Cough Syrup

Whew, it has been a few hectic weeks. Landon brought home the tummy flu 2 weeks ago. We hosted Easter at our house the Saturday before. Then that night Alta and Parker got sick. Then me, then Sam. To say it has been a rough week and a half is an understatement. And now we are all over it. Finally. Thank God!

But then, last night Alta started coughing. And coughing. And crying. So, here comes a cold, I'm guessing, as my throat is a little scratchy. Or maybe allergies.

So I looked across the world wide web for homemade natural cough syrups. And I didn't find any that I liked. So I (think) invented my own.

First, I noticed a lot of recipes called for honey and apple cider vinegar. So I knew I wanted them in my recipe. A lot also called for olive oil or vegetable oil. Nah, not for me. I added my beloved coconut oil instead, I figured that would also make it a bit thicker. I also added some ginger and some cloves.

In a small sauce pan, I put in roughly 2 table spoons of coconut oil.

Next I added 6ish tablespoons of vinegar, and 8ish tablespoons of honey. I also added a dash of ginger and cloves.

I simmered them all together until the coconut oil was melted.

Almost all melted

Then I let it slowly boil together for about 3ish minutes.

After it boiled, I poured it into a jelly jar that I washed. 

It got foamy after I poured it into the jar

Then I put on the ring, then put the lid and ring and let it cool for a while on the counter then I put it in the fridge. 

Right after it was poured in the jar

After it sat in the fridge and cooled down, it became the consistency of really thin honey. It tastes okay. Not great. I just gave it to Alta, we will see if it works!

                                               

Next time, I will add a little more honey and a little less vinegar so it doesn't taste as vinegary. That is, if it works. I will update. But I am hopeful. It has to be better than nothing at all.


UPDATE: It works! She still coughed a little, but not nearly as much as she was!

Just Another Day in Paradise...err, I mean, night from hell.

What a night.

First, Ali decided she needed, not one, not two, but three bottles last night. Sigh. Then as I made my way downstairs to make a bottle, my ears heard a TV blaring the Pink Panter. As I went to check it out.....it happened... the stench no mother wants to smell at 3:44am. The smell of puke. That's right, my first born, the apple of my eye, had gotten up tried to make it to the bathroom, but took the looooooooong way and puked all over the living room floor. And there he was, happy as can be watching the Pink Panther, which I am sure the neighbors could also hear. I should have known this  would happen. You see, the boys spent sometime with their grandparents yesterday, and Nanoo, in particular, feeds them like kings instead of princes, and more often than not, one ends up puking after visiting. Anyhow, when questioned why he didn't go through his room to the bathroom. (Because being the best parents in the world, once he fell asleep on the couch, we weren't going to wake him in fear of him staying up for round 2) he innocently said, "I couldn't go that way, I would have woke-ed Pawka up." So I make a bottle, but didn't add the formula since I was groggy, and I thought my charming husband would check, and called Sam to get it and give it to Ali so she wouldn't scream the whole time I cleaned up. Finally after getting everything cleaned up and Landon back settled, I trek back upstairs to get back bed and I see Ali is still eating...but wait.... it looks empty, so I pick up the bottle, and Sam didn't add formula. Yep, we are great parents. I see she has 3 ounces left and add one and a halfish scoops, and she chugs it down. Ahhhh, sleepy time. Not for long. *BEEP BEEP BEEP*  Sam's alarm went off. After I said a few choice words in my half asleep daze, he left for work, and I went back to sleep, sort of, for another hour or two. I am tired. Tired. Tired.  It is going to be a long day.  *sigh*

Sickness has struck!

Oh how I miss the healthy summer days. Our family has been passing colds back and forth for a month now. Even better, today all three kids have had fevers, which we didn't find out Landon had one until he was home from school. I hope he didn't pass around the illness to his classmates. They are all coughing and lethargic. It should be a great night, and a great day tomorrow. Wish me luck!