Finding our way to Potty Training Success

Tis the time to start Potty Training in the Yarnell Household. With Carson Being 27 months old, he is starting to show interest in the Potty.

Potty Training should be fun and Successful for a child and that is what I am trying to do for My little guy.

This is my Big Boy, giving the stand up method a try!

Sit down Method

To help his excitement for this new step in his life I went out and bought these two things for him.

Carson loves Elmo!! The DVD really caught Carson's attention and as for the book, we bring that into the Bathroom with him while he is on the potty!

Another thing I came up with, was our own chart!

Here is what I came up with. On the left side, all his "pees" will be counted and the right, his "poos." Each parent can have their rewards. I chose to give Carson a Candy after 10 pees (a BIG candy) and for Poo's after 10 a toy (a simple Dollar Store would be good!) Each time he goes pee/poo I do reward him little treats. For our Potty Training chart I laminated it for multiple uses when used with a dry erase marker.

Since it's summer, to let Carson be aware of it being "time to pee" I will occasionally let him run around outside without a diaper. Letting him know, when it's time to go pee run up to a bush and pee on it... He loves this idea and gets a big kick out of it.

Some other ideas I heard and are trying some as well are to help with Potty Training Success are.

-Buy some inexpensive toys, wrap them up and allow them to choose one after their accomplishment of successfully using the potty.

-Another is, remain positive. If your little one has an accident, don't discipline him/her for it.

-Put Cheerios in the toilet as an aiming device.

-Make up exciting songs about Potty Training.

-Use a sticker chart.

-Start a tradition, after every successful run follow up with an activity. Do this every time your little one uses the potty (like color, or paint, play a special game)

-Pick out fun "Big Boy" under wear with prints that appeal to your toddlers likings.

-Die the Toilet water Blue or Red that way when the pee hits it, it turns the waters color.

-Put the diapers and diapering utensils further than normal and every time you change your little ones diaper, have him/her go grab all the supplies.

Please share your success stories and add some tips if you have them!

Pesky Crayon Stains on the Wall

Carson was at it again man and this time, it wasn't the couch... it was all over the walls!! 
Carson's furniture art...and how I got it off

This time he managed to color all over the walls by his play table. 

We are Banana Lovers!

So my family and I are in love Bananas! We buy bulk sizes. 

Costco sells bulk size for a very good deal... Yesterday we were able to buy 9lbs for only 3 dollars! and they are already bundled into 3 lb bags.

Any ways to my point, did you know keeping the bananas connected still once you bring them home, actually make them go bad faster?!?

Try it! When you get home separate your bananas and see how much longer they last! Wondering a cute way to organize your newly found way to keep your "Minas" (My son Carson calls them that lol) fresh longer?? Simple stack them up on a paper towel holder. 

This will provide them a save, eye appealing storage, like the banana hanger.

Want to know another way to keep bananas fresher? Peel them first and freeze them in a freezer safe Ziploc bag! This idea is perfect for homemade smoothies, or Guilt Free ice-cream making! 

These are the small size freezer bags that fit about 4 bananas in it! :]

Sugar Lip Scrub

Having dry lips isn't fun. What causes dry lips?

• You could be using a lip balm/lipstick with drying agents... what to look for. An ingredient used in the product to give scent/flavor called.. Cinnamates. 
• Biting or licking your lips. 
• Not drinking enough water. Which causes your skin/lips to stay hydrated. 
• Your tooth paste. Believe or not if you get chronic dry lips this may be the culprit! 
• Sun/Wind damage.

Be sure to apply a good lip moisturizer. After searching the web here are some of the best I came across.

Burt's Bees Original Lip Balm

The  Body Shop Shea Lip Care 

Kiss My Face Organic Lip

Carmex Mint  Lip Balm

Don't Forget to Exfoliate!

To exfoliate means to remove the dead or dry layer of skin that can accumulate over time. If your not doing this regularly your skin won't be able to absorb your moisturizers to it's full potential.  

There are so many ways to exfoliate the skin. You can do so with a loofah, wet sand rubbed onto the body, scrubs and chemical methods or peels. (obviously the peels or chemical methods is something you probably don't want to do on a daily basis!)  

non-exfoliated skin can make your skin look dehydrated and dry. This is due to clogged pores.

The Benefits to exfoliating are:

• It reduces the appearance of lines and or wrinkles
• Helps keep your skin healthy which in return prevents breakouts
• It makes your skin look more vivid by improving it's texture
• It sheds the dead skin off the body
• Helps hold your tan
• It helps bounce back skin after weight loss or pregnancy

Remember not to go over board on exfoliating so you don't harm the tender parts of your skin. This can hurt because sometimes I can get a bit carried away and this will happen to me!

So don't forget to add exfoliating in to your shower routine and I promise you, you'll start noticing tremendous results on your skins appearance! :]

Cheap Alternative to Eye Makeup Remover

With all the expenses my children bring this Mommy doesn't want to spend that much money on eye makeup remover. So I took what I already had laying around and gave it another use..... eye makeup remover.

This is amazing because it helps hydrate your skin without drying it out like soup and water may cause to the eyelid. You could also use scented lotions but I am nervous the perfume in it will cause your skin to dry out (since the skin on your eyelid is more sensitive than the skin on your body.) Plus cocoa butter has so many vitamins and stuff in it! 

So the top picture I have all my eye makeup on, and the bottom one is after I took the cotton ball dipped in the Cocoa butter and rubbed it over my eyelid :] 

Works just as well and will last you longer! 

Removing ink/crayon from furniture

Has this ever happened to you? You leave the room and your child magically gets a hold of a pen/or crayon and uses your furniture as a canvas? Well don't fret... I have an easy trick that will remove this "artwork" within minutes. 

First take you hairspray, any brand it doesn't matter. However I like to keep a cheaper one set aside for this kind of occasion.  (This sadly happens a lot in my house hold) 

Start spraying the area's where the ink is located

 

Spray the area until it is completely saturated, as demonstrated in the pictures provided above.   

 Then,using a circular motion take a tooth brush and scrub the area. There will be drips of the hairspray and ink mixture so it will be helpful to have a damp rag near to catch the drips. 

This is the important step. Make sure you have a white towel (colored towels may bleed into the fabric of the furniture and cause a stain.) Dampen the towel with warm water and scrub the area. Make sure the towel has a good amount of water on it to prevent the fabric from drying hard (this is caused from the hairspray, in case you wondering) I like to go over the spot a bunch of times to prevent the hardening of the fabric to occur. 

 This is what the wet spot looks like after I am done. 

 And here is the finished look after dried. See, no more pen stain! 

(We have micro fiber furniture, I have not tested this idea on other fabrics. So before you try this on your couch test a small area to see what the affects of the hairspray/ink will do to your furniture. I would hate for someone to try this on their furniture and it ruins it!)

If you have any more questions please let me know! :]