutes. You can usually cook 6-8 omelets in a large pot. For more, make another pot of boiling water.

Open the bags and the omelet will roll out easily. Be prepared for everyone to be amazed. Nice to serve with fresh fruit and coffee cake; everyone gets involved In the process and a great conversation piece. Imagine having these ready the night before, and putting the bag in boiling water while you get ready. And in 14 minutes, you have a nice omelet for a quick breakfast!!!