We've Moved!!!

In case you're wondering why I haven't posted anything in a while... I've moved to a new web address. You can check out my latest posts at www.PicturesqueFamiliarity.wordpress.com

Home Remedies for Eye Infections

Edited with permission, CC.

    A few weeks ago, I noticed Toddler P.'s eyes were a little crusty and pussy. I know that sign, as I have had my share of pink eye and eye infections. But thankfully I know how to treat eye infections naturally. After applying the following remedies, Toddler P's eyes cleared up within 24 hours.

    Please note, that I am in no way a medical professional. I just share my personal experiences and antic-dotes in hope that it helps in some way. As with any sickness or infection, you should consult a doctor.

Breast Milk - Since I'm still nursing Toddler P. twice a day, I still have milk coming in. Breast milk seriously is liquid gold, especially when it comes to treating common ailments.

Colloidal Silver - Colloidal silver and silversol gel are my go to ointments. When this small eye infection hit, I looked up  whether it could be used on a toddler. Evidently it can. I put less than the indicated amount, as I always do less of any kind of medication then listed... I would rather be safe than sorry with my child's health.
Eye Bright Tea - I love this stuff! My family found out about this tea, when I was much younger and going through a severe pink eye infection. You brew the tea, put the tea bags on your eyes, and then drink the tea afterwards. This is my favorite of all the home remedies and works the fastest (in my opinion). I did not use this tea as a remedy for my daughter, but I have used it on myself.

   Have you found any home remedies that work for eye infections?

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Home Remedies for Dry, Cracked Feet.

Used with permission, CC.

    Ever since I had Toddler Picturesque, my skin has been far more dry than it ever has. I used to have ridiculously oily skin, but now it's an odd mixture of dry and oily. Unfortunately, this meant that at wintertime, my feet get very cracked. Sometimes this would be very painful the level of cracks I could get. So I've had to research how to treat dry, cracked feet and I found some awesome solutions!

Pumice stone or Electronic Foot File
    I have always liked a plain pumice stone, but when I couldn't find one at Walmart and found an Electronic Foot File, I thought why not.. I'll try it. 

   The electronic pumice works well, but it's electronic so you can't use it while in the shower... as a result it can be messy getting off all of that dead/dry skin. So I usually use it over the sink or in the shower with it off. 

Salve

    Oh my goodness, Mr. Picturesque had found a great article on making my own salve... but I had decided I'd rather buy it first to see if it would even work. The salve truly did wonders for my dry/cracked skin. Here's the article on how to make it yourself. And here's where I bought it, it is pretty expensive to buy but well worth the cost if you are in pain. 

    Is there anything you've found that helps with dry/cracked skin? Do you have any home remedies? Leave your comment below!

Please note, I in no way am an expert or a doctor. If you feel there is an issue with your skin, please consult an expert. I merely am giving my opinion and what worked for me.

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Kitchen Redo - Part 1

    As you probably saw in my fairly recent posts, we moved a few months back. Because Mr. Picturesque and I find it fairly important to make whatever place we live in "ours," we are constantly doing projects around the house. You can see my previous posts about Moving with Relative Ease with a Toddler and my Kid Bathroom Redo to read more about those projects. Today, I am posting the steps we took to do a relatively cheap kitchen remodel! 

    We have not completed the kitchen yet, we have to do the backsplash and paint the kitchen, so the final kitchen reveal will be posted soon! But you can see the before and after of where we are at in our kitchen remodel. 

    Here is the before picture of our kitchen. 

    We  had priced out doing all new cabinets and counter top, but it was getting too pricey (upwards to $10,000)! We decided we weren't willing to spend that much money. So we chose to repaint our oak wood cabinets, and use the Desert Sand counter top rustoleum product to redo our counter tops! 

    Because we decided to paint the cabinets and redo the counter top ourselves, we only spent about $500 total to redo our kitchen!!! Compared to spending approximately $10,000+ it was a huge save in money!!
    These pictures were taken just after painting the cabinets grey, putting on new hardware, and putting up a wainscoting wallpaper on the bar (and also painting that grey).  

    After finishing painting the cabinets, Mr. Picturesque sanded down the counter tops, cleaned them, then we added the base coat from the rustoleum kit and threw on the paint chips. After drying for 12 hours, we then sanded down the counter tops to create a smooth surface. You can see here pictures what the counters looked like in the middle of the sanding process: 

     After sanding and getting a relatively smooth top, we wiped the counters down. Next, we added the top coat from the kit, which is basically the sealer. We had to turn off all fans and vents to ensure that it dried well and to prevent dog hair from getting onto the counter top while it cured. 

   It has been about 12 hours since we added the top coat. We have to wait 48 hours before we can put light items on the counters and a full week before we can use the counters regularly. But I think it is turning out beautifully.   

     After this cures, I just have to paint the kitchen a seafoam green color, and then put in a backsplash. I also want to replace the lighting soon. 
   As soon as the kitchen is finished I will post final photos!!

   Check back soon to see the finished look!

  

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A Glimpse of the Love of God

    

Edited with permission, CC.

    I was listening to my local Christian radio station, and about this time of the year they play Christmas music 24 hours a day. Which by the way is by dream come true. I adore Christmas. Well the Pentatonix remix of Mary Did You Know came on just a few minute ago... and I was on the verge of tears.

    Ever since I became a mom, I can just the tiniest bit relate to all of the emotions Mary must have felt. I can also now see better Christ's love for me. I know how much I adore and love my daughter. How much she means to me, and that I will love her all of her days. Becoming a mother has helped me to grasp a glimpse at the unconditional love the Father has for me. It amazes me, and takes my breath away. 
    I adore Christmas not because of the presents or the pageantry, but because of the beauty of knowing that God so desperately loved you and me that He sent His own son to die for us. I love Christmas because you can feel love in the air if you try. I love Christmas because Jesus is love and you can feel Him.

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Veteran's Day- From a Military Wife's Heart

Edited with permission, CC. 

    Today is Veterans Day. I am a veteran's wife. I am a military wife. My husband has served in the military going on 15 years now. He is kind. He is honorable. He is one of the most loving men I know. 
   My daughter's father serves this great United States. He helps to protect our freedoms. He helps to protect our rights to express our opinion. He ultimately helps to protect and serve our President (whether or not he agrees with that President's views). 
   I want to encourage you all to think about something this Veteran's Day. When you respond in anger, as I've seen these last few days, you incite more anger. My husband, police men & women, first responders (and many others) lives get to be put in danger because of your sadness, fear, anger, and insecurities. 
   I want to encourage you to think before you speak. Pray before you respond. Treat others the way you wish to be treated. Finally, to attempt to love others unconditionally.
   A great prayer to pray today for our nation and for her people is the prayer Jesus taught His disciples to pray: Matthew 6:9-13
"'Pray, then, in this way:
Our Father who is in heaven,
Hallowed [holy] be Your name.
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors [letting go of both the wrong and the resentment].
And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.]’"

-From the heart of a military wife.

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Moving with Relative Ease with a Toddler

Edited with permission, CC. 

    We moved to a different city a few months back... and I thought I'd share our experiences with a successful, relatively easy move with a toddler in tow. 

First off, Buy quality boxes and tape:
   I love saving money, but you do not want to cheap out on boxes and tape when it comes to your precious belongings. We purchased tape and boxes from Walmart and unfortunately found out that the quality was not there. So we went with Home Depot boxes/tape and it was so much sturdier and not a single one of our items broke. 

Buy packing materials:
   I preferred the packing bubbles from Home Depot to Walmart, but they both seemed to do the job. I just noticed that Home Depot's items were far sturdier. But you can utilize other items to protect your breakable things, such as newspaper as a filler, towels, pillows... The packing bubbles are great to use for things like plates and cups that you don't want to have to wash as soon as you unpack them. Newspaper tends to get those items dirty. 

Edited with permission CC.

Properly label your boxes:
   I made sure that with each box I labeled it thoroughly (it really paid off in the end). For fragile items, those boxes were extra labeled. I made sure to list the items thoroughly as well with sticky notes and tape. Anything that were last minute things to pack, was labeled "last minute" so I knew those things needed to be unpacked first. The "last minute items" were usually essentials like plates, dry goods and so on...

Consider hiring movers:
   Mr. Picturesque and I have always moved ourselves. We have been through two to three moves since we have been married and just always managed to do it, but this was prior to children. One friend suggested we at least price out movers, and when I did, I realized it was worth the extra cost. I did go through Angie's list (which you can gain access with a free account). Angie's list gave me the security in knowing how a moving company was truly rated, and if they could be trusted. We ended up spending $700 for 7 hours and weren't completely exhausted at the end of the day. 
   We did have everything packed up prior to the movers coming, and organized, but the movers did everything. I was even able to get Toddler P. down for her nap that day with a house that was pretty much already set-up! It was totally worth the extra money.

Keep children entertained:
   I packed when Toddler P. was eating and/or watching her cartoons. I also packed when she was napping. I started packing about two months in advance, which helped with my stress level. On moving day, Mr. P. stayed with the movers... while I took Toddler P. and we went to our new place to prepare while she played with some toys I had brought over the day before. 

What have you found helpful with moving?

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