Clean Up, Clean Up, Everybody Do Your Share

You know those virtual Somee cards that have been popping up on facebook recently.  As a mother of two small children, plus three more for daycare every day, I can totally relate!

I haven't seen one yet, but I am sure there is one out there that fit perfectly with how I felt yesterday.  It would be very close to the one about putting away laundry while children are in the room, only you would replace the clothes part with TOYS.

I had all 5 kids "trapped" in the small playroom downstairs in an attempt to not have a huge mess (yet again) upstairs.  BUT, the afternoon was slipping away, and as 3 pm approached, I knew we needed to clean up and head upstairs to be ready when the moms came to pick up their kiddos.  And so we -- just me, really, if we want to be honest -- began the process of putting the toys back in their colored bins.  Coralyn was doing her best to help me, but didn't seem to think it fair that the other 4 children (all 21 months or younger) were not "doing their share," as the song she was singing said.  I, too, was getting exasperated, but knew that I couldn't leave the room cluttered or else I would not be able to sleep later (yes, it's true).

Coralyn and I were finally able to get all the plastic food in a bag and stashed in the grocery cart.  I set the cart by the play kitchen and moved on to the stacking cups that were strung everywhere.  By the time I had all the cups put in order from biggest to smallest, one of the daycare kiddos had grabbed the full grocery cart, tipped it over, and spilled everything on the floor.

I turned to clean up the food, once more, only to have Kellah grab hold of the neatly stacked cups and pull them apart one by one.

Somehow, all the toys got put away in their proper place...and no children were hurt in the process!  As quickly as possible, I ushered all 5 children out the door and up the stairs -- no small feat, mind you!  We all arrived safely at the top of the stairs and headed into the living room, where the precious kiddos proceeded to dumb the entire basket of toys I had hidden under the coffee table.

When they were done playing with those balls, trucks, purses, stuffed animals, and other random items, they moved on to Coralyn's room.  Thankfully, I hadn't picked up in her room yet.  During "nap" time she had emptied every single container of toys, books, blocks, dolls, puzzles, and anything else she could find.  Small price to pay for almost 2 hours of "mommy time."  And so, we (read: just me) began the process of cleaning up once more.

When all the daycare kiddos had left by 4:30, I loaded up the girls in the car to run and get groceries before coming home to put them all way, eat supper, and leave by 6:30 to go to a running Bible study group.  You would think I would have been tired of running, seeing as how I had been running around the house all day.  Yet, that 2 and a half hours out of the house without any kids was pretty fabulous.  Not once did I have to pick up a single toy!

As I was considering throwing my hands up in the air and giving up the idea of having all the toys neatly put away, I wondered if God ever felt the same way.  I bet if He made a Somee card, it would go something like:

Running the world with humans still in it is like 

trying to put toys away with 5 toddlers in the room.

Does God ever wants to tell us, "Just go away and let Me do this by Myself.  It will be sooo much easier without your 'help'!"

Thankfully, He isn't that kind of God.  He is so patient, compassionate, gracious, merciful, understanding, gentle, forgiving.  "The Lord is slow to anger and filled with unfailing love."  Numbers 14:18

Hmmmm, maybe I need to be more like God in my parenting techniques.  

And having less toys around the house wouldn't hurt either! :)

They Learn Young

I should know by now that children pick up on things at a very early age.  Too often, I believe we expect too little of our kids, thinking they don't understand what we are asking of them or that they aren't capable of doing it until they're older.

Last night, Coralyn reminded me just how young children start mimicking their adult counterparts.  Unfortunately, though, this was not a "pleasant surprise," as Coralyn flat out lied to us.

I was with Coralyn in her room, getting ready for bath time.  Toys were all the floor, so before I could do anything else, I simply had to pick at least a few items up and put they away where they belong.  Once everything was neat and clean, I would be able to focus and help Coralyn take her bath.  I wanted Coralyn to help me, seeing as how she was the one who had dumped the entire basket of trucks all over the floor.  I asked her to pick them up, and while she ran to grab a dumptruck from the living room, I went to put a basket of books back on the shelf.  Well, the shelf had fallen and was lying, slanted -- half on the bookshelf and half on the floor.  "When, and HOW, did this happen?" I asked myself, wondering why I hadn't noticed it earlier in the day.

When Coralyn returned with her truck, I questioned, "How did the shelf break?"  Without batting an eye or pausing to think for even a millisecond, she answered, "Lily did it."

While that is totally possible, I knew for sure I would have realized that the shelf had fallen when the daycare kiddos were here.  I am constantly picking up toys throughout the day, and when they left, everything in Coralyn's room was neatly put away, ready for them to come and "destroy" her room yet again the next day.  I tried going back through the day to make sure I hadn't overlooked something, but nope, I was confident that Lily was not the guilty one in this case.  My precious little girl was the culprit here, and I know she didn't have a partner in crime.

Pausing to think for a few more seconds, I remembered that Coralyn had run inside earlier to get some of her trucks.  We were playing out in the front yard, and she "needed" a dumptruck to hold the pinecone she had found.  I had just opened the door and let her get the truck on her own.  Apparently, when she took the entire basket of trucks off the shelf, it fell.  Too busy playing, or simply not wanting to tell me what had happened, Coralyn never mentioned the incident.

Realizing this, I wanted to give Coralyn a second chance to tell the truth, and so I asked her again, "Coralyn how did the shelf fall down?"  And once more, my darling child lied point blank to my face, "Lily did it."

"Coralyn, if you broke the shelf, you're not in trouble," I explained to her.  "BUT, if you are lying to me, then I will be upset with you.  Just tell me the truth.  Who made the shelf fall?"

"Lily did it."  She stuck to her story.

Lawrence came in the room and also reassured her that we weren't going to be mad at her if she had caused the shelf to fall.  He, too, talked with Coralyn about the importance of telling us the truth, no matter what.

Eventually, Coralyn caved and admitted that she had been the one to make the shelf come down and the toys spill everywhere.  As I hugged her and thanked her for finally telling me the truth, I wondered to myself, "Where in the world did she learn to lie like that?!"  I certainly hope she didn't learn by watching ME!

I know something else she has learned from me, though.

After our talk, Coralyn headed to the bathroom to take her bath.  She went potty, and then before climbing into the bathtub, she stepped onto the scale, watching to see the numbers appear.  Thankfully, she doesn't understand what exactly those numbers mean yet.  Sadly, I know where she picked up on particular behavior.

Maybe in addition to our "always tell the truth" discussion, I need to have a "beauty is on the inside" talk with my little girl who seems to be growing up far too quickly!

Working on the computer

She knows exactly how to get to "her" page with all the Kid Apps.

Reading the phone book :)

Okay, good!  She's still a little girl who loves stickers!!!!

Dave Ramsey Would Be Proud

Lawrence and I have never taken Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University class, but we have read his book Total Money Makeover and do our best to abide by those principles.  Now that I am working again, we actually have a dependable, consistent income.  And so we have created a budget!!!!!

Earlier this week, I got my daycare checks.  As soon as all the kiddos had gone home, I loaded Coralyn and Kellah up in the car, and we drove to the bank to cash our checks.  When we got home, I laid out all our envelopes and started putting the designated amount of money into each one.  Coralyn asked what I was doing, so I explained how we want to be wise with the money that God has given us.  I talked about each envelope and what the money inside was for -- groceries, household items, gas, etc.  She got really excited when she realized that one of the envelopes had her name on it!  As I put the money inside, I told her how it was the beginning of her college fund and that it would take a long time to save up to pay for college.  I don't think she fully understand that part, but she was definitely fixated on the idea that she has her very own money.  The next envelope was for Kellah, and Coralyn wanted to make sure that her little sister didn't get any of the cash until college either!  When all the envelopes were filled, I put them away and we moved on with the day.

I guess that experience stayed in Coralyn's mind because yesterday when we were getting ready to run to Hy-Vee for a few things (we go through a lot of milk now that I am doing daycare again!!!), I grabbed some cash out of the Groceries envelope.  Coralyn reminded me, "Don't get my money!  It's for college."

Then at supper, Lawrence had to rush off to make his appointment at BioLife to donate plasma.  They have a special promotion going on, and you can earn an extra $100 after you donate 5 times.  As he was leaving, he apologized for having to eat and run, but assured me, "Hey, it's gas money."  In the past, it was exactly that, but now that we have gas money worked into the budget, I was happy to announce, "Oh no, this is 'extra' money."  Lawrence suggested we use it for date nights, but again I explained that was already set aside in the budget (granted, it's not all that much, but still!).  "How about we put it towards a vacation fund instead!"  Lawrence liked that idea the best of all.  ;)  We have been wanting to go out east, and maybe now we will be able to save up for that trip before we're retired!

Again, that conversation stuck in Coralyn's sponge-like head.  Ever since then, she has been asking about going on vacation, "like a family."  It's going to be a long 10 months...until we have enough set aside to even begin thinking about going on that promised vacation!!!

Dave Ramsey would definitely be proud of my little (big) girl.  I love watching Coralyn play and it does my heart extra good when I hear her say things like, "Okay, I'm ready to go to the store.  I've got my gift card."   Or, "Mommy, I have my coupons!"  Whenever she announces she is going shopping -- be it at Hy-Vee or Kohl's -- I always check to make sure she knows what's on sale.  Gotta teach her young!!!

I am so thankful to actually have money to put into envelopes, and blessed beyond belief that one of the envelopes is set aside for a vacation!!!  God is so incredibly good!  He has provided for us and taken care of us ever so faithfully.  He has even given us more than we could have ever imagined -- like having people donate all the supplies (and labor) to fix our roof so we can put our house on the market!!!  God never ceases to amaze me!!!

I Want to Feel Better, Naturally

Of course I want to feel better.  Who wants to feel lousy day after day, week after week, month after month?  No one wants to feel weak and tired.  Nobody in her right mind wants to feel nauseous, all the time, no matter how much or how often she eats.

And since it's natural for me to want to feel better, it also seems only natural to fix the problem, whatever it may be, naturally.

I think I am off to a great start.  Ever since we returned from camp (and as much as I could during the two weeks we were at Ponca), I have been gluten free.  Eliminating gluten from my diet wasn't all that hard, thankfully, since I don't really eat all that many carbohydrates anyway.  I do miss my bowl of oatmeal in the morning, but I found a suitable replacement, and it's quite tasty.  Funny, the name of the mix is "Mighty Tasty Hot Breakfast Cereal."  Though, I think the honey, cinnamon, pecans, and mixed berries definitely don't detract from the tastiness!  :)

I have also been going to a chiropractor/nutritionist/wellness doctor since we got home.  After both treatments, I have left feeling more relaxed and more energized, not to mention positive about the progress I am making in between visits.  I am drinking 24 ounces of Aloe Vera Juice every day and taking 2 enzyme tablets after my 3 main meals each day.  Dr. Salas "prescribed" these to help me actually digest the food I am eating and enable my body to use it properly, as well as get rid of the inflammation that is inside of my body. Apparently, the stress of the past year has built up in me, literally.  As a result, my gallbladder, kidneys, liver, thyroid, adrenal glands, and lymphnodes aren't very happy with me.

To further appease my internal organs, Dr. Salas mentioned eliminating any chemical stress in my life.  This is where my "I'm going to make all of my own cleaning and personal care products" frenzy has come in to play.   I already try to be as green and environmentally friendly as I can -- we recycle; I use water and vinegar for most of my cleaning; I use "free and clear" laundry detergent; etc.  However, I had never thought of the chemicals in my shampoo, body wash, lotion, hair supplies, deodorant, make-up, toothpaste, and who knows what all else!  I read today that women on average put over 117 chemicals on our bodies every single day!  The cancer rate for women who work in the home is 54% greater than those who work outside of the home (I think that is the right stat, but I could be off a little...still, it's staggering!).

I am starting to notice a difference.  I actually exercised on a regular basis this past week.  I haven't done that, well...in a very long time.  And for a girl who loves to work out, that has been super hard for me.  I was getting pretty discouraged, almost depressed I think.  I didn't understand why I wasn't feeling well and didn't have any energy to even play with the girls.  I thought I was eating right and taking care of my body.  I was certainly trying to do that.  Little did I know how much I could my entire life -- just by making little changes, like making my own household products.

Every spare minute I get (which isn't many now that I am doing in-home daycare again), I am researching and taking notes from what I read on the internet.  I am asking other people who know more than I do for advice and tips and suggestions.  I am learning quite a bit, but I am realizing how much more I still don't know (and might be sickened to find out).  What I do know is: I don't want any more unnecessary chemicals in my home!  Not only for my well being, but for Lawrence and the girls too!  So, if I can make our own cleaning and personal care products, then why not?  If I can save money in that process, that's an added bonus -- a big one!

I am excited to share this adventure with you all.  I got some glass canning jars today and will get some more containers this weekend.  I will also buy all the supplies I need to totally transform our home so that we can replace anything store-bought with a homemade product.  I will post my recipes, as well as pictures I take as  I make each thing.  Then, you can try everything out for yourself...and let me know what recipes you use and like.  I would love to learn from all of you as well.

Together, we can make our homes (and the world!) a better, safe, healthier place.  

Kellah Grace {8 Months}

Another month has passed, and this time I wanted to be sure to blog about Kellah's latest accomplishments and milestones.

Today, she is 8 months old!!!

Apparently, Kellah hasn't gotten the memo that she is still a baby.  She sees everything that the big kids are doing all around her, and she is determined to join in on the fun as well.  She watches them carefully, observing everything they do and say.  Then, she tries her hardest to mimic them.

Kellah is now an expert at pulling herself up and standing to play.  If I put her down on the floor, in just seconds, she has crawled or scooted herself over to the coffee table or a toy or the shoe stand to pull up to a standing position.  A few times she has let go and stood by herself for a few seconds!!!  If she sees something just out of her reach, she will try to reach out and get it with one hand, while steadying herself with the other hand.  She gets this look on her face like she is thinking really hard and trying to figure out how she can get over to the toy without sitting down or crawling to get it.  After a few seconds, she will look up at me and reach her hand out, as if she's saying, "Okay, Mommy, I need your help.  Hold my hand so I can walk over there and get that toy!"  I will put my hand out for her, and she grabs it immediately and starts moving wherever she wants to go!

If I try to put Kellah down on the ground, she wants to stand, not sit.  I have to coax her to sit, at least for a second.  As soon as I let go though, she is on the move!!!  NOTHING is safe in our house anymore!!!

Not only is Kellah pulling up and standing, but she is cruising!  She can walk the length of the couch and all the way around the coffee table. She can also walk around in her crib as she holds on to the sides.  When she wakes up from her naps (or at night), she pulls up and stands on her tiptoes to try to see over the top.  Super cute!!!  I just wish she didn't think her crib made for a tasty snack! :)

Speaking of eating...Kellah LOVES to eat, as long as she is feeding herself.  She's not too keen on me putting the food in her mouth, with my fingers or a spoon.  Oh no, she has to do it herself!  If I do try to put something in her mouth, she will spit it out, pick it right back up with her hand, and then feed herself!  She LOVES blueberries and gets quite messy eating them.  I often just plop her in the kitchen sink after breakfast for a quick bath.  She really likes being in the water.  Now, if she would just stay seated in the bathtub! :)

Kellah is also becoming quite the talker.  Her first word was "Mama," of course!  Now she has added, "Dada," and some "bababa's" and "ga's" and "aaaaaaaaaahhhh's".   I guess she doesn't like silence because she is always making noise and "talking" away.  Lawrence says she is going to be a verbal processor! :)

As far as size goes, Kellah is still pretty little, but that's okay with me.  I measured her today, and she's 25 inches long and weighs 15 pounds on the dot.  Most days, she wears clothes that are 3-6 months.  Today, though, her onesie says it is NB!!!  And it fits just fine, even over her cloth diaper and cover!  Crazy!  She may be small, but she is strong and a go-getter for sure!  She's going to have to be if she wants to keep up with her big sister! :)

I love my baby girl so very much!  I am so thankful for her and the blessing that she is to our family!

Counting My Blessings

I am sooooo blessed!

This week I "went back to work" for the first time in 8 months.  Only I didn't have to leave my house.  Instead, my "job" comes to me!  Three "jobs" actually.

You see, I am doing in-home daycare again this school year.  I have so enjoyed the past 8 months with just my girlies and getting to do lots of fun activities -- trips to the library, different parks, the zoo, Deanna Rose, Martha Lefeit Nature Center, Lakeside Nature Center, the spray park, Crown Center, Union Station, and so much more!  While I am a bit sad to not be able to go and do whatever we want, whenever we want, I am extremely thankful for the opportunity to stay at home with my girls and work at the same time.  God was so faithful to provide for us the past 8 months, as we often didn't know exactly how all the bills were going to be paid.  But not a month went by that we didn't have enough money in the bank.  And now God has brought three precious kiddos to our home for me to take care of and play with every day, and get paid for it!  As I have been "working" these past few days, I have been blown away by God's goodness.  I am so thankful for the way He works and how He brings everything together in the perfect way, at the perfect time.

In fact, He has done "more than I could ever ask or imagine."  Like I said, I was bummed that I wouldn't be able to do things like Storytime at the library.  BUT, I only have one daycare kiddo on Mondays, which just so happens to be when Toddler Storytime is here in Liberty!  And taking along just one more lil' guy is totally doable.  All I needed was an extra carseat, and about 15 minutes after I posted that request on facebook, a good friend let me know she had a carseat all washed up and ready to go for me!  Um, yeah, God is pretty good!

Even more, on Fridays, I only have two daycare kiddos.  We may not be able to go anywhere, but it will be a nice "break" and a good way to kickstart the weekend.  Who knows, I might get brave and try to venture out, at least to our playgroup every once in awhile.  OR, I can just invite the playgroup to my house, and everyone can come to me -- like they are tomorrow!  When you already have 4 kids, what's 6 or so more?! At least I'll have some backup in the form of the other stay-at-home/work-at-home moms who also do in-home daycare!

Seriously, I don't know if I could be any more blessed!  Granted, I will change a lot of poopy diapers from now until May when school gets out (yes, I know...it just started yesterday!).  I will probably wipe quite a few snotty noses, pick up toys three dozen times a day, find Cheerios in my couch cushions for years to come, and memorize the lyrics to every children's song imaginable.  BUT, I will get paid to do it all!  AND stay at home with Coralyn and Kellah in the process!  Now, that is priceless!

Yep, pretty sure I have the best "job" in the world!

It's Not a Box

A cardboard box is so much more than just a box, especially when given to a small child.  With her wild and vivid imagination, the box transforms into a car, a train, a boat, an airplane, a rocketship, a house, a grocery store, a restaurant, or even a bed.  A cardboard box can keep a child entertained for hours on end.

Such has been the case in our house this morning.

As I write, Coralyn is sitting in the box, attentively watching the Olympics and marveling at the Synchronized Swimming routines of one country after another.  I think she is not only mesmerized by the shiny costumes, but also the amazing feats of gymnastics that these women are doing while swimming, jumping, kicking, twisting, and smiling...all in complete unison.

But back to the box.  It is a very special box.  Not only is it providing seemingly endless fun for the kiddos today, but what was inside the box when it arrived at our house yesterday evening is even more important.

Hopefully the contents of the box will help change our lives.

Last week I blogged about how I haven't been feeling very well for the past 3 and a half years (since I was pregnant with Coralyn).  We have been praying for God to heal me, to show us what to do to help me have energy and strength every day.  He has given us several answers, in ways I never would have expected, but I am grateful for each of them.

First, I have visited a naturally minded wellness doctor (kind of like a chiropractor and health doctor all in one), not too much of a surprise there really, I guess.  He spoke at a free seminar type meeting at our church awhile back, and what he had to say was pretty interesting.  I took him up on his offer for a free consultation, figuring it couldn't hurt anything and that he just might be able to help me.  Knowing that he is a Christian was an added bonus.  When I went, he recommended that to start I cut gluten out of my diet and briefly explained the kind of "treatment" I would need to fix what was happening inside my body.  We were leaving for camp a few days later, so I couldn't really implement the changes right away, but as soon as we returned, the "makeover" began.

Then, last week I went back for my first official treatment session.  I was somewhat skeptical about what poking around my stomach would tell him, but I was pleasantly surprised.  Not only was he able to "diagnose" my symptoms, but after he felt my stomach, he asked if I had shoulder and back pain.  Yep, every single day!  Apparently that is linked to what's happening in my gall bladder, intestines, adrenal glands, thyroid, and liver.  After poking around some more, he then used some acupuncture and massage to get everything realigned.  Again, I didn't think that a short massage and a few pounds from his "jackhammer" would really make a difference.  I couldn't have been more wrong!!!  When he was finished, he pressed on the same pressure points, and this time I didn't have any pain!

I was also surprised when I went to check out and get the supplements he recommended.  I thought it was going to cost an arm and a leg, but thankfully I was wrong again.  I am simply drinking aloe vera juice and taking an enzyme tablet after every meal to help me properly digest the food I eat and cleanse out my system.  It's only been 5 days, but I truly am starting to see a difference.  I go in again on Tuesday for another massage and acupuncture treatment, so hopefully that will help me stay on this track of feeling better.

The second way that God has answered our "What can we do to help me feel better?" prayer came about in a rather strange way as well.  I have to skip back to Dr. Salas for just a second.  At the seminar, he mentioned that chemical stress can wreak havoc on our bodies.  I didn't think too much of it though, honestly.  Then, Lawrence went home in between the two weeks of camp so that he could ride the bus with the first time campers.  While he was home alone, he watched a few documentaries on Netflix.  One of them was called Chemerica (I think).  When he returned to camp, I asked him how his weekend was and he told me about the various documentaries he had seen, beginning with the Chemerica one.  He explained how the story featured a family who transformed their home - and lives - by using all natural cleaning products, hygiene items, and everything else in between.  We talked about how that would be a fantastic thing to try, and that it might even contribute to helping me feel better (and be safer for our girls, and the kids I will have in daycare to boot).  I have been meaning to make my own soaps and such for a long time now, but somehow I never get around to actually doing it.  Again, I made a mental note to look up some recipes or just buy the natural products available at Wal-Mart.

Before I could go shopping though, I received a call from a lady who had seen my Childbirth Classes sign both at the library and then again when she was dropping her grandkids off at church for VBS.  Diana told me she wasn't pregnant or interested in taking my classes, but instead thought I might be interested in some natural cleaning products, given that I teach about natural childbirth.  She mentioned that the company sold a host of other natural products as well, and even if I didn't want to use the products myself, Diana wondered if I would like some information to give my students.  I hesitantly agreed that Diana could come over and share with me about the products she had mentioned.


Well, last week I met Diana and discovered that her daughter works with Lawrence at Edge Gymnastics!  Small world!  The connection helped ease my skepticism, as did the fact that Diana is also a believer.  In addition to the natural cleaning products, she also showed me a whole host of other products sold by the same company: vitamins, health food, nutrition supplements, cosmetics, lotions, candles, and more!  I hadn't even thought about things like my make-up and lotion.  I was very intrigued: the cleaning products, nutrition supplements, health food, and personal products are very comparable in price to the natural products I can find at Wal-Mart, Hy-Vee, Price Chopper, GNC, etc. (often cheaper actually!).  The vitamins are also extremely similar to what I already take, but cheaper as well!  To top it all off, everything is delivered right to my front door!  So, I told her I would talk to Lawrence to see what he thought about trying out some of the products, just to see if they will help make a difference in the way I feel.

We decided to go for it!

And so our box came yesterday!

I am excited to transform our home and eager to see how this "makeover" will change our lives.

Stain Remover, Disinfectant, Glass Cleaner, and  Bathroom Cleaner

With the spray bottles
(Each bottle of cleaner will make 4-6 spray bottles worth of product!)

Laundry Supplies: Fabric Softener, 2 kinds of Detergent (different scents), and  Stain  Remover
Each bottle of detergent will do 48-64 loads
The pretreatment/stain remover will make 4 bottles

Dishwasher Detergent

Disinfectant Wipes

Sei Bella Hair and Skin Products
Timeless Age Defying Serum
Leave in Detangler
Shampoo, Conditioner
Styling Gel, Hair Spray
(These are the "top of the line" similar to Biolage.
When I reorder, I am going to try the value brand they offer.)

Body Satin Hair and Skin Products
Body Polish, Body Wash
Body Lotion, Hand Creme
Deodorant
(These are the "middle of the line" similar to Bath and Body Works.)

Mouth Care
Breath Spray, Mouth Wash, 2 kinds of Toothpaste, Sugarless Gum, Floss

Miscellaneous Stuff:
Renew Lotion, Herbal Shampoo, Antibacterial Hand Soap, 3 Soap Bars, 2 kinds of Chapstick

Kitchen Pantry
Meal Replacement Bars, Fiber Drink Powder (like Metamucil), Sports Drink Powder (like Gatorade),
Cereal, Oatmeal, Workout Bars

Vitamin Pack for a month

Morning and Evening Packets

First Aid and Medicine Cabinet
Pain-A-Trate Lotion (like Icy Hot)
MelaGel (for burns, bites, etc.)
Cough Drops
Cough Syrup, Pain/Fever Reliever
Melaleuca Oil
Calmicid (like Tums, I think)
Travel Size Hand Soap