Thursday, February 26, 2015

Get the Temperature Right at Night

A common complaint at our house at bedtime in the winter is...”I’m too cold!” and in the Summer, “I’m too Hot and I can’t sleep!”  When I was little if I was too hot at bedtime and I could not sleep I remember my mom always giving me a cool wet wash cloth and it felt soooo good and I was able to sleep a lot better.  The downside to this is that I always woke up with something wet and uncomfortable.  It did not surprise me that me kids would complain about this at night before bed so I started giving them the cool wash cloth or an extra blanket but I just remember the uncomfortable wet feeling in the morning so I came up with a gift for my kiddos not just to keep them cool/warm at night but also a little something for them to know I love them and that I am with them even when they go to sleep.  It is a spin off of the rice packs that are use for sore muscles.  


It’s a Heart Pack!


My kids LOVE them.  In the winter we just put them in the microwave and warm them up and then they have a nice warm pack to snuggle and keep them warm at bedtime and in the summer we keep them in the freezer and they have a nice cool Heart Pack to keep them cool at bedtime.  Not only that they have multiple problem solving abilities.  They are great for Headaches, BOO BOOs, and a nice Snuggle at bedtime after mom and dad say goodnight.  I have all girls and I liked the idea of a heart meaning love for them at night but a friend of mine liked my idea and she has boys so she decided to make hers in all different shapes: Triangles, Squares, Diamonds..etc.

Here is what I did:

1.) I made a Heart Template out of a cereal box, you could do whatever shape you like.  I made mine about the size to fit in my hand, make sure you make it slightly bigger then what you want it so you have room to make a quarter inch seams when you sew.

2.) I used the Heart to trace the heart on two pieces of fabric.  I used scrap fabric from old projects and I wouldn’t recommend fleece because it is harder to feel the temperature through the material.

3.)  Put front side to together and sew all the way around the outside edge of the heart leaving quarter inch seams and do not forget to lift your foot and turn when you get to the points of your heart.  Leave an opening about an inch wide so that you can turn it right side out.

4.)  Cut the Fabric no the seam at your points of your heart so that the heart will flip right side out all the way and then turn it right side out you can use a pencil point to help you push out your points.

5.) Fill with regular old white rice (NOT INSTANT/MINUTE).  I Loosely folded a piece of paper and fed the rice into the opening.  Fill it enough where it feels like a been bag not too tight and not too loose.


6.)  Then do a hidden stitch and hand sew up the inch wide opening.  You are good to go!  The rice will help it stay cold in the freezer and the rice will heat up in the microwave.  I always keep ours in the freezer because it can be heated up fast but it does not get cold very fast.  Just remember it takes a little longer in the microwave if you take it out of the freezer.



So here you have it, one less complaint at bedtime!  Now to tackle the other bedtime headaches...more posts to come on bedtime!

***Update:  Conversations about these packs have been circling and I’d like to share some of the ideas that have been shared.  A friend suggested using oats and lavender in the heart packs and even using a tube sock so you can tie, add more, and then retie.  Another idea is to add essential oils to your heart pack.  Oils that aid in sleeping are Lavender, Calming Blend such as Serenity, Roman Chamomile, and Frankincense.

If you are not into sewing and do not want to make your own.  My sister has opened up shop on Etsy.  Check out her shop and her own version of the Heart Pack Here.  Only $6.79 USD.


Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Kid of The Day

I was at my friends for the Super Bowl and I saw on her fridge a Laminated picture of a throne that says, “Kid of the Day.”  And then she had all her kids names also printed out and laminated and on the fridge and one of the kids names is above the throne.  So I had to know what this was about so I asked her about it.  It is a revolutionary idea, thanks Cassie!!!

Photo From Cassie

 Here it goes...

So everyday you designate a “Kid of the day” and that kid gets to pick.  What do I mean by pick?  Do your kids get into fights?  Do your kids fight over toys?  Who gets to sit where?  What do we want to have for dinner?  Who needs to stop singing because it is bugging me?  You get the idea.  I often times feel like a referee in my own home by trying to manage and figure out who gets what or who gets to win the fight.  I often times will let the kids work our their own arguments and in fact I will often times charge them a dollar if they want me to work it out for them.  They will usually opt to figure it out for them selves.  Kids want someone else to make the decision and I feel like what I am put in the position to decide who gets to sit where or who gets what color of sucker that the kids can feel like I am favoring one child over another even though I have no intention to do so.  This is why I loved this idea that my friend had.  To eliminate having to pick who had the toy first etc.  The answers is...well who is the KID OF THE DAY!! They get to pick.  If you are the one singing and it is bugging someone well sing on, if you want to sit by the baby in the car then go right ahead.

She said that is has become such a wonderful routine in their home that they do not even question it.  They know that when it is their day they will get to choose so the fighting has stopped.  Or at least it stops shortly after it starts.  How awesome not to have to be the bad guy or referee and just get to enjoy the kids.  We are going to try this in our home!  We are going to change it up a bit and try “Kid of the Week.”  We change chores every week so whoever has dishes for the week, the job everyone hates including me, will get to be Kid of the Week.