TIPS FOR FLYING WITH TODDLERS AND WITHOUT YOUR DEAR HUSBAND

Have you been on a plane trip with your young kids by yourself? Or you are looking for tips because that is just coming to you? I wish I could say, just ask the flight attendant to bring a bottle of wine and pretend they are not yours! But here is a list of little things I do with my kiddos (almost 3 and 4,5). (This text received a little update a couple days after the first posting because after a round trip from Houston to Florida I realized I had skipped a couple important notes.

• Have the kids pack their own backpacks with snacks and small toys right before traveling or the night before if catching an early flight. (You may have to help by limiting the quantities. Let's say 6 toys, 2 salty and two sweet snacks - NO liquids!)
• Pack without them seeing your own backpack with a new toy for each. Gift wrap it! It will increase the surprise factor and give you one extra minute on that activity. Add to your bag anything you know they love and can spend sometime with but they did not pick for their bags. Pack at least one change of close for each child and one shirt for you.
• Try to fit all in one bag, doesn't matter how big. If you can't find a cart when you park it will be much easier to pull a bag of 60 pounds (plus the stroller and watch for any lose child) then two of 30 pounds each! 
• At Target you can find a miniature toilet disinfectant spray with the travel size cosmetics. It is a MUST have in any mom's purse. Always, whenever and wherever!
• Bring a sippy cup for the plane. That way you can avoid spills, I always wish I had one for me when I get a drink on that little tray and the kid on my left starts picking on the one on my right! Urhrhr! And you can fill it up with bottled water in the plane, so the kids have some water to get hydrated while waiting for your luggage to show up at baggage claim.
• Bring a stroller. Airports can be huge and it is not fair to a small legged creature to be rushed because you missed the alarm clock! You can use the stroller to hang your handbag, carry extra jackets, etc.
• If you have a child that is potty trained or is just finished training, put a pull up! I mean at home before you leave (and bring more). No, they will not regress if they pee in the diaper. But if they pee on their pants you will regret it!
• I do not want to take sides on the tricks of giving medication to calm your child. But if you feel it will be better for the whole airplane that your child has something to help him calm down, try Highlands homeopathic Nerve Tonic. You can take it too or you may feel you are the only one who should take it. 
• When you park at the airport take time to right down somewhere you will not lose and will be able to retrieve easily upon returning the color, number, name and description of your parking place. I found out on my way back that the airport had several parking buildings, but which "color" was mine? Hum... !?#$?
• Crocs are the best shoes for plane trips, easy to take off or put on at security check, conftarble enough if for swollen feet. Also easy to wash and dry when apple juice decides to fly! If you don't have them, do Velcro.
• At the airport, be a redneck! Point to things saying: "LOOK! A big red airplane is departing!" Make them feel this is a special and cool place! Take pictures, this will make them feel the trip has already started!
• Make them run, jump and dance at the gate. Make them tired, so they will be more willing to settle during the flight or maybe even nap!
• If it is a longer flight or a large plane, be the last one to board, so neither of you will have to deal with 30 extra minutes inside the plane!
• To relieve ear pressure during take off and landing bring gummy candy (or even gummy Vitamins, like we do) or gum if you have an older child. Sucking on a lolly pop also helps. Make sure you give them right before the plane takes off or starts its descend. If they get "clogged ears" make them yawn by yawning yourself! Yawning is contagious!
• Don't stress about naps! If they nap, great, if they don't, great! Better yet, if taking a short flight, do not book the flight at nap time, unless you have one of those drunk kids that can fall asleep anywhere. I have one! If you start to get frustrated because you want them to nap and they don't want to, they will pick up on your mood and get irritated too. You all may have to rest when you get there or go to bed earlier the first night of the trip. Kids get really excited about flying, specially if they don't do it often. It is a special activity, relax and let them enjoy it!
• Same with food. Let them eat whatever! This is not the time to make your child eat broccoli! Chocolate will make them happier, and you too!
• Bring a fun magazine for you, or garb the airline one. Sudoku or crosswords are also great, but you will need crayons because kids have a syndrome that they can't see adults with a pencil without wanting one!
• If they start asking how long it's gonna take to get to your destiny or how much left... say a month, or a year! Yes! Lie! This is the only way they will ever say: "Wow, it was quick!" If, they ask why you lied you say you were just tricking them! He!
• If they fart, don't say anything! My son did and I stupidly said "Nick, I smell something... what do you say when that happens?" And he, embarrassed of assuming, answered while the guy across from the corridor stared at us - "I didn't do anything mom, I think YOU tooted!"
• If they start fussing to much and being annoying, do whatever you can to keep cool because kids are so sensitive to our emotions. Find the cutest passenger of opposite sex! It may help you smile when you start wishing the windows opened and kids had wings!
• If you like the desperate plane mom, tell the flight attendant you have a connection in 30 minutes and have to change gates, and see if can let you out first!

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MY FAVORITE DISHES WITH LEFTOVER ROTISSERIE CHICKEN? #1

You buy that delicious rotisserie chicken everyone loves, only the day you buy it! What do you do? I will give you many easy and fast options, but one at a time.  Since the chicken is already flavorful and cooked you will have dinner ready in no time!
Today the recipe is STROGONOFF. This is a traditional Brazilian dish of Russian origin.  Don't ask me how a Russian dish ended up on Brazilian tables! In Russia and here in the US the creamy color and consistence are achieved with sour cream. In Brazil we use Media Cream.  In my house this is the #1 favorite dish and I cook it every week!

INGREDIENTS: (amounts will vary depending on how much chicken you have)
Some Tomato Sauce (seasoned)
2-3 tbsp Ketchup
Sliced Mushroom (from jar)
a sprinkle or two Paprika
1 can Media Cream

First remove all leftover meet from bone. Discard any fat and skin. In a large skillet add chicken and enough tomato sauce just to coat the chicken. Cook over medium heat, mixing, until the sauce starts to dry. Add about 2 or 3 tbsp of ketchup, mushroom and sprinkle a little paprika. Turn off heat and stir in the Media Cream. Serve over rice with potato sticks on the side.

Vegetable suggestion to pair the dish? Arugula Salad or Garlic Asparagus. Enjoy!

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TINY and CUTE WILD FLOWERS OF TEXAS

 

Flowers are my passion. For their shapes, their colors, their smells, their beauty. While the website with my photography and oil paintings is on the works, enjoy some pictures here. These may be tiny wild flowers, but they are great in charm. 

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DO NOT SHAVE! LEARN TO WAX YOURSELF

According to the groundhog we have only 3 more weeks of winter! And the new trend will be mini skirts! Are your legs ready for summer?

There are many reasons you should switch from shaving. Waxing leaves your skin smoother because it removes the hair from the root, so it also lasts A LOT longer. You can do it at any time, while your baby is napping or after the kids went to bed. Doing it yourself it costs virtually nothing. As with anything else it will get easier as you practice. With my sugar wax recipe, cleaning could not be easier, and the sugar healing properties will leave your skin even smoother!

For the removal of the wax, you can choose to reuse and recycle by using an old cotton T-shirt cut strips, or you can cut unbleached muslin. Or you can buy pre cut paper fabric strips or rolls at your local beauty supply store (I do!). For most of your waxing you will need 3" x 8" strips. I like to cut a few of those into small 1 to 1,5'x3" small strips I use for my Brazilian wax or lips. For beginners I would recommend you start doing only your legs, as you get better and faster at it, you can do your underarms and lastly your bikini area. Please note, my Brazilian Wax recipe is not recommended for eyebrows, you can use for your lips, but make sure you hold your skin taut. 

If using my sugar wax recipe you can heat up the wax in the microwave or on a double boiler. Time will vary according to amount of wax and microwave potency. After wax melts let it sit for 3 minutes and test the temperature on your wrist first. You may have to heat up the wax again if you are waxing a large area. If you are using a store bought wax, follow the manufacture's directions.

The waxing technique is simple: 

You  need: wax, strips and after waxing cream.

1. After cleansing skin, dry and apply powder on the area you are going to wax. If you sweat, dry and reapply powder. This will minimize skin irritation and helps  with wax application.
2. Using a disposable Popsicle or craft stick apply a thin layer of wax on the direction of hair growth (from root to ends).
3. Cover with cotton or paper strip, leaving about an inch where you can grab it and apply a little pressure.
4. Hold the skin taut with you weakest hand, right bellow where you grab the strip and grad the strip with the other (the right for right-handed).
5. Wait a few seconds and pull as fast as you can against  hair growth and maintaining your hand as close to your skin as possible. (Not pulling up, but parallel to the skin). Tip for a painless pull? The trick is to pull as you exhale, because when you breath out your pores open! So breath in, and exhale/ pull!
6. Applying pressure immediately on the spot where you just removed the hair will also ease any discomfort. This tricks our brain into sending a message of pain!
7. The strips can be used a few times. Throw them away if using paper strips. If using fabric you can soak them in warm water for 30 minutes, drain and wash.
8. When using sugar wax, to remove any excess wax from your skin and work area all you need is water! If you are using store bought follow direction. Most are hard to remove and are fat soluble, thus you will need oil to remove wax and you cannot reuse strips.
9. Always apply a soothing after wax cream, bought at your local beauty store. They have antiseptic and soothing properties. Alternatively you can use drops of Tea Tree Oil on an Almond Oil base.

For extra beautiful legs and to avoid ingrown hair exfoliate at least twice a week with sugar scrub between treatments (after waxing wait 24 hrs to exfoliate).

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MAKE YOUR OWN SUGAR WAX - BRAZILIAN SUGARING

The trick in making Brazilian Wax is getting the texture of the wax just right. But don't worry I will help you achieve a perfect wax! The advantages are many: affordable and easy to make,  easy to apply and remove, doesn't need any chemical to remove residues (just water!) and since it is 100% natural it is gentle even on the most sensitive skin!

INGREDIENTS:   

3 cups sugar
1 cup honey (organic is better) 
2 limes (or lemon) 
1 tbsp water (or more) 
microwave safe glass jar (to store)

You may choose to make a "half recipe" the first  couple times, until you master the wax consistence.

Combine sugar, honey and juice from 1 lime in a heavy saucepan. Mix well with a wooden spoon, then heat in medium flame. Keep stirring the mixture until all the sugar has melted and you have a thick brown liquid.  Squeeze the other lime and add the water to thin out the wax, stirring again. Remove from heat. If your lime wasn't juicy you may need more water. 

To test the consistence, take a tiny bit out on a spoon and run cold water over it. When it cools enough to touch, it should be stretchy. You can test it on the inside of your wrist. Do this about every one or two minutes while the wax is simmering until it stretches out on your arm and pulls off easily. If it is brittle it was overcooked, if it sticks and won’t come off it’s not done yet. 

Let it cool for five minutes before pouring in the glass jar. Make sure you do not place the jar directly on a cold surface like granite, as the temperature shock will break the glass.

Here you can learn the waxing technique.

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THE GREEN CARD EVERYONE NEEDS!

 

Not exactly "that" green card, but hey, this one you can use all the time! For a thank you note, birthday wish, sympathy, thinking of you card, get well soon message or a love note!  Couldn't be greener! Made by Idea Studio Design. If you speak Portuguese check the designers blog, it is full of inspirational design and craft tips!

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HOW TO CLEAN YUCKY SIPPY CUP STRAWS

Do your kids like to drink anything other then water on straw sippy cups?

You  may use them to train your baby to drink from a straw or maybe you like them for car trips. They are indeed practical!

The problem is if you do not wash the straw right after each use,  a black residue builds up inside it, right? Well, that is bacteria and fungi that feeds on the sugar and fat residue from juice or milk. Yuck! I know! If you baby does the sign for dirty when he grabs his sippy, then you know you have to do something about it!

The solution? Dr. Brown's, the maker of Natural Flow baby bottles,  makes a cleaning brush for the straw of its Natural Flow® bottles! You can find it at Babies R Us and Amazon.com. A cartoon with 4 costs U$4.49. It fits perfectly any sippy cup straw.

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BEST HI-END HOME THEATER SPECIALISTS

Last week I had friends visiting from Brazil with a mission: to buy a sub woofer for my friend's new apartment. So we went on what became an afternoon trip to a few electronics stores. My friend knew exactly what he wanted, so I thought it was going to be fast. At  8pm when our journey ended , I knew everything one could  know about sub woofers.

First, we stopped at one of a large store where a kind gentleman helped us and answered a few questions we had. The store did not carry the brand we were looking for, but he made a strong recommendation for another brand.

My friend wanted to visit Sound World, a hi end home theater boutique, which my husband had found on the internet. Mr. Viet Tran, what a gentleman! He was right, his store is hi end! Completely out of our budget, but certainly exactly our dream! He did not bother when we told him what he was showing us was way above our interest. He spend at least an hour sharing all his expertise. He is extremely knowledgeable and professional. There, we heard the purest sounds we had ever heard before.  Then, he recommended us going to Sara International and talk to his friend Mr. Aaron McAllister  who carried the brand we had decided to get. He called the store to see if he was there and if they had the item and even printed a directions map! 

Mr. McAllister was as knowledgeable and kind as Mr. Tran and also spent over one hour explaining facts and demonstrating technical details we would never get at the big stores. His price was competitive, but his costumer service wasn't. Well, I mean we would never get better customer service, unless we are talking about Sound World!

So if you leave in the Houston area and need a custom home theater  you know where to go, if you leave away, you will have to give them a call. I am positive they will help wherever you are!

Mr. Viet Tran - Sound World

Mr. Aaron McAllister - Sara International

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HOW TO TEACH SIGN LANGUAGE TO YOUR CHILD. YOUR BABY HAS SO MUCH TO SAY!

It is 2am and your baby is screaming! Something is wrong! Been there?  You rush to the nursery and can't figure it out! Diaper is dry, belly is full, temperature is normal... it is 3am , 4am... Now, imagine this: 2am, your baby cries and waits for you to come,  you enter the room and ask "what is wrong?". Your baby runs his index finger  and thumb through his cheeks, the sign for "cat". You hand him the cat toy from the shelf, he hugs the cat and falls back to sleep!

Every parent is delighted when their baby starts waving bye-bye! Babies can learn to nod no and yes at a pretty early age, right? Way before they learn to talk, right? Well, these are signs your baby learn to use because you teach him by making the sign when you say the word., bye in this case. So when you say bye-bye, he waves good bye! This is called sign language! Your baby has associated that word with that gesture. Even though he cannot say "bye" yet, you KNOW what he means when he uses the gesture. Signing does not require as many skills as talking, therefore they can accomplish to communicate before talking.To talk we use sound, air flow, respiration, tongue positioning, lips movement... It's complex!

Where is it? 

When your baby is able to tell you what he needs or thinks, you both win! So why not to teach signs to your child? Please, don't say you can't teach the signs because you don't know them! Is it said: "if you really want to learn something, try to teach it!" There we go! Since I couldn't find a reason not to, I did it. And I can tell you it was actually fun and easy! All you need is consistency. There are many available materials to help you nowadays. Books for you, books for the child, DVDs, websites and even online video dictionaries. The signs are almost obvious, they make sense, so it is not that difficult to grasp it.  The videos  are fun and  will help you learn together. My kids, now almost 3 and 4 1/2 , still love them! At the end of this article, you will find a few links to guide you.  These are just a few as there are an extensive list of resource literature and websites to help you. I welcome your questions! Although this became a lengthy post, I did cut a lot of information and tips that would pertain only the very interested.  First you have to decide if you want to teach pure American Sign Language (ASL), if you want to teach Baby Sign Language or if you want to mix in just a few baby signs to help the really young babies to sign while they develop the necessary motor skill to do the ASL sign for a certain word. I did mix in only a couple.

Eat

After you read one or two books and decide you want to help your child communicate, you will have to choose 5 to to 10 signs, to begin with that you think are important to you and your child. (i.e.: milk, eat, more, diaper change, all done, sleep, cold, hot, big,  book, cat, dog, bird - if baby loves them). Yes, you will have to use the sign every time you say the word. It may feel weird at first, but you will get used to it pretty quickly. Trust me, it is worth it! When your baby starts asking for milk, water or a diaper change before he even turns one, you will be hooked! Then they will sign bike, airplane, play, ball, please, sorry, thank you!, hungry... Can you imagine? Your baby telling you what he needs INSTEAD OF CRYING! I imagine it must be very frustrating trying to help a fussy toddler, without having a clue what they really want to say or have! Since both of my kids never went through that stage of pointing to objects and crying, I don't know exactly how it feels!
A lot of times I was asked  if signing would not discourage talking. People think that because babies that sign get what they need they will not have stimulus to talk, but it is the opposite. And reading a couple books you will see that there is a lot of studies and data to prove that. Research shows that kids who use sign language speak earlier than the ones who do not and also have a higher IQ. But that is just a plus!

All Done! 

First I need to tell you, my kids are just average kids. They are not geniuses, they are not special, just regular happy kids! I started teaching my son (pictures, at 14 months) when he was about six months. First I introduced only 5 signs: milk, more, eat, diaper change and cat (he was obsessed with our  two cats!). Almost two months later he started using the sign for milk and I was delighted! Then  I introduced a few more signs and soon he was using  them all. Do not get discouraged if it takes a long time for the first sign to emerge. Once kids realize they can communicate THEY  will get excited and will LOVE it! Both of my kids also used sounds for words they didn't know the sign and could not pronounce them yet!  (Like doing "Shhhh" for silence, but  for example, my daughter used imitate the sound our curtains made  when I opened them and  used that sound to say "curtain" ). They made up signs too and this is actually very common.

More

Keep in mind that in order to make the sign the child needs some coordination, so if you start, let's say, at 1 month it may take longer for him to start, but it will most probably be before than if you start when he is 8 months for example.  Also the sign doesn't need to be perfect, at first. Don't worry, they will correct the movement without your intervention as their motor skills develop. With my  second, a girl, I was already an advocate of signing, so I started right after she was born and she started  signing  milk at 4 months! At her 1 year well check her Doctor asked if she was babbling, I didn't know he was going to ask that. I told him I estimated she could say about 20 words and sign about 50. He was really surprised but skeptical and I think he thought I was exaggerating. I wasn't! Long story short, one week before her 18 month well check I asked my mother in law to help me make a list of all the signs,  spoken words and sounds she was using.  As soon as I get my scanner  to work, I will  link a copy of the list. So in total she could say/sign/sound 129 words and she was using 2 and 3 words sentences. (i.e. want hot milk, big bird flying). When the doctor asked if she could say 20 words...  well, my mom and I started laughing, we just told him she was saying a LOT more then that and put the list back in the diaper bag! I knew she was above average and  talkative like mom, but not hat much!

On the way back home in the car she said "FLAG!" pointing to a building on the Hwy, we said simultaneously, I don't think  we put flag on the list!! The following days we found  some other words we'd forgotten...

Still at almost three and at four and a half, sometimes it goes like this:

"Mom, can I have chocolate?" - "NO!"

"Mom, please!" - "I SAID NO!"

"Pleeeeaaaase Mom!" - "You really think that signing please will help you?"

best books
Favorite DVDs
Great Resource
Sign-Sing-Along
 http://americansignlanguage.org/ 

Video of 15 month old baby

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HOMEMADE SUGAR SCRUB FOR DRY HANDS!

Am I the only one with iguana skin this winter? If housework, weather, hard water or all of the above have made your hands rough and dry here is the best remedy! So easy and affordable!

I cannot give you quantities because I have been doing this scrub for many years and I go by texture, not amounts. Pour some olive oil in a clean and dry glass jar, add about a quarter that amount of honey and a quarter of lime or lemon juice. Thicken the mixture with brown or white sugar. You can add a few drops of you favorite essential oil but that's not necessary. Scrub your hands very gently letting the sugar grains and citric acid do the exfoliation, pressing too much will do more harm then good. Scrub until sugar dissolves. Rinse with cold water. Remember the hot water is one of the causes of dry skin! Close the container and leave by your kitchen sink.

There are many ways you can use sugar besides to sweeten! But do not substitute  salt  for sugar though. Salt is drying to the skin, sugar is  very healing. Use the best ingredients. Organic is always better and olive oil should be cold pressed extra virgin! I love to use this scrub for my feet and knees too!

In a hurry? OK! squeeze half a lemon or lime straight onto the palms of your hands, pour a couple tbsp of sugar and a tbsp of olive oil. Scrub, scrub, rinse! Soft hands at last!
Make sure you rinse very well before sun exposure. Lime/lemon and sun do not go well together!

You tried and loved it? Try to make a big jar and keep it in your shower for a whole body scrub! Great to avoid ingrown hair after shaving or waxing.

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