LICE!!.....not so very nice!

Any blogger moms out there will probably agree that they dread the school nurse calling to say "Come pick up your child, they have lice".  Just thinking about it makes my head itch!  

Every year around this time, word gets out around school that the dreaded lice epidemic is spreading around classrooms faster than the flu.  Now, the thought of this throws me into a sheer panic.  Not because lice is a b!itch to eradicate without using harmful/toxic chemicals; worse, my daughter has hair down to her waist!!  It's hard enough to comb it with a wide-toothed detangling comb, never mind a nit comb!!

Since my daughter has had long hair since birth; I have been using a homemade spray to help detangle her long locks and keep away these nasty little buggers.  So far, I have had great success with it and wanted to share.

Lice-Away Spray:

Purchase a small spray bottle at the dollar store, add some unscented or mildly scented hair conditioner (filled to about 1/4 full) try to use the unscented if you can--artificial scents will only hinder the "job" of the essential oils,  Add the following essential oils:

10-15 drops tea tree 
10 drops lavender
10 drops lemon
10 drops geranium
10 drops thyme
10 drops rosemary
10 drops pine

Don't be worried if you do not have all of these oils on hand.  I ran out of the pine essential oil when I mixed my last batch and just used the others.  I would say that the tea tree is the one "must have" of the bunch though, they really hate that stuff!  

Add water and fill to (almost) the top, give it a really good shake and spray away!  If you find that there is too much conditioner for your liking, then add less next time.  The conditioner is being used mostly as an "emulsifier" for the essential oils (to  keep them blended in the water)--without it, they will just float at the top and not be effective at all.  

A wise hairdresser once told me that lice absolutely loathe any "product" in the hair.  They prefer nice, soft, clean hair to build a house in.  This may explain why the elderly rarely suffer from infestations (not to suggest they are dirty people, but older/wiser hair is very textured, not at all soft and sleek).  If you find the smell of essential oils offensive or off-putting, then try applying some gel, pomade, textured mousse to your child's head daily and this may be enough to keep them away also...Just a suggestion.

A quick note:  I know that essential oils can be on the "pricey" side, but they are really worth purchasing and having on hand.  All of these listed oils have many, many uses for beauty and in the home.  You can also blend this recipe into some coconut oil and use it as a mosquito repellent/black fly repellant in the warmer months.  

Eating healthy while eating out...

One of the biggest challenges I've had to face while on a strictly healthy (vegetarian) diet is the dreaded "eating out".  I absolutely love trying new restaurants (especially if they serve local, craft beer!)--but eating at a restaurant is usually a pretty stressful event.  I cringe at having to "special order" my meal with a less than enthusiastic waitress or having to play I-Spy with the menu for the one healthy item on it.

Lately, the name of the game for me is "being prepared".  If I know I'm going out, I grab my little squishy portable salad dressing holder , which looks like this one, ( I scored mine at TJ Maxx on clearance!), and fill it with my favorite, healthy dressing, grab a handful of sliced almonds in a ziploc, and keep them both in my purse.   Then, I will go for the best salad they offer.  It's normally NEVER the regular salad (believe it or not, I'm not a huge fan of tomatoes, cukes and iceberg lettuce--BORING!).  I love salads that offer nuts, olives, apple, anything that deviates from a normal, plain-Jane salad!  Then, I will ask them to add a veggie burger on top of it (if they offer one, which most places do).  I order some extra salsa and guac. or avocado and viola!  an instant, tasty meal.  I love adding my own dressing to this, but for most, the salsa/avocado may be all you need.  Most of the dressings that restaurants offer are laden with sugar, HFCS, terrible oil, etc...so avoid them and go for the salsa, or even ask for plain oil and vinegar.  A quick note:  Be sure to tell your server that you do not wish to have your veggie burger grilled with butter.  Also, some home made veggie burgers are surprisingly made with butter!  Please ask if you have any doubts about dairy/fat content.