Sunday, May 1, 2011

Rule #5 -- if it's finally clean...wait 5 minutes.

So I am a little discouraged this weekend. It seems like as soon as I clean something, someone dirties it!  And I don't even have kids yet!

I cleaned the kitchen. Rodney wants sweet potato fries for dinner. Not oven fries like usual though, fried fries. I've never fried ANYTHING. The kitchen was smoky and filthy. The fries were delish. I was just happy that my eyebrows were intact.

I vaccuumed the carpet. Bella barfs. Twice. It is yellow.

I mopped the floor. Bella trips me and I step in her food and water dish. Dog food flies everywhere.

I demand that you pity me.

:)

Monday, April 18, 2011

NEW winner!

It's number 24! Yay Tiffany Houston!  Facebook me your address to claim your prize!!

Winner!!

Hey faithful followers!  Even though we didn't make our goal of 20 followers, I love you guys so much that decided to do the giveaway!


First, I made a list like this:



1.      Sydni

2.      Rebecca
3.      Jocelyn
4.      Mindy
5.      Michelle
6.      Tiffany Litchfield
7.      Tiffany Lloyd Houston
8.      Sharisse
9.      Jadestuff1013
10.  Sydni
11.  Rebecca
12.  Jocelyn
13.  Mindy
14.  Michelle
15.  Tiffany Litchfield
16.  Tiffany Lloyd Houston
17.  Sharisse
18.  Jadestuff1013
19.  Rebecca
20.  Jocelyn
21.  Mindy
22.  Michelle
23.  Tiffany Litchfield
24.  Tiffany Lloyd Houston
25.  Sharisse
26.  Jadestuff1013

Then I went to Random.org and it generated the number 5...which is my sister. I thought to myself: 'you can't pick your sister...they'll think it's rigged."

So I did another random number pick. It was 14.  Michelle again.  I guess the universe wants her to have clear sinuses!

So, Michelle, You are the WINNER!  Unless you already have a sinus rinse...let me know!

I'll keep doing giveaways and posting cleaning tips, so stay tuned.

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Not a cleaning tip....and a GIVEWAY?

This post isn't about cleaning...unless you consider irrigating the boogers out of your sinuses a type of cleaning...which I do.


Anyway. I am sick. Nigh unto death, as it were. For reals people, I feel like ___________ (fill in the blank--it's a Mad Lib!)


I am in Park City for the weekend with my Mumsie and Popsicle who are visiting and while I am blissfully happy to be in their company, I am so mad at myself for not packing my "nose bottle." This is my nose bottle:

It is NOT a neti pot. Neti pots are for pansies. The squeeze bottle allows you to really get all of the crap out of your sinuses. 

All you do is fill it with warm water, and then mix in a packet of the salt/baking soda stuff. Don't make your own...you have to get the proportions just right. I say just fork over the few bucks for the packets so the water doesn't burn your nose.

Then you squirt the water into your nose hole. And watch the magic.  **DON'T WATCH the Youtube videos.** Sinus irrigation looks weird and scary. You will be freaked out and intimidated.  It is not scary. I swear.  It feels so good.

I don't rinse my nose everyday. But when I am having bad allergies or feel a cold coming on I will do it several times in a day.

I believe in the nose bottle. I haven't been to the doctor for a sinus infection in 3 years.  I used to have sinus infections every 4-5 months. I hated taking all of those antiboitics, so I am so glad to have found a natural remedy that works.

I feel like this cold might turn into an infection. And it makes me mad because it could have been prevented with my nose bottle. When I get home on Monday, the first thing I will do is wash out my nose!

*GIVEAWAY* 
I got a free Waterpik® SinuSense™ Neti Bottle in the mail a little while ago. I would love to give it away in my blog...BUT I have only two followers. (THANK YOU loyal 2 followers. I heart you).  



I will do a giveaway for this brand new sinus bottle if I get at least 20 followers by April 18th . All you have to do is follow and then post a comment. Get your friends to follow too! You know you want the nose bottle! I mean it is 15 bucks at Walgreens, and you can get one FREE!
Make it happen!


Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Hoarders and Rule # 17

I LOVE watching the show "Hoarders." I have no clue why.  I find it simultaneously repulsive and intriguing.  I do realize it is a serious mental illness/compulsive addiction, but I find myself wondering: How does that happen?!

And then I walk into my husband's office and I realize the answer.

Husband isn't a real hoarder, but he doesn't follow Rule # 17:

Touch things once.

My mom and dad came up with this one.  It stipulates that you only touch something once.  Simple right?

Here are some examples:

When doing laundry, touch each piece of clean laundry once.  Take it out of the dryer, fold it, put it away.  It takes more time and effort to keep touching it to put in a pile over by the tv while you fold, and then to put the folded stacks on the bed, and then to move the stack at 11:00pm to sleep, and then to move the stack to find your clothes at 6 am, and on and on.

Dishes: take the dirty dish, rinse it and put in the dishwasher rather than touching it once to put it in the sink, then again to wash the crusty stuff off, and then into the dishwasher.

Trash: instead of putting the empty juice container back into the fridge, while it is still in your hand from pouring, just toss it in the can.

It sounds stupid, but if you touch things once, piles don't materialize, clean clothes don't get wrinkled and need to be washed again, and you don't find trash anywhere except the garbage can.

Believe me.  Rule #17 save time.  And lives.

Monday, March 7, 2011

What Easter Bunnies Leave Behind...

I saw this recipe on the blog "Our Best Bites" and I knew I had to make it since I am ADDICTED to Cadbury mini eggs. I actually buy a dozen bags the day after Easter when they are 50% off, and make them last all year.  I almost made it this time. I got to December, but then luckily Cadbury made a similar Christmas themed candy and I stockpiled that until now.

I am actually too lazy and busy to make cookies from scratch, so here is my super simply recipe.  Husband  loves these cookies.  You can mix practically ANYTHING into them and it will taste good.

1 box Devil's food cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter or shortening (shortening works better, I think. If you use butter, chill the dough for an hour before baking)
Optional: splash of Mexican vanilla (You can get Molina brand at Walmart now, and it is just as good as the fancy brands. When I was growing up we actually had to go to Nogales, Mexico to get Molina vanilla!)

...and that's it. Bake 350 for 8 minutes blah blah blah...

I tried making these cookies with Cadbury mini eggs, Reese's pieces eggs, and Whopper mini Robins' eggs.  They are all delicious options. Husband liked the Reese's eggs best.

To me, these look like Easter Bunny poops.  I told Husband they are called 'Bunny Turds.' He thought that was funny.  If you don't say 'poop' or 'turd' in your house you could call it "Bunny Scat.'

Anyway, here is the link to the original, more complicated recipe:

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2009/04/cadbury-egg-cookies/




(Dani, this was for you as another mini egg addict!)


Friday, March 4, 2011

Rule #35 Use less=clean less

This rule applies to extra bedrooms and bathrooms. Basically, what I do is I never use my extra bathrooms or bedrooms so I don't have to clean them.  Maybe it sounds weird, but let me explain:

I grew up in a house with 3 bathrooms. One upstairs for the girls, one in the master suite and one powder room off of the laundry room. My mom discouraged us from using the powder room and reserved it only for visitors or guests.  I always thought that this was stupid. Until I had a house of my own.

Our house has 3 bathrooms too.  2 full upstairs and one 1/2 near the kitchen.  When we first moved in I gave Rodney a choice: he could use ALL the toilets if HE cleaned all the toilets. Or he could use ONE toilet and I would clean it.  This works great (when he follows the rule, anyway).  I just HATE cleaning "boy" toilets. So I will clean ONE.  And only ONE.

When we have guests or visitors, I can feel confident that the bathroom is just as clean and fresh as I left it last time I cleaned.  I generally sanitize and spot clean them once every two or three weeks.  Before and after a guest comes to stay, I deep clean the bathroom.

For guest rooms, I just keep the door closed and no one goes in there, so it's always neat and tidy.

My Husband hates this rule, but it falls under rule # 1 : clean smarter, not harder.

Following this advice will save you lots of time especially if you are using and cleaning all  bathrooms in your house on a weekly basis.

Random Pet Peeve: I hate in when we have male visitors or guests and they leave the toilet seats up.  Maybe it's okay with your wife, but you're in MY house, so leave it like you found it! :)