Crazy Outdoor Inventions - The Sprinkler Bottle

ZMan is a major water lover.  One of the first things we did when we moved to NC was to get an inflatable pool.  Since then, I am always looking for new and inexpensive ideas.  I saw this idea on Pinterest, but I wasn't sure how it would work.  Let's just say, it is a success.

What you'll need:
2 liter plastic bottle
Sharp knife
Duck tape
Water hose

Very carefully poke a bunch of holes in the bottle with the knife.  This is a job for a parent and the knife slips easily.  Remove lid of bottle.  Then wrap several strips of tape around the end of the hose and tops of the bottle.  Turn on the hose and prepare for water to spray like crazy.  I put the sprinkler in my son's pool so he could play and fill up the pool at the same time.

Fun in the Tub Part 1 - Paint Da Tub

Yes, I said paint the tub.  Make bath time extra awesome.  Water down finger paint and add some soap.  A little paint goes a long ways.  Draw stories, practice letters, paint bellies, the possibilities are endless.  The best part is that the paint washes off.  I am not sure how this would work on tile and grout tubs, but it works great on the plastic type walls.  We always wash all of the pain away before bath time is over.

What's Buggin' You? Make the flying critters stop in their tracks!

We have all seen these lovely critters come swarming at us outside.  The stupid things always get in my eyes which is painful, gross, and annoying.

Bug repellants don't seem to help and carrying a smelly candle around is not quite ideal.  I found a quick method to stop the evil critters in their tracks:

What you'll need:
-Spray bottle with a mist settling
-White vinegar
or
- Rubbing alcohol

Fill up the bottle and spray at the swarm.  The gnats and mosquitoes will hit the ground in just a couple sprays.  It is not a permanent solution, but it can help.





This also works if the swarming enemies make it in the house with you (just be careful where you spray).  The gnats and flies just adore my kitchen window and are easy targets when they land.


I will definitely clip a spray bottle to my lawnmower in a couple days.

Good luck and happy hunting!

The Evolution of the Snack - Part 1

Like most moms, I'm always looking for new ways to present the same old stuff.  Part of the dilemma here is a randomly picky yet adventurous child.  So I decided to try presenting a "snack dinner" in muffin tins.  I had seen Pinterest type posts with snacks in divided trays.  I thought they were crazy until I tried it.  I have found that this is very useful when you don't quite have enough of something for a full meal or a full serving.  My son is a dipper, so I always include a couple of different dips.

I have two trays I created recently below:

Ranch, carrots, celery
Apples, bananas, peanut butter
Fish sticks, ketchup, fish sticks
Green olives (yes, he loves them), raisins, bread

Frozen grapes (post to come later), salsa, hot dogs
Frozen peas (odd, but fun), grapes, pretzels
Carrots, dip, grapes
Cheerios, crackers, crackers

And for your entertainment - The Evolution of Dance Part 1

The Many Uses of a Dishpan

I am been known to come up with some unique ways of storing and organizing things.  One of my favorites is the dishpan.  Basic dishpans are fairly inexpensive and come in a couple of colors.  They are easy to clean, stack, and label.  Best of all, easy for little hands to carry.  Before we moved,  I had several pans going up the side of the stairs full of shoes, hats, purses, etc.  Made perfect use of dead space.  Now I use the dishpans for art supplies and small toys.  The pans fit perfectly on the shelf at the end of the hall.  Whenever ZMan gets bored, I can give him a dishpan with an some art stuff.  I can usually get a good 30 minutes whenever he gets a dish pan.  I will be adding some dish pans with flash cards and other educational items soon.

What I currently have in the dishpans-
-Crayons, coloring book, blank paper
-Playdoh and a few accessories
-Cars
-Markers and paper
-Stickers and paper
-Scissors and paper

Why a Camel's Wife?

You see lots of blogs out there with crazy names.  When I decided to blog, I wanted something unique.  Since May of this year, I have been a camel's wife.  Not literally a camel, but a Campbell University Camel.  My husband will be a camel for the next five years, so that makes me a camel's wife.

I have been married to the love of my life (hubs) for 6 amazing year.  I am a mom to an almost 4 year old boy (ZMan).  We moved 9 hours away from our home for the hubs to go to school year.  We have been here for 2 amazing months.