Cold and Flu season, Ho!

Today my youngest started getting a runny nose and acting whiny and petulant. Sigh, the signs that he's getting sick. By this afternoon a very mild fever and sleepiness joined the team so now I'm playing defense.
I found a couple of recipes on a blog recently and I'm dying to try them, this is a perfect opportunity. I stumbled on Keeper of the Home Cold Kicker recipe to help kick it in the bud right as it starts - forewarning, it's supposed to steep for a couple of weeks so plan ahead. It was simple to put together since I had just about everything on hand and wow, was that ever a potent mix. My breathing is VERY clear now, lol. I have high hopes for it's effectiveness, but doubts about my children opening their mouths for it. Crossing my fingers that the honey added after it's finished will make a big difference in the flavor.
Next I made a more immediately gratifying recipe from the same blog, the Cough and Cold syrup. It was even simpler and smells much more appealing. Thank goodness for generous bloggers sharing their recipes! I'm always looking for good home remedies so I can avoid the ingredients in store bought stuff. I'll be sure to share how this works for my family.