My Sleepy Secret

I want to take a moment to sing the praises of Zarbee's products. If you haven't tried them, I very much recommend them. A friend of mine introduced me to their cough syrup, which I love. The girls don't hate the flavor and it helped suppress nasty allergy cough that made them aggravated. I got the nighttime cough for nights, and it helps them get to sleep.

Recently I discovered their sleep aid which is awesome.  When I don't need a cough syrup but the girls are still extremely restless, this is what I go for. You can call me lazy if you want, but I call it my helping hand.

Some nights, the girls are so overly tired they just bounce of walls, their beds, and each other. If I give them a sleep tablet, read a couple of stories, and sing some songs, they are usually settled enough to fall asleep within 30 minutes. This week, Lillie got eaten up by mosquitos and couldn't get to sleep because she was itching so much. I rubbed anti-itch cream on her legs, still nothing. Finally, I covered her in shea butter, gave her a tablet, and cuddled until she fell asleep. Again, it only took about half an hour. Plus she slept through the night which has been so rare lately.

So, if you're like me, and you have some nights where you just can't figure out anything else to do, try this stuff. It's wonderful. The cough syrups are great too, especially since there are very few cough remedies for children under six on the market any longer.

Watermelon Dilemma Solved

I took the girls to the Watermelon Festival at Lucky Ladd Farms. Lots and lots of fun was had, and we also had some very, very delicious watermelon. I, getting very much into the spirit of things, decided to buy a Sweet Baby seedless watermelon to bring home. (It was $5! I couldn't pass it up.)

As the name says, it is one very sweet, juicy watermelon. Alas, in my joy of finding a well-priced tasty watermelon, I forgot that four people eating an entire watermelon isn't the most practical thing in the world. What is a woman to do with three-quarters of a watermelon in the refrigerator?

This is what happened.

• Cut up half of a seedless watermelon and pop into your blender. Blend until smooth.
• Add 1 1/2 cups of 100% white grape juice (or however much you'd like) to sweeten.
• Store in a sealed container in your fridge. (I put mine in a mason jar.)
• ENJOY!

The girls love it. Tim and I used it in margaritas yesterday. It's very refreshing and a great way to use up all that watermelon if you find yourself not quite willing to eat that much.

These Are My Feet (Sorry)

I debated posting this because most people hate feet. I'm one of those people. Feet aren't pretty to me, and mine especially aren't pretty. My feet are tired and stiff at the end of most days. I don't like shoes, so my bare feet take a daily beating, roughing up my soles and toes. As a stay-at-home/working mom, I rarely have time to go get a pedicure, so I usually do all my foot grooming at home. Alas, I'm just no professional, and I have not been doing my feet justice.

Over the past few years, I've had lots of trouble with dry skin. Not the kind of dry skin that just needs lotion and socks, but the kind of dry skin that results in peeling and cracking and painful cuts on my feet. I've tried all kinds of different treatments to make the skin on my feet better--including visiting a dermatologist. (On a separate note, the people at Skin Solutions in Cool Springs are terrible.) Some things have helped, but nothing has really reversed the condition...until now. (Excuse me while I jump into infomercial mode.)

Avon Pedi Peel

Avon carries a line of foot care products that I will now stand by forever. I've used their callus cream and salt scrub, and both of those have made my feet nicer for short periods of time. In fact, I recommend them to people who suffer from normal dry feet. It wasn't enough for me though.

This week, I got the Dual Action Pedi Peel. I've used it in the past, and it worked well enough. Avon stopped selling it for a long time, but when it came back, I decided to get it again. I think they've updated the formula, and I'm ecstatic. I've used it--combined with the Lavender Overnight Cream--three times (THREE), and I almost cried over the results. I think the combination of Overnight Cream and Pedi Peel is the key.





OK. I'm about to show you pictures of my feet. Don't look if you don't want to.

BEFORE

My right foot doesn't appear to be as bad, but I always got the deep cuts on my big toe. OUCH!

My left foot wins the award for grossness. I think I moved beyond dry skin, and I'm now just molting.

AFTER

My foot almost looks normal!!! I can't believe it. 

I still have some deep crevices there on my toe, but I no longer appear to be molting!!!

I must remind you, this is only three applications. THREE!! So if you're having trouble with your feet, go buy some Avon Pedi Peel and Lavender Overnight Cream. It's awesome.