Beauty Tip of the Day!

Mix six-teaspoon petroleum jelly, two-teaspoon glycerin and two-teaspoon lemon juice. Apply this moisturizing lotion at least twice a week if you have dry and flaky, arms and legs.

Health Tip of the Day!

To avoid diseases like hepatitis and Typhoid, eat 5 basil leaves everyday.

Isn't that a little too easy?? Well i'd say.. COOL!

Some Time Saving Kitchen Tips

I simply can't have enough of tips. It's one of my favorite tags for googling. I keep surfing for them until i drop! Often i come across some really funny tips, but i wont be wasting time in mentioning those here. I sure will make another post only for those kind of hilarious stuffs. Right now, back to business. Here are some handy time saving tips that i follow:

Freeze left-over coffee in cubes. When you want a cup of coffee, heat a few cubes in a cup in the microwave. Especially like to do this with flavored coffees.
To chop onions the easy way, start by cutting off the stem end,then peel the skin back to the root, KEEPING THE SKIN ATTACHED. Holding the skin to steady the onion, cut in half nearly to the root end, then at right angles to the first cut, 3 or 4 more cuts nearly to the root end. Next, still holding the root end by the skin, slice finely across the onion from the stem end, the result will be nicely chopped onion. And it takes longer to explain than to do it!
I keep a dry mix of 1 part cornstarch and 2 parts flour in a container to use for making gravy. Just scoop out amount needed and mix with cold water. Also,I make my gravy in the microwave,I boil off my drippings from the pan and put it in a 2 cup or 4 cup measure and make in microwave stirring several times.
Rub a cut white potato over your hands to rid your hands of onion odor.

Keep a slice of apple with potatoes to keep them from budding.

I keep several recipe cards in my recipe box titled with my favorite cooking magazines or cookbooks. Each card headed w/catagories : desserts, soups, main courses, etc. I write the recipe name, magazine name, date of magazine & page number. It saves so much time when searching for recipes.
Don't toss out those small empty creamers and milkers after you've added the contents to your coffee or tea! Wash them out and keep them to use as moulds for your next batch of homemade chocolates. With a little squeeze on the bottom of the creamer, your chocolate creation will pop right out!
Freeze ground meat in 1 pound portions and place into freezer storage bags. Flatten out to the edges of the bag and remove all the air before zipping and sealing, then freezing. These flat bags of ground meats stack neatly laid flat or standing on edge in the freezer. If you want a smaller amount it’s easy just to break it off then reseal the bag. The meats also thaw quicker when stored this way
I use soda bicarb to clean my coffee cup and coffee pot. Just wet the item to be cleaned and pour in some soda bicarb. Clean by rubbing with a wet dish rag or damp paper towel. Some even use Salt for the same. Salt is cheaper than sugar as someone suggested and does a great job. Just be sure to rinse well after cleaning.

Some tips are from here, others are my own.

Is Your Child A Victim?

If you suspect that your child may be a victim of a bully, you can ask him if he is being teased at school, or ask more open-ended questions, such as 'What do you like to do at recess?' or 'at lunchtime?'

Children are most often bullied at school, usually on the playground or at lunchtime when children are more likely to have minimal supervision, or it may occur in the hallways between classes or on the school bus. In any situation, the better supervised children are, the less likely that bullying will occur.

Children who are bullies may have problems with low self-esteem, but newer theories argue that bullies are driven more by a desire to have power over others and to be 'in control' than because they have poor self-esteem and that they have little empathy for their victims. They may also be aggressive, bossy, controlling, have a low level of self control, and have difficulty making friends. Bullies are also more likely to develop criminal behaviors as adults.

While this may help you understand why a bully acts the way he does, this doesn't necessarily help your child deal with the problem. Things that you should avoid include teaching your child to fight back, since he may get hurt and it may also get him in trouble at school, but that doesn't mean that you can't teach your child to be assertive and to show self-confidence.

Parents often turn to enrolling their children in a martial arts class, and while this can be helpful to build his self-esteem and help him be more assertive, the aim of the classes should not be so that he can fight back.

It may also help to talk with school officials about the problem (so that they can better supervise your child, observe the bully and intervene when necessary) and teach your child to not respond too strongly to the bully (either by crying or giving in to demands), because the bully is more likely to continue bullying your child if he knows that he will get a response.

It may also help to schedule a meeting between the parents of the children involved and school officials.

You can teach your child to walk away (but while staying calm and not running), tell the bully to stop and leave him alone, or to use humor and come up with a good comeback when a bully teases him. It can also help if your child has high self-esteem and if he has some strong friendships, so that he is less of a target. Teaching your child to make eye contact with others (especially the bully) and to talk with a strong voice may also help. Role playing situations where he is bullied may be helpful in teaching how to respond.

It is also important for the bully to understand that bullying is not acceptable and will not be tolerated. If the bullying behavior or other aggressive behaviors persist, then he may need to see a child psychologist for further help.

Also keep in mind that while bullying most often involves boys (both as the bully and victim), girls can also be the victim of bullying and they may bully other children (usually with gossip or isolating someone socially, instead of physical bullying).

It may also help to educate all children about bullying and its consequences. Even if your child is not a victim of a bully, you can teach him to inform an adult if he sees a child being bullied.

You might also was to check out:
School Bullies

School Bullies

Hiba is not even ready for pre-school, and i have already started dreading her getting bullied at school. I remember my days.. although i was never a victim, but i pitied those who were. There was hardly we (as kids) could do at that time, but we did feel sorry for our fellow classmate-victims. Kids are scared when they encounter such things. They don't even dare discuss it with their parents, fearing that it might add to the trouble.
Heres what they had to say about it..
Almost 10% of school age children are the victims of a bully. Bullying is most common by the second grade and then supposedly declines by the high school years. Bullying can be either physical or verbal, and can range from mild teasing to pushing and hitting.

Victims of bullies are usually stereotyped as being loners, passive, quiet, sensitive, anxious, with low self esteem and they are often smaller and/or weaker than other children of the same age and may come from an overprotective home. More importantly, they usually react to bullying by crying, acting out or withdrawing. Some victims may actually bring on the bullying attack by teasing or provoking a bully. Being the victim of a bully can lead to your child avoiding school, and developing fear and anxiety about going to school. It can also cause your child to feel insecure and have feelings of low self worth and poor self-esteem and can ultimately lead to depression and/or violence, either against himself or against the bully. Because victims of bullies often do not seek help or confide in anyone about the bullying, either because of shame or embarrassment or fear that it will be worse if the bully finds out, it is important to look for signs in your children. School avoidance behaviors, especially chronic nonspecific complaints, such as headaches or stomachaches, or they may have trouble sleeping. Also, if your child seems afraid or anxious about going to school, has a change in his personality or his behavior, or a change in his grades, you should consider that he may be a victim of a bully at school, especially if he fits the stereotypes described above.

Healthy Foods Kids Will Eat (Really)!

In simple terms, our daughter HATES eating! She wont have anything other than the ready-to-eat baby foods. I want her to eat everything that we have, like other kids of her age. She sure will taste everything, but wont have it as a main course. While surfing to deal with such conditions, i found this, what Good House found out, hence i found out...

Children all over the country taste-tested "good-for-them" supermarket foods and told us which they'd ask their moms to buy.

Cereal
Welcome news for parents: Some favorites are now available in reduced-sugar versions.
Top kid pleaser: General Mills Reduced-Sugar Trix, praised by one tester for its "good flavors."
Also scooped up: Kellogg's One-Third Less Sugar Froot Loops. Noted a young gourmet, "It's fruity!"
Cereal
Welcome news for parents: Some favorites are now available in reduced-sugar versions.
Top kid pleaser: General Mills Reduced-Sugar Trix, praised by one tester for its "good flavors."
Also scooped up: Kellogg's One-Third Less Sugar Froot Loops. Noted a young gourmet, "It's fruity!"
Top kid pleaser: Casual Gourmet Lightly Seasoned Chicken Burgers. Testers compared these — favorably — to other spicy chicken dinners and to sausage.
Best veggie version: Morningstar Farms Grillers Prime burgers were rated most like a "normal hamburger."
Ice Cream
Kids do scream for ice cream — even some of the new lower-calorie vanillas, we learned.
Top kid pleaser: Edy's Grand Light Vanilla (sold under the Dreyer's brand west of the Rockies).
Stiff competition: Both Breyers Vanilla 2% Milk Light and Healthy Choice Premium Low Fat Vanilla scored high.

I am gonna try all of the above. Maybe SOMETHING works out for us??!

Ylang Ylang Rules!!

Last night, after a long time, my spirits were soaring high. I was bored of what i saw around and I wanted to change the surrounding environment to a warm, cozy, romantic one. What i did was this...


On that little blue oil diffuser (sorry for being a bad photographer... colors are not that visible in the pic i know. But you can sure make out wheres it right?), i put some Ylang Ylang essential oil. It was not even one minute, and the room was filled with its exceptionally sweet, floral and exotic fragrance. For cherry-on-the-top part, i put on some really soothing melodious numbers in the background. Even Hiba (my 1.5 yrs old daughter) was delighted by this setup. She did'nt utter a single word for long. She just passed me by several times, giving a broad smile, as if she was absorbing every bit of it, in. Best part was DH's oh-so-precious smile as he entered the house after work. Yes! it did work!

Ylang Ylang is an aromatherapy oil, which is known for its relaxing and stimulating properties. Its medicinal properties helps dispel doubt and anxiety and boosts self-confidence. Its essence is obtained through steam distillation of the fresh ylang ylang flowers. Its one of my favorites and i use it mostly in my massage and bath oil blends. If you want to use it, use just a few drops. Its seductive aroma wont let your partner be away from you for long. Make sure you don't use large quantities at one time. If you do so, your partner will sure get in bed, but it wont be for what you intended!

You might also want check out:

Brands you might want to try
Aromatherapy Day time uplifting Blend
Essential Skin Care
Aromatherapy Candle making tutorial

Clone of McDonald's Sweet And Sour Dipping Sauce

This is a clone of one of the sauces that you can get with your order of McNuggets at the world's largest hamburger outlet. Now, instead of hoarding those little green packs from the fast food chain, you can make up a batch of your own to use as a dip for store-bought nuggets, chicken fingers, fried shrimp, tempura or as a sauce for a sweet and sour dish that includes pineapple, bell pepper, onion, and sautéed chicken or pork. It's a simple recipe that requires a food processor or a blender, and the sauce will keep well for some time in the fridge.

1/4 cup peach preserves
1/4 cup apricot preserves
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
5 teaspoons white vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons corn starch
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons water

Combine all ingredients except the water in a food processor or a blender and puree until the mixture is smooth.

Pour mixture into a small saucepan over medium heat. Add water, stir, and bring mixture to a boil. Allow it to boil for five minutes, stirring often. When the sauce has thickened, remove it from the heat and let it cool. Store sauce in a covered container in the refrigerator.
Makes about 3/4 cup.

You might also want to check out:

Irresistible Pav-bhaji
Pepper chicken in coconut-gravy
Chicken 65

30 Thirty-Second Chores (part III)

Throw away empty cleaning containers.

Wherever you keep your cleaning supplies, you're bound to have a few that should be tossed. Make more space for the things you really use by throwing out old or empty cleaning bottles.

Go through prescription medication.

Throw away expired and unused prescriptions. Not only will you help free up space for other items, but you'll also reduce the risk of poision or accidental indigestion.

Prevent or help drain clogs with baking soda, vinegar, and hot water.

Baking soda and vinegar can be a great help to freshen and unclog drains. It only takes a moment to prevent major headaches.

Shake out your entry and exit floor mats.

It's best to have two door mats for each entrance of your house.One mat should be placed inside while the one with the bulk of the work to do goes outside. Remember to regularly shake out and clean these rugs to prevent dirt and debris from ending up in your home.

Toss trash and clutter from one small area.

Try cleaning out your junk drawer. Taking a few moments to clean trash and clutter out of one small area will give you motivation to accomplish even more challenging projects.

Dust down a ceiling fan.

Grab a duster and wipe off the blades of a ceiling fan. You'll prevent dust from building up, and keep the fan in good condition for use.

Wipe down the blinds.

You can use a used dryer sheet or microfiber dust cloth. Wipe accross the blinds to keep them dust free.

File today's mail.

We can get overwhelmed with the amount of mail we receive, but after you toss out the junk, take a moment to put away mail that needs to be kept.

Vacuum tops of doors and windowsills.

Take a half a minute to vacuum a windowsill or the top of a door. Dust often collects in these areas, but may go unnoticed during routine cleaning.

Make a plan.

If you have time for nothing else, take a few seconds to write out a plan of things that need to be done. When you find yourself with a few more moments to spare, you'll be ready to go.

Chores 1-10
Chores 11-20
Source

30 Thirty-Second Chores (part II)

Toss junk mail, catalogs, or magazines.

If stacks and piles of papers, magazines, and catalogs litter your home, try taking a few moments to throw out some junk paper.

Treat a stain.

It only takes a few moments to remove many common stains.

Dust or water plants.

Keep plants healthy by remembering to dust and water plants regularly.

Wipe down a countertop.

The newest disinfectant wipes make it easy to quickly wipe down a countertop to prevent germs from spreading or food from sticking to your surfaces.

Wipe down the forgotten areas.

Wipe down door knobs, handles, switch plates, remote controls, and telephones.

These often used items rarely get remembered when its time to clean. Take a few moments to quickly wipe them down.

Clean out the fridge.

Thirty seconds may not be time enough to do a thorough cleaning, but it is enough time to pour out the expired milk hidden at the back, or throw away the mysterious foil-wrapped package lurking in the deli drawer.

Replace the box of baking soda in your fridge or freezer.

Using baking soda in refrigerator is a great way to reduce odors, but the box of baking soda does need to be changed.

Clean the lint filter of your dryer.

Lint not only keeps your dryer from running efficiently, it can also pose a fire hazard. Take a few moments and double check your dryer's lint trap.

Sweep the entryways of your home.

Most of the dirt that ends up on our carpets and floors, gets tracked into our homes by unsuspecting guests. Sweeping the entryways helps keep more of it outside.

Clean out the cupholders and cubby holes of your car.

Don't forget to maintain the interior of your home on wheels. Clean out the hidden places where trash gets stowed.

Chores 21-30

Chores 1-10

Source