Bloggy Progressive Dinner: Wellness Tea

I am not a holistic girl--just not there yet.  On the other hand I HATE being sick and going to the doctor.  So as we go in to Christmas season this is my defense against all those little bugs we often get to share with family.

A friend recommended to me to try taking Echinacea or drinking Echinacea tea.  She used it last winter to battle the little colds that came in their house.  She also has a house full of kids and realizes one little cold can last for a month or two once it makes the rounds to each little person.

Her method

Harvest the leaves from her plant and dry them.  At the first sign of sniffles, sore throat or runny nose start drinking the Echinacea “tea.”  It is much more effective if you can do this before the sickness takes hold.  It strengthens your immune system and helps it fight off the illness. 

How to make the tea.   Boil a mug of water.  Place a 1-2 teaspoons(estimate here) of leaves in a paper towel or coffee filter and place it in the water to steep for 2-3 minutes.  My friend’s kids would just drink this as their “tea” several times a day for about 7 days.  Don’t stop drinking the tea early or the cold may come back.

My method

Tea(real tea) with breakfast.  As we’ve had some sore throats and sniffles around here I have been faithfully making a pot of Echinacea “tea” each morning.  Sometimes we will have a pot later in the day but we have been pretty faithful to drink it at least 3-4 mornings a week.  Everyone, not just the sick one.
My favorite tea is French Vanilla from Bigelow.

I boil a kettle of water on the stove as we wait for muffins, oatmeal or eggs.  Then in this cute tea pot I have I put 3 tea bags & then put my mesh strainer in filled with dried Echinacea leaves.  

Pour the boiling water over the top of the leaves & steep for 2-3 minutes.  I add a teaspoon of honey to my kids mugs and I use a few drops of liquid Stevia.  However, you wouldn't need to do the sweetener because my kids claim that there is virtually no taste.  That is all there is to it.  My little people and I haven’t caught the bugs that Daddy and big brother have caught.  The guys don’t drink the tea as they are out of the house when we have breakfast.

Usually I post a money saving Monday tip so this is a two for one post!  This tea is saving me money because my mother-in-law has flower gardens full of Purple Coneflower(aka Echinacea) in the summer.  I went over there as all her plants were done flowering and harvested a TON(well not really) of leaves for our “wellness tea”—totally free.  It also has saved us at least one or two trips to the doctor.  Money saved!!!

Posted at
Cooking During Stolen Moments @ the Bloggy Progressive Dinner: Drinks/Appetizers

Fun Friday!!!

I look forward to Fridays.  Always have ever since jr high(so long ago HA!)  So today’s post is about all the fun we’ve been having this week.  We’ve been battling a cold around here so things have been kind of chaotic.

 

Elizabeth has been working diligently on her Apologia Physical Science.  On Wednesday, she called her little brother away from his English(he was so sad) to see her experiment.  She had mixed corn starch with water & had made a white goo.  It was runny & firm—very weird.  But very FUN!

 We also spent some time at Hobby Lobby shopping for iron on letters—wow they are expensive.  While we were there we found some foam swords & shields, which of course my younger two decided they must buy.  As if we don’t have enough weapons of destruction—nerf guns, play guns, plastic swords etc.  However they did have a lot of FUN chasing each other around the living room.

  



Friday is date night so that is always fun for everyone.  I am hoping to get some Christmas shopping(or planning) done & spend some precious time with my love.

What are you doing for Friday fun?

Linked up at Friday Finer Things

Simple Lives Thursday

Part of me is really drawn to the idea of having a totally homemade Christmas.  However I know that if I was going to accomplish this I should have started MUCH earlier.  That just might be a goal for next year.
My youngest daughter is going to accomplish this because she started her gifts for her grandparents in August.  She loves to cross stitch and crochet so she’s just been working a small bit each week to get her gifts done.  I won’t post photos that would ruin any surprises for relatives!
One thing I have been doing is saving our old blue jeans so that I can make some rugs in the near future.  Here an toothbrush rug I made about a year ago.

I know the name sounds strange but it is fairly simple.  When I start I will do some step by step pictures.  I didn’t know about blogging when I did this rug—so I didn’t know to take pictures!
Here is a website that I have been at that has some tutorials & links to blogs about rug making.
[I've started a new rug!  If you'd like to see the instructions go on over to Making a Rag Rug.]
I stopped in at the Good Will yesterday to look for some shirts but I walked out with a set of sheets in blue/greens & some fabric for $4 that I think will make a perfect rug for my girls room that is lime green sherbet color.
I’m ready to start some projects so that I can stay indoors!  What are you working on?
Linked up at Simple Lives Thursday at GNOWFGLINS

Wordless Wednesday: Favorite Photos 2010

PART 1 more to come . . .

Linked up at

Wordless Wednesday

@ A Beautiful Mess

Wordless Wednesday

  @ Michelle's Family Journal

Gratituesday:Routines & Flurries

I have tried in the past to have a minute to minute schedule for our school mornings.  I know that it works well & we get tons done.

BUT it stresses me out!  We get behind & I am running & hurrying then I start snapping & snarling at the kids.

NOT the reason I stay in this house to homeschool.

On the other hand I have found that our mornings go pretty much the same way every day—isn’t that a routine?  Isn’t that easier than making up a schedule for us to follow?  We follow  the routine that works itself out.  My job is more to make sure everyone keeps working on their tasks than to to tell them when to do those tasks.

I also know that if I wasn’t here(and sometimes I have to be gone for an early appointment) then the routine would be followed because that is what the kids normally do.

This morning as the two littles took the dog outside we noticed that the first flurries are coming down. 

I am so thankful that because they are routinely outside this time of morning that they can go out & enjoy the first taste of winter.

As it has gotten colder out, I am so thankful that I have time to check my email & drink a cup of tea before starting school each morning.  Winter must come but I enjoy the warm house just as much.  I am NOT snow bunny!

Basic Morning Routine

Mom up/shower/quiet time—get kids up

Fix b’fast & check lunch/supper plans

Eat b’fast & do Bible time

Mom—dishes      Littles—exercise the dog       Elizabeth—teeth

Mom—tea & computer      Joshua—piano      Girls—start school

Mom & Joshua—start school

Linking up to Gratituesday @ Heavenly Homemakers