WOW ya’ll!  Yesterday marked 4 years that I’ve been blogging here on MommyOctopus.com!  Thank YOU for making this a fun place to share deals, reviews, recipes, and random tidbits!

In celebration, how about we do a quick giveaway?  Through the end of the month, enter to win a $100 Amazon.com gift card!  Fill out the Rafflecopter for your chance to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

With the new year comes new resolutions.  I have a new freebie for ya’ll to help keep track of your calorie intake and how much water you’re drinking every day.  I like to keep account of what I’m eating and drinking to make sure that I’m staying on target.  I hope you all enjoy this freebie as much as I do!  Click on it to print the PDF.

I had so much fun making the printables that I posted yesterday for Valentine’s Day that I made some more!  These are the same ones, just different background color.  Simply click on the photo to download the PDF that you’d like!

I love making printables for my mantel, fridge, walls, and really everywhere!  They are easy to switch out to match the season, birthday, decor, etc.

Below are two that I just made for y’all.  I hope you enjoy them and share them with friends!  Simply click on them to download the PDF file.

So I saw this photo on Facebook and it totally made me laugh!  I’m not sure who the original owner is, so if you know, I’ll happily give photo credit.

This is so totally my bed!  This is the reason we finally saved up and bought a King size bed.  I was getting tired of being kicked out of my bed by my precious 2 year old when she wanders to our bed in the middle of the night!  This photo definitely speaks truth!

Do you have any kiddos that still climb in your bed?

I’m not a big fan of running to the doctor with every sniffle.  We have found some simple items to keep on hand to help keep our family healthy.

Of course, I am not a doctor.  I’m just a mom speaking about my favorite products.  You’ll want to check with your doctor before using any of these items for dosage and more information.

Elderberry Syrup, Spray, or Tablets– Great for boosting your immune system!  We have been using it as a preventative and bumping it up when we are starting to feel something come on and we have stayed healthy for months now!  This was highly recommended to me after my kids stayed sick most of the winter last year and so far we’ve been very healthy this year!  We keep the spray on hand and it’s easy to line the kids up and spray down the line!

Apple Cider Vinegar tablets –  Known for its medicinal and nutritive properties that help to deal with several health issues including common colds, hair and skin problems, warts, weight control, infection, etc.  I also use this if we have been exposed to a stomach virus.

Activated Charcoal – Rid your body of toxins in emergency situations, relieve bites and bee stings, helps eliminate gas.  We also use it at the beginning of a stomach bug and in our experience it helps keep the stomach discomfort to a minimum.

Boiron Homeopathic Medicine Oscillococcinum – This is a great homeopathic medicine that helps flu-like symptoms. No side effects, no drug interactions, no contraindications, and no “masking” of symptoms!  We’ve used this when we started having flu systems and they were gone before we needed a 2nd dose!

Coconut Oil – This is a anti-viral, anti-bacterial food.  It can be consumed or used on the skin or hair.  It acts as a natural sunscreen, moisturizer, and is used in creating many types of salve or cream.

What are your favorite items in your medicine cabinet?

I’ve had a couple people ask me lately about reputable survey companies that I’d recommend.  These are ones that I have experience with that have always paid on time and went well.  I recommend all of these:

• Valued Opinions
• Pinecone Research
• Opinion Outpost
• MySurvey
• Mindfield

This is a guest post by my friend Alexia.  Alexia is a Disney Vacation Specialist with Destinations in Florida.  When she is not helping plan magical vacations, you can find her on Facebook and Twitter.  Click here to contact her and she’ll help you find the best rates for your magical vacation!

Some of the best memories at Disney World are made during multi-generational vacations. My family had the privilege of having my dad travel with us on our girls’ first trip to Disney World in October 2012. He will be traveling with us again in October 2014. Traveling with senior citizens can be challenging, especially at a place like Disney World that is large and very spread out. Here are some tips for traveling to Disney World with senior citizens:

• Request an accessible room. All Disney resorts have handicap accessible rooms. These rooms are closer to the front and are wheelchair and ECV accessible. The doors are a little wider, the bathrooms are larger, and the bathtubs are designed for easy access in and out. If you will need one, request one in advance.
• Rent a wheelchair or ECV. If you don’t already have your own, consider renting a wheelchair or ECV for seniors with mobility issues. You can rent a wheelchair or ECV from the parks; however, they are only available on a first come, first serve basis and must be returned before leaving the parks. There are also several rental companies that will rent you a wheelchair or ECV for the length of your stay. Many of these companies will also deliver the wheelchair or ECV to your resort and show you how to operate it as well as pick it up before you check out.
• Take precautions against Florida weather. Make sure everyone in your party stays hydrated and wears sunscreen. Young children and seniors are the most susceptible to the heat, so make sure to check on them frequently.
• Read the posted precautions for the attractions. There are some medical conditions that can be aggravated if you go on the ride. Please take the warnings seriously.
• Take frequent breaks. Parades and shows are a great way to take a break and relax while still experiencing some Disney magic. Try to find a shady spot to sit under for outdoor events.
• Familiarize yourself with your loved one’s dietary needs. If you read my article about dining at Disney with special dietary needs, you already know that Disney is amazing about accommodating special dietary needs. Familiarize yourself with your loved one’s needs and be sure to contact the restaurants where you will be dining in advance.
• Take time for the Flag Retreat at the Magic Kingdom. This is my dad’s favorite thing to watch at the Magic Kingdom. Every day at 5:00 pm, the American flag is ceremonially lowered, removed, and folded. It is sometimes performed with large college marching bands, sometimes with a smaller Disney band. A veteran in the park is always selected to assist with the Flag Retreat and is presented with the flag.

Do you have any tips for traveling to Disney World with senior citizens? I would love to hear them!

Mommy Octopus Note: Our last trip to Disney, we took my 89 year old grandfather before he passed away.  It was a great trip and he enjoyed it very much.  Mainly he loved just watching the kids have fun, but he also enjoyed the People Mover, It’s a Small World, and more.  Don’t hesitate taking your older family members with you on your trip.  This ended up being a super special trip as he was diagnosed with Lymphoma and passed away shortly after.  We had been going to Disney with him since I was a baby.  Lots of great memories.  

Here in Georgia, it doesn’t get super cold very often. This week, we are looking at a low of 5 tomorrow. Yes. 5. Single digits! Those of you up north probably would find that to be a heat wave right now, but for this Georgia Peach, that calls for hibernation! Or at least a batch of hot cocoa, warm fire, and a nice blanket.

Really, it’s not the snow that gets us, it’s the ice.  I remember one cold front came through and the trees all were covered in ice.  All night long we heard tree after tree crashing down under the weight of the ice.  We spent the night just praying that one wouldn’t fall on our house.  It didn’t, however we did lose power for a few days.

Here’s a few things that we have learned in order to prepare for cold weather.

• If you have a fireplace, chop wood ahead of time.  Keep it covered if possible so you won’t have to try to start a fire with wet wood.
• Put weather stripping around doors.
• Inventory all of your winter items and make sure that each member of your family has adequate clothing and accessories AND that they still fit – jackets, coats, hats, gloves, boots, scarves, etc.
• Use an Outdoor Faucet Cover to try and keep water lines from freezing.
• Bring in outside pets.
• Plan ahead on meals so you’re not running to the store in the midst of a snowstorm or black ice warning for milk.
• Keep all medications refilled in case you are stuck at home for a few days.
• Have the following on hand:

1. Matches
2. Canned Foods  (you can easily cook most canned foods right in the can in your fireplace if the power goes out)
3. Blankets
4. Flashlight
5. Batteries
6. Can opener (not electric)

Do you have any other tips to add or items that we should keep on hand?  Leave a comment and let me know!  I’d love to hear from you!