Vicks Vaporub To The Rescue

A listener sent this to me. It comes from a grandparent who swears by this remedy for a child or adult's bad cough: Put Vicks Vaporub generously on the bottom of the feet at bedtime, then cover with socks. Apparently even persistent coughs will stop for hours, and it is quite soothing for a sound sleep. Has anyone tried this? I doubt I could smear anything on the bottom of my kids' feet without them giggling and squirming and making a mess, but I might try it on myself!

Any other family remedies this brings to mind? Email me and share them!

Holiday Fun

If you're looking for some good, local holiday shows, The Premiere Theatre Company presents "Scrooge" tomorrow through December 2nd at the Paramount Theatre at the Asbury Park Grande Arcade. Call 732-774-STAR for tickets. The Algonquin Arts theatre in Manasquan presents the Dino Rock production "T-Rex's Holiday Surprise" as part of their kid's series of show on Sunday, Dec. 16th with two shows that day. Call 732-528-9211 for tickets.

Weighting On Technology

With all of our modern technology, I'm surprised I haven't come across a scale that you can program to suit your needs. For instance, I don't, at the moment, want to know how much I weigh. But I WOULD like to get on a scale daily or weekly and see how many pounds I've LOST without knowing my weight. But I'd like the scale to keep track of my weight so that when I'm ready I can refer to my weight history. Did I just give away a great idea or is this product already out there and available to the public at an affordable price?

Food That's REALLY Good For You

Some doctors say certain foods are good for you on a daily basis. So if you need a boost, try these: To help you sleep: green veggies, milk, and cheeseTo keep headaches away: five glasses of pure water and fiber-rich foodsTo elevate your mood: tuna and salmonFor more energy: liverTo reduce stress and become calmer: turkey, chicken, and bananasTo improve your concentration: sunflower seedsTo help your childrens' learning skills: cereal containing fiber, and whole grain bread

Man Vs. Dog

A listener sent this to me. Thought I'd pass it along to the women: Man vs. Dog

If you want someone who will eat whatever you put in front of him and never says it's not quite as good as his mother made it...then get a dog.

If you want someone always willing to go out, at any hour, for as long and wherever you want...then get a dog.

If you want someone who will never touch the remote, doesn't care about football, and can sit next to you as you watch romantic movies...then get a dog.

If you want someone who is content to get up on your bed just to warm your feet and whom you can push off it he snores...then get a dog.

If you want someone who never criticizes what you do, doesn't care if you are pretty or ugly, fat or thin, young or old, who acts as if every word you say is especially worthy of listening to, and loves you unconditionally and perpetually...then get a dog.

Hugs Not Handshakes

It's that time of year where I suggest hugs over handshakes. The germs are starting to circulate around schools, indoor play areas, malls, etc. etc. as we spend more time indoors and approach winter and the cold and/flu season. Of course we should all wash our hands as often as possible, but most of us don't know who's coming down with a cold or carrying a bug, including ourselves, in advance of germ-spreading. Best of luck getting through another season....but look on the bright side: at least we're building up our immunity! Oh yeah, and get flu shots for your family!

Dessert Quirks

How do you eat an oreo? A yodel? A devil dog? I am always hearing funny stories about the way people take apart and savor their favorite desserts. My quirk: Chips Ahoy! I take the cookies, break them up into little pieces, put them in a cup and pour milk on top of the mess, and then eat it like cereal with a spoon! What's your story?

Mmmmm...Cheesecake!

Lou finally brought me a slice of Diane's cheesecake. Delicious! My neighbor also makes a fabulous cheesecake. Which got me to thinking about all the diners and restaurants around our area I've been to and have judged based on their cheesecake alone! Cheesecake is a very individual thing. I prefer mine extra creamy and usually don't eat the crust. But I am always on the lookout for a great cheesecake, so please pass along your suggestions for restaurants, shops, or homemade recipes. One more dessert that comes to mind that people tend to prefer in their own specially made way is bread pudding. I prefer mine, again, soft and creamy....more like pudding, without raisins. But I know that some people make it more like a cake and I have tasted some delicious recipes that are completely different than my homemade version.

Lancaster County Vacation

I've taken the trip to Lancaster plenty of times.....a very kid-friendly vacation. And I've gotten so many listeners requesting details when I mention it on the air that I thought I'd give you a quick overview in case you haven't yet taken your children to Lancaster County, PA.

My boys adore every detail of our trip. I must say that it almost rivals Disney for younger kids. So let me make a couple of recommendations: Try for at least three days if you're doing it between Memorial Day and Labor Day to get in all the major attractions. My boys' favorites: The Strasburg Railroad and Train Museum....two separate attractions. Go for a ride on a steam train through the Amish farmland.....Thomas The Train even stops by on occasion!

My kids will spend three to six hours at the train museum across the street climbing onto the real trains and playing with the toy train displays. There are also two other toy train museums within blocks of the big train museum. You can stay in a real train hotel (the Red Caboose) and eat in a train restaurant. Our favorite hotel is Willow Valley Family Resort, where the boys will swim 'till 11pm every night in the indoor kiddie water park and five pools. They also love the numerous buffets around the county, especially Miller's and the one at Willow Valley, where they can eat all they want without having to wait. There are also some wonderful family-style restaurants like Good And Plenty.

Dutch Wonderland is a fantastic kiddie amusement park for the little ones. That'll take up a whole day, too. Then there are the numerous Amish farms where you can get horse and buggy rides through covered bridges and interactive life-on-the-farm activities. You can even stay at some of these farms and get up to feed the chickens and milk the cows, then eat Amish meals with the family you're staying with. I love the smell of a farm, the beautiful rolling hills, and the feel of being someplace so different than the Jersey Shore without having to get on a plane. The boys just beg to go back time and time again.

Money For Candy

I'm going to steal an idea today that I got from a dentist who does it. Instead of letting my boys eat their giant bags of Halloween candy this weekend, I'm going to instead offer them a penny for each piece of candy that they're willing to give up. This way they'll get some money to use towards a non-candy gift (while practicing learning to count money) and they won't get all hyped up from the candy. Added Mommy bonus: less chance of cavities, too