Why Leave... Vacation At Home!

With the rising gas prices and the increased cost of living... vacations may be out of the question this year!

Why leave when you can enjoy a relaxing time in your own town and backyard! Kids really don't care as much about where they spend time with you, but that they get your undivided attention.

Ask your kids... "if you were to spend time with me, what would you like to do?"
Make this a fun exploration.

Create a suggestion box that can sit on the kitchen counter for a few days. You will need:

• 1 Shoe Box


• Wrapping Paper


• Scissors


• Tape


• Writing Paper


• Pen/Pencil


• Yarn/Twine

Cut a hole in the lid of the shoe box that will allow for suggestions to be dropped in.

Wrap your box in any style of paper you might have in the home (any season of wrapping is fun). If you do not have wrapping paper on hand, take the under side of your grocers paper bags and have the kids decorate it before using it for your wrapping paper.

Take 5 sheets of paper and cute into quarter squares to be placed by the box for suggestions.

Use the end of the pen to punch a small hole into the upper corner of the box lid. Cut your yarn/twin into one 3 foot long string. Feed one end through the hole and make a large knot so that it will not slip back through. On the other end of the yarn/twin, secure your writing instrument.

Ask your kids to help create a poster board listing the ideas and pick the top three (you may start off the ideas on the poster with a few of your own at the start). You can use markers and crayons to decorate your poster board.

One Idea:
Make this week an adventure. If you have a tent, set it up in the backyard and pretend you are on a Safari. Find a tape/CD with music and animal noises that you would find on a safari and bring a portable player outside.

At night around the makeshift campfire, talk about your adventures from the days safari exploration. What animals did you see? What do you hope to see tomorrow?

If you have a small TV that can be brought into the outdoors... a safari video may be the added touch. You can go to your local library and check-out National Geographic movies, books and tapes/DVD's that will give you a realistic idea of your safari.

You can make a fire pit that does note require a flame.
Cut a square 1 1/2' X 1 1/2' out of the bottom of a 2'x2' box. Cut one side out of the box completely, leaving only three sides (this will assist in keeping your light cooler).

Purchases Red and Yellow Cellophane sheets long enough to cover your opening. Cut your sheets into 3 inch wide x 2 foot long strips.

Tape red and yellow sheets of cellophane across the opening alternating colors every 3 inches.

Place a flashlight at a safe distance under the cellophane to create the idea of a fire.
CAUTION: Never leave this unattended and check often for heat levels. Use your own judgement as to the length of time your make shift fire should stay lit as this site and Blog writer is not and shall not be held responsible for any harm that may occur. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK!

Whatever you choose to do... the time spent together will not be forgotten.

I still remember that night my mom and dad slept outside with me in my playhouse. We had sandwiches, juice and cookies. Thinking about it today seems so simple, but the impact of knowing my parents cared that much has stuck with me through the years.


Enjoy your time together!

Take Time For Yourself, You’ll Be a Better Parent For It!!

Take time for yourself... knowing that your not only recharging your energy and emotional well being, but renewing yourself to meet the ever demanding needs of your family.

We have been taught, that a good mother/father will always care for their children, putting their own personal needs and wants last. Most of the time this is true, but taking time for yourself will create a balanced feeling in your daily life!

The need to recharge and find time for YOU... is an overpower sign that your life is unbalanced and you must respond!

Take one evening as often as you need to recharge!!

• Order in take-out for the family



• Rent a move that will hold your families attention



• Post a sign... "Mom's Time - Do Not Disturb until _____!"

*** or ***

• 
  
  Find a friend that will care for your children in exchange for you doing the same for her.
  
  

Once you have started the movie and set-out dinner and snacks or dropped off the kids at your friends... this will leave you with two hours

ALL TO YOUR SELF!

Finding a quiet corner, park or backyard spot to read a book or retreating to the bathroom for that long awaited soak may just be the ideal time for you!

Either way, the Citrus Flavored Koppla drink http://www.allizon.com/catalog.php?item=126&catid=Wellness%20Section (made hot or cold) will enhance your overall feeling of relaxation. Koppla, with its wonderful blend of six plants and herbs of: Lemon Balm, Flowering Oats, LindenHawthorn, Panax Ginseng, and Lavender is wonderful aid for relaxation. You will also find the added bonus of a restful nights sleep.

If a bath is your choice of leisure, the Ladies, our Dresdner-Herbal Bath Packet http://www.allizon.com/images/dresdner-herbal-bath-packet-th.jpg is excellent for an end-of-the-day, “Take me away!”. This Traditional European Bath Therapy includes Vitamin E, Allantoin, Panthenol and Essential Oils to protect and beautify the skin.


This bath treatment will leave you feeling smooth and silky. They are also a wonderful way to relax away the stresses when traveling.

No matter what you choose to do... find a moment for yourself! I promise you will have more energy and patience for the days ahead!

Busy Summer Days

With Summer, comes warm days filled with vacation and backyard barbecues, children's activities and continued work demands.

Each moment of my day seems to be consumed with the challenge of balancing my own personal need for time and meeting the commitments of my family responsibilities. Keeping track of all the activities, shopping lists and tasks to be completed, becomes a full-time job in and of itself.

With each person coming and going, it sometimes feels like my front door is the starting line of the Indy 500. As the children grow, so do their level of activities and my need to stay on top of events.

I have come to rely on my...

Busy momAgenda

This planner is irreplaceable in organizing each intricate event of my family's life. I never leave the house without my agenda in hand.

The Busy momAgenda has provided me sections for planning my family's full year of activities. Whether it be a vacation, scheduling my weekly calendar of events, noting doctors visits and medical records, keeping important addresses and dates, and websites to remember... I am prepared for everything!

Enjoy each day knowing you have everything under control.

I have come to realize it is not the amount of activity in our lives, but how prepared we are to handle each situation with effectiveness and ease!!

Our Daughters...

Born soft and sweet with gentle smiles and soft coos. They grow-up so fast with skinned knees and hands, racing to your lap for comfort. Secrets and ice-cream, games in the park and bedtime stories filled your day.

All at once they are off to school and have grown up without notice. She is now a young adult with a busy life filled with friends, school and dreams of being grown up.

Our daughters love their mom’s attention and what better way to spend quality time then having a SPA DAY at home together or with a few friends and their moms.

An easy list of inexpensive ingredients can fill your afternoon of paradise with memories that will not be forgotten.

From the grocery store purchase: Deep Disposable aluminum baking dishes, Epsom Salts and finger food such as fruit, vegetables, dip and nuts.

Begin your day (even if it is just the two of you by sending invitations). You can even make a hand created card and leave it on her pillow to be discovered.

Prepare warm (but not hot) water and add Epsom Salts (following the instructions on the package) to the water for a relaxing foot soak while you are rejuvenating the rest of your bodies.

"Get Fresh ~ Look Better Naked"

You can find a wonderful Spa Treatment called, "Get Fresh Look Better Naked" through www.Allizon.com. This three part treatment provides you with a luxurious Mineral Body Scrub, Mineral Body Mask, and Rich Body Crème. Be sure and remember to treat your feet once they have soaked with the same body scrub, mineral body mask and rich body crème.

To create the ambiance of the day, soft music and soy candles such as the Kobo Soy, Lemongrass, Thyme Leaves, Sage candle from www.Allizon.com will create gentle scents and soothing sounds.

Note: Be sure and provide each participant with a rinsing bowl and wash cloth for each individual step.

Ending your spa treatment with the “Get Fresh Look Better Naked,” rich body crème can leave you with the most rewarding moment. While applying this wonderfully scented body crème to your daughter's hands and arms, remind her how special she is to you.

Blog will be on Hiatus

Since spring is here, now is a good time to do some Spring Cleaning with Allizon.com. Staff will be working on some exciting and new changes to help serve YOU better.

This blog will be on hiatus as staff focus on making the updates.

Please check this blog often for updates.

Your Car and Cleanliness

It never fails. You just cleaned the inside of your car when your children have made it messy again with their food, wrappers, and their belongings. They may have even tracked the seats with mud.

Although, you can't keep your car totally mess-free, especially when children are involved, you can reduce some of it.

1. Keep odd shaped plastic bags in the vehicle. This is would be used for garbage such as wrappers, chewed gum, sticky items, anything that you normally would throw in the trash can. Once the bag is full, throw it in the dumpster, or your main garbage area.
2. Keep an old tote or handbag, for a few "car" toys, meaning these toys are to be played with when traveling in the vehicle only. Remind your children, these toys are privileges. If it comes to the point that you have to put their toys in the bag, they may lose that privilege as a consequence.
3. Keep eating and drinking to a minimum in the vehicle.
4. If you know their shoes will track mud or dirt, place old towels ahead of time, so your children's shoes will be wiped on the towel instead of the car floor.

Hope these tips help as you and your family begin making traveling (or even going out for short trips and distances) plans.

Places to take your children

With rising prices on gas and everything else, it may get a little expensive to take your children out to a variety of places.

Here is a list that I have come up that is free or cost very little. Feel free to add more places to your own list:

• Weather permitting, take the children to the parks.
• Arrange a play date with a friend or family member.
• Check with museum listings to see when discounts or free days are available.
• Sometimes, zoos offer free days as well.
• Check with your place of worship for activities and events.

Utilize the media to find out what is going on locally or surrounding areas. Read the newspapers, watch television, or listen to the radio. Be sure to converse with people you know to find out about local activities and events.