I just wanted to thank ALL of you for the tips on how to keep my house just a little bit more clean! I'm loving The Fly Lady...why have I never heard of her before?! I mean, you all know how much I love lists & organization, and she's like the organization QUEEN!! Thanks for that sweet piece of info ladies! And I think I've decided to invest in The Shark for mopping my floors. I love that it only uses water...that's just genius! My whites are now whiter thanks to Tide w/ Bleach Alternative + OxyClean WITH the soap, and my dishes are spot-free thanks to the amazing cleaning powers of Jet Dry!! What would I do without you guys? I'm thinking that I'd be living in a house that was just a little bit more dingy grey with A LOT more spots :) But seriously, all of your tips really helped, and I super appreciate them. I am now officially the cleaning fairy. Now where did I put my wings?!?
Valentine's Day Wreath
I absolutely LOVE the blog, "Living with Lindsey". She does this thing called "Teach Me Tuesday" where she browses the blog-o-sphere and finds fun crafts to teach her readers. Awhile back I found this super cute Valentines Day Wreath, and I thought I'd give it a try. I spent about $7 on it, all said and done, and I think it was worth it!! The original wreath creator has much better pictures than I do, but I thought I'd show you how I did it so that you can see how truly easy it was :) Who knows...maybe you'll try it out too!!
You will need:
Scrap Fabric (cut into 2x2 in squares)
Elmers Glue
1 Foam Heart (you can find it online or at JoAnns)
A pencil
A ribbon to hang your wreath with
Start w/ some fabric scraps...
Place the fabric on the pointy end of the pencil, and dip lightly in Elmer's Glue
**Make sure it's the pointy end...I'm speaking from experience here!! Heehee!**
Press the pencil & fabric into the foam heart and hold for about 2 seconds. Repeat about a million times, making sure that you get the fabric pretty close together.
I stapled my ribbon to the back of my wreath, and then tacked it to the top of my front door. I think it looks pretty good for $7, & it only took about 2 hours to complete!!
Happy Crafting!!
House Cleaning Tips
If you were thinking that you were going to get some super house cleaning tips from this post, you might be a little disappointed. Instead, it's me that needs the tips...and pronto!! So, if you have any advice on the following questions, and I mean ANY, please leave me a comment....I'll love you forever :)
DISHWASHER SPOTS
All of a sudden, my dishes & silverware have spots all over them after they've been run through the dishwasher. I put some cookies in a tupperware to take to my husbands squadron the other day, and I was embarrassed! I had to empty said tupperware and wash it by hand before I actually took it up there...and friends, I just don't have time to do that every single time! What happened?! I used Cascade, just like always. I'm not really sure why this problem decided to rear its ugly head now. Got any ideas on how to nip it in the bud??
WHITES
I've tried EVERYTHING to get my whites really white, and I continue to fail miserably! Bleach just doesn't work for me. I've used OxyClean, but I always follow the directions on the box and put it in the washer AFTER it's started running. Should I put it in at the same time that I put the detergent in? I use All...strictly for budget reasons. But, at this point, I'm totally willing to change if my whites will start looking like they're clean! What do y'all use? I need help, can you tell??
FLOORS
Though Elli isn't crawling yet, I have a feeling that it's just right around the corner. And it's got me really worried about my floors. Okay, not REALLY worried, but it IS something that I think about. We have hardwood floors in our entry and dining room, and tile in our kitchen. What do y'all use on those kinds of surfaces that is okay for little hands (since those little hands so quickly go to little mouths)? I usually use the Swiffer Wet Mop, but I'm kinda thinking that I'd like to use something organic. Or if not organic, at least a little bit more natural. Got any ideas?
POTPOURRI
I have tons of candles in our house, but the only ones I've found that really make the entire room smell good are the Tyler Candles. My personal favorite is "Eggnog"...sounds weird, but it smells sooo good. While I LOVE burning the candles, Chris wants to start using something else b/c of the ash. I think he's hinting that my dusting abilities are severely lacking, but I'm not even going to get into that!! So...do any of you use the Renuzit Crystals, or Plug-Ins? Or do you know of any good potpourri that isn't too strong?
Thanks, in advance, for all of your tips and tricks! I've gotten some GREAT advice from a lot of you in the past, and I'm hoping to find the key to my house-cleaning woes from you as well!!
Happy Wednesday!!
Show Us Your Life...Shopping!!
Now this is a "Show Us Your Life" that I can really get into...SHOPPING!! If you don't know what "SUYL" is, then hop on over to Kelly's Korner to find out. I think you'll love her :) Anyway, back to the task at hand...picking out my favorite stores!!
For Children:
Etsy and a one of my favorite stores there is: Little House Tees
And, of course, Gymboree
And then there is Ella Bella of Southlake (though I can't afford it...no, not even one thing!)
Oh, and "Kid to Kid" Consignment in Arlington...it's like a wonderland in there!!
And I LOVE LOVE LOVE "The Carousel" in downtown Columbus, and the "Reeds" childrens department...super cute!!
For Women:
Zappos for shoes
I'm learning to love Belk too, since we're in Mississippi :)
James Avery for jewelry
Hmm, I'm drawing a blank!! Can you tell that my shopping interests have shifted from myself to my daughter??!! Such is mommy-hood I guess :)
For The Home:
Of course, I love Pottery Barn, & Williams Sonoma; however, I frequent them a lot less often now that we're buying formula & diapers instead of housewares & knives!!
I'm a BIG fan of Target, and I can't ever get out of that place w/o dropping at least $50...it's like a time warp in there! Good thing that the closest one is an hour away!
I've recently discovered my love of all things Hobby Lobby, too! And, the best thing is, if you click in the link you can print out a 40% off coupon.
Apple Annies in Hurst
Sample House in Southlake
And almost ANY booth in Canton on First Monday!!
I hope this list makes it easy to browse some of my favorite stores!! I'd love to hear about some of yours!!
Resolving To Do Better!
I have to admit that the resolutions/goals that I set for myself almost 2 weeks ago haven't been as easy to stick to as I had hoped....darn Dr. Pepper!! In all seriousness though, I am committed to bettering myself this year so I thought a little accountability couldn't hurt :)
The gratitude journal and the scripture reading have been the two things that I've consistently been good about completing each day. I can already feel a change in my attitude because of the way that I'm approaching things, and I truly believe that starting the gratitude journal has made all the difference. When I sit down at night to reflect on the blessings of the day, I am amazed at all of the wonderful things that God has given to us. Not only that, but I'm starting to see that even in the trying times, there is underlying goodness. For example, Chris's training has been a lot more demanding than either of us had realized. His 12 hour work-days sometimes stretch even longer, and Saturday work has now become a reality. With a baby at home, it's even harder...on both of us. While it still upsets me that he isn't at home nearly as often as I would like, I can appreciate the time that we do get to be together even more now because I know that it is precious. And at least he has a job, a good job; one that provides insurance for our family, and one that allows me to stay home with Elli. What is there to complain about really? I can see the my own selfishness now, whereas a week ago I couldn't.
And I've started to read 1st Kings, which has been incredibly interesting. I've never read this book before, and honestly didn't know much about Solomon or the blessings the Lord bestowed upon him. When asked by the Lord what he most desired, Solomon answered "a discerning heart" 1Kings 3:9. It got me thinking...what would I ask for? What would you ask for? Would a discerning heart top my list? Or would the things of this world tip the scales a different way? The Lord granted Solomon's request because his desire was pure, and additionally made Solomon wiser than anyone who had come before him or anyone who would come after. This book has really sparked my interest in a way that I've never felt before when reading the Bible...an answered prayer in itself...another entry for the gratitude journal :)
As for the whole "not drinking Dr. Pepper's except on the weekends" thing...well, ummm...I haven't been quite as good about that. OR about the working out at least 30 minutes a day...unless of course you count me walking up to the corner store to buy a Dr. Pepper! See what I mean about having a problem?! It's almost as bad as my Chick-fil-a addiction! But tomorrow is a new day, and I really am resolving to do better!!
Roll 'Em
I got Chris a Flip for his birthday this year, and man does that thing come in handy!! Here's one of the first video's that we took...of course it's of Elli :) Please excuse the cheese-ball commentary, complete with mommy-voice & date stamp!! The next one will be better, I swear!
Oh, and Elli has now learned how to roll from her tummy to her back as well. The other day she was just rollin' her way across the floor. I'm telling you, she's a genius :)
Unshakable
Have you read this??
or this??
I think that both articles are worth a moment of your time.
People in Haiti are praising God. They are setting aside their differences and helping their neighbors. They are clinging to hope, and providing refuge for one another. They are working side by side to care for the wounded, and around the clock to find those who are missing. They are mourning their loved ones, and embracing their friends. Their homes, businesses, churches, schools and hospitals are in ruins, yet they are singing in the streets PRAISING GOD!
Manuel Roig-Franzia (WP) described their praises as, "a symphony of hope in a landscape of despair". What a beautifully eloquent way to describe their united voices. They are praising Jesus, for despite what has happened, He continues to be the hope that they are searching for.
My heart is heavy for the Haitian people. I can't even begin to imagine the utter devastation, not even a tiny piece of it. But their faith is proving to be greater than their circumstances. In the midst of the chaos, they seem to have found something unshakable.
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