Hiccups

I have this problem with hiccups. If I get the hiccups, I will have them for a LONG time (we are talking a minimum 30 minutes). Because of this, I try not to get the hiccups.

Unfortunately, Nick is the same way. When I was pregnant with him, he had the hiccups ALL the time. One time when he was a baby, RT was recording Nick and he (Nick) got the hiccups. It got to the point where Nick would do an angry cry between hiccups

Alex is lucky.  He doesn't have a hiccup problem.

Then there is Bella. If Bella laughs too much, she gets the hiccups. At night, after I read to her and am saying good night, I try not to say anything funny (something that can prove to be quite difficult for me) so she doesn't get the hiccups. It's hard to fall asleep when you have the hiccups.

Last night, Bella and RT were telling me about a funny part in the movie, "The Croods."  Yea, they went to see the movie without me and I was the one who mentioned that I wanted to see it. Anyway, Bella starts telling me about the scene with the dog rolling over and she starts laughing. She makes it through the story.  When she finishes up she gets the hiccups.

 Bella was still laughing about the scene.  The more she laughed, the more she hiccuped.

I couldn't stop laughing because Bella was laughing and hiccupping.

Gangsta Pooch

Had a little incident with the pooch. (Pippen, of course). I hooked him up out front on a chain (the dogs are usually in the yard which is fenced in) Pippen saw our neighbor his dog and his son's dog. He got excited and ran. I thought he was going to pull the peg out of the ground so I went to make sure it stayed (in the ground). In the meantime, Pippen ran and broke from the chain. In the process he broke his dog collar.

Until I get him a new collar, he is wearing the metal choke chain. RT wants to get him a grill.

For now his rap name is Lil Pip



Lil Pip

I got carded today!

Hey, if you got carded and you had a blog, that would be your post title. 

It's been awhile since I have been carded.  When buying alcohol, you can expect to be carded (I think it's up to age 30?)  Of course, I'm usually with one or two kids and my gray hairs are really showing.  I think the cashier realizes that I must really need it bad and just sends me on my way.

Today I was in line and the woman in front of me was buying cigarettes.  She defintely looked older than 18 (I think that's the age for cigarettes).  She was asked for an ID card and she asked her "friend" (husband?)  for his ID.  The cashier said she couldn't accept it.  The woman finally produced an ID (she made a big deal about having to look in her purse for it).  I say, if you are buying alcohol or tobacco products, you should have your (own) ID easily accessible so you can produce it if needed.  And, you shouldn't put up a stink about it.  It's the law. 

Of course some of us get a kick out of being carded and are very happy to be asked for our ID and then tell everyone we know about it.

The Shampoo Question: To Poo or not to Poo?

That is the question.

I haven't talked about my shampoo habits on my blog.  I didn't think it was that fascinating until I was having a conversation with someone and put everything about my shampoo habits out there in the open.

My friend, Patti convinced me to change my shampoo habits.  (you can read about some of her shampoo adventures here and you can also search "shampoo" on her blog) 

The shampoo available on the market strips your hair of natural oils.  Your hair then tries to build up oils until you wash your hair again (which then strips them of the oils).  It's a little circle that has no end.  I noticed that my scalp has always been extremely dry.  I tried skipping a day when washing my hair.  Sometimes I was lucky and my hair looked okay on the next day, sometimes it did not.  It was probably a confusing process for my hair because it never knew when the oil was going to be taken from it and just was on this continuous oil production.

Patti started with baking soda and water (with a splash of white vinegar) at first, then moved on to castille soap with a white vinegar rinse.

The baking soda in a cup of warm water is a popular no-poo solution for your hair.  This method of caring for your hair will take one to two weeks for your hair to adjust.  Also, this is not a daily washing method.  Your hair does not need to be washed daily.  If needed, you can just rinse through your hair.  If you can't survive the oily adjustment phase, this might be the way to go.  You can always start with this method so your hair adjusts then switch to another method.

I searched for other ideas for home made shampoo.  I tried the (Dr. Bronner's) castille soap and vinegar rinse.  I was loving that my scalp did not itch anymore.  My only problem was the strong vinegar smell on my head.  (the smell came through when my hair was wet)  I did not scrub my head very much when shampooing it and noticed that I was clogging my pores on my scalp.  (Gross, I know, but I learned a lesson)  I got my hair cut and liked how my hair looked (she used regular brand shampoo) and I started back using regular shampoo for about a month.  Then, I noticed my hair was getting REAL dry and I was having issues with oil production on my scalp.  (something that dermatologists would call acne, but, it's not acne.  Acne has a certain look to it.  This did not look like acne.  I call it an over production of oil - trying to compensate for the oil being lost on my scalp) (I know I'm not a doctor, but, I know my body and I know when something is wrong.  Unlike a doctor, I want to find a reason for the problem, not slap a temporary solution onto it).

Anyway, back to the poo discussion.  I searched for other ideas for home made shampoo. I came up with this from Ashley's Homemade Adventures.  It seemed a little complicating (for me, at least) so, I decided to go back to my old shampoo habit but modify it a bit.  I now use half castille soap and half water (in a spray bottle).  I spray a little into my hair and scrub (making sure to scrub my scalp).  Rinse.  I then use a conditioner (paraben and sulfate free) on my hair.  I'm not sure if I need the conditioner, but I feel it might cut down some of the oil that I'm putting into the hair.  I do not wash my hair every day.  I could, but, I don't.  I make sure to brush it at night and in the morning (something that my mom used to tell me to do when I was growing up, "brush your hair to distribute the oils")  

When you first start this (half castille soap half water) your hair will be oily.  Don't start this if you have a major event in the next couple of weeks.  This method might take 4-8 weeks, depending on how often you wash your hair.  It is best to go 3-4 days without washing it the first time.  You will notice that your hair will start looking oily after 24 hours.  That's normal.  Your hair is used to your old shampoo ways and is worried about getting the oil stripped away.  Continue by going anywhere from 2-4 days without washing.  I felt like this sped up the adjustment time on my hair a little (or maybe it just felt like it?).  I do not have to add anything to my hair (hair gel, mousse, etc)  and it looks great.  (well, I think it does)  I just blow dry my hair and I am ready to go.

I tried to capture some pictures of my hair on day one (the day I "shampoo" it) and day two (the day after I "shampoo" it).  Hard to take pictures of yourself.  Day one is using my phone.  I didn't realize how dark my hair is (I say it's brown, but, it's looking real dark.  my kids say my hair is black)

 

 

phone pictures

trying to show you that my hair doesn't look greasy after washing it with castille soap. 

I have been doing this for 3 months (this time around)

(I'll let you know if I figure out how to get rid of gray hairs :)

Wow.  Trying to take my own picture and like it is quite difficult.
Okay.  Day two.

And my, "What's going on over there?" look

 

I took more pictures for day two, but, I think I have scared you enough. 

Let me know your thoughts on shampoo.  I'm interested to see if anyone else has tried the no-poo method and how it has worked for them.

Spring Break - no posts

Sorry for the break in posts.  I haven't died or been tied up by my kids.....yet.  The kids haven't killed each other.....yet.
Just enjoying spring break a little over here.
It's supposed to get close to 50F here today.  (that's warm for us Chicago people)  The sun is shining.  I'm planning on airing out the house and going for long walks with the dogs.
I'll be back with more posts real soon.
Stay with me.

Spring Break: Day 3

One child is working today.
One child is exhausted after sleeping over at a friends (he is up in his room, sleeping).  Apparently, there is no sleeping at a sleepover.
One child is at a friend's house for a play date.

Can you hear the quiet in the house?

Ahhh...peaceful.

*Update: Alex is sleeping over at a different friends house tonight (it's spring break, he can sleep when it's time to go back to school). Bella was up a few hours with stomach issues. Hoping its not the flu. (Could be the food she had on the play date)

Put some gas in the car!

It (FINALLY) happened. Nick put some gas in the car. He wasn't too happy about it. As he handed me the receipt he said to fill my car up.

I know it's only four gallons. It's something! It's a start, right?