Carly: "I'm going to kill the bad guys."
Ethan: "Carly, that surely isn't me!"
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Friday, June 24, 2011
Cleaning Tips 101
With 9.1% of the American population unemployed, you can only imagine the money saving tip articles plastered all over the internet. Imagine my surprise when I came across an article about the things the author felt were necessary in her life that she wouldn't give up because times were hard.
Some of those items and reasons included:
1. Cable TV because she lived in Oregon and it rains a lot there
2. Brand name food because it tastes better.
3. Internet because she occasionally works from home
4. Smartphone; again, for work purposes
As I tried to wrap my head around this article and how silly it was, I realized that there were some things that I would have a really hard time giving up if I had no choice. Cable TV isn't even an option here as we have not had it for over a year now and I've got to say that my kids are fine even on rainy days. This is not to say that we don't watch TV, but we have found a way to do it for only $15 a month instead of around $80. It's called Netflix. You can stream TV shows and movies on your computer, through your Blue Ray player, through a Wii gaming system, and the most popular way in our house...through an Apple TV. Of course you have to purchase these items, but you can save an enormous amount of money by doing so. You don't get to watch your shows as they air on TV, but most networks stream their current TV series online the next day. I was able to watch the entire 8 seasons of the show "24" in like 3 months. Now that's how I like to watch my TV!
This post wasn't really supposed to be about Cable TV or brand name food. I really wanted to share with you some cleaning items and tips that I have come to love because they work for me. If I had to give them up...I'd have a really hard time doing so.
So, without further ado...
CLOROX ANTIBACTERIAL WIPES:
These are my favorite. These bad boys are so versatile! I keep a tube of them in my car for after park trips, scrapes and scratch cleanings when we aren't at home, sticky hand cases, and even dirty feet happenings. They are also great for wiping the shopping cart handle down before you head into the store (especially if you have a baby sitting up front).
I also use these on a regular basis to spot clean my bathroom in between scrub downs. They are great for toilets and vanities. I've also used them on my mirrors, but have since found another product that works better (see below). I usually wipe my bathroom down once every day or every other day...helps for those unexpected visitors that show up and need to use your restroom!
Speaking of bathroom scrub downs...another one of my favorite cleaning product is:
COMET
I used this as a child and coming in at under a dollar for a bottle that lasts over a year, it's a great buy. I like to use this on the bottom of my shower and bathtub. I don't use is it every scrub down (depends on the dirt and grime that's visible). If I am not using Comet, I'm using these:
SCOTCH ERASERS (or even Mr. Clean's Magic Erasers)
Have you ever used these in your bathroom? With a little elbow grease, these guys get all that stuck on grime off. I've tried numerous other shower cleaners and it doesn't even touch that stuff. You do have to scrub a little more than normal, but you will see the grime coming off and the tub shining through.
Of course these things are amazing for cleaning up anything off of walls, baseboards, doors and the like. Especially when you have an artistic 3 year old who thinks the wall is her canvas!
Another favorite (right up there with the Clorox Wipes) has got to be these:
PLEDGE CLEAN & SHINE (AND OIL)
When Patrick surprised me with Stainless Steel appliances I was super happy until it came time to clean them. It seemed as if I tried everything to no avail. One day I was going through my cleaning supply shelf and came across the Pledge Clean and Shine that I used for dusting. I decided to try it out on my fridge AND I WAS BLOWN AWAY!!! This stuff took all the finger prints, toe prints (yes, toe prints), food and water right off leaving it looking shiny and new. It even seemed to keep those things at bay for awhile.
I figured that if it worked so well on the stainless steel, then it should work awesome on mirrors and glass...it did, and now I use this item for my mirrors and glass. This has got to be my favorite find yet!
I also have a few items that are fake stainless steel. The Pledge Clean & Shine does not work well on these, but the Pledge Oil works wonders. It even takes out those annoying water stains. Go ahead...Go try it!
When I was a teenager, I used to fill a pan up with soapy water and poor it all over the kitchen floor, then scrub it with a scratcher and then dry it with numerous towels. Some may say that cleaning the kitchen floor this way was probably not most efficient, but I do have to say that it cleaned it absolutely wonderful! Unfortunately, times have changed and I no longer clean my floors this way. Instead I've come across these:
SWIFFER WET JET SYSTEM
Truthfully, this was kind of a "get me through" type of purchase until I could afford what I really wanted (A Shark Wet and Dry Vac). I'm still using these 4 years later (guess I've prioritized where my money gets spent). It works pretty well. I really like that I can spray and clean without bending over and that the pads are disposable so I can just throw the dirt and grime away, but it doesn't clean as well and a pan of soapy water, a scratcher, and a teenage girl slipping around on her knees...it will do though
Lastly, my favorite cleaning product is
OXYCLEAN
I don't have a picture, but I will always have this stuff in my house...always! Let me just tell you that it got up a whole glass of grape juice spilled onto tan carpet without leaving any hint of it ever being there! AMAZING! I've used it to spot clean my carpets, clothes, and even have used it in on my car floors. The trick to it working on those hard stains (like grape juice), is catching the stain as it happens. It will not take a dried stain of grape juice out...this is why I have it in my house always! I always tell people about this product because it works.
So, are you ready to go clean? I'd love for you to stop by my house and try these products out. My shower is ready for a scrub down...any takers?
Some of those items and reasons included:
1. Cable TV because she lived in Oregon and it rains a lot there
2. Brand name food because it tastes better.
3. Internet because she occasionally works from home
4. Smartphone; again, for work purposes
As I tried to wrap my head around this article and how silly it was, I realized that there were some things that I would have a really hard time giving up if I had no choice. Cable TV isn't even an option here as we have not had it for over a year now and I've got to say that my kids are fine even on rainy days. This is not to say that we don't watch TV, but we have found a way to do it for only $15 a month instead of around $80. It's called Netflix. You can stream TV shows and movies on your computer, through your Blue Ray player, through a Wii gaming system, and the most popular way in our house...through an Apple TV. Of course you have to purchase these items, but you can save an enormous amount of money by doing so. You don't get to watch your shows as they air on TV, but most networks stream their current TV series online the next day. I was able to watch the entire 8 seasons of the show "24" in like 3 months. Now that's how I like to watch my TV!
This post wasn't really supposed to be about Cable TV or brand name food. I really wanted to share with you some cleaning items and tips that I have come to love because they work for me. If I had to give them up...I'd have a really hard time doing so.
So, without further ado...
CLOROX ANTIBACTERIAL WIPES:
These are my favorite. These bad boys are so versatile! I keep a tube of them in my car for after park trips, scrapes and scratch cleanings when we aren't at home, sticky hand cases, and even dirty feet happenings. They are also great for wiping the shopping cart handle down before you head into the store (especially if you have a baby sitting up front).
I also use these on a regular basis to spot clean my bathroom in between scrub downs. They are great for toilets and vanities. I've also used them on my mirrors, but have since found another product that works better (see below). I usually wipe my bathroom down once every day or every other day...helps for those unexpected visitors that show up and need to use your restroom!
Speaking of bathroom scrub downs...another one of my favorite cleaning product is:
COMET
I used this as a child and coming in at under a dollar for a bottle that lasts over a year, it's a great buy. I like to use this on the bottom of my shower and bathtub. I don't use is it every scrub down (depends on the dirt and grime that's visible). If I am not using Comet, I'm using these:
SCOTCH ERASERS (or even Mr. Clean's Magic Erasers)
Have you ever used these in your bathroom? With a little elbow grease, these guys get all that stuck on grime off. I've tried numerous other shower cleaners and it doesn't even touch that stuff. You do have to scrub a little more than normal, but you will see the grime coming off and the tub shining through.
Of course these things are amazing for cleaning up anything off of walls, baseboards, doors and the like. Especially when you have an artistic 3 year old who thinks the wall is her canvas!
Another favorite (right up there with the Clorox Wipes) has got to be these:
PLEDGE CLEAN & SHINE (AND OIL)
When Patrick surprised me with Stainless Steel appliances I was super happy until it came time to clean them. It seemed as if I tried everything to no avail. One day I was going through my cleaning supply shelf and came across the Pledge Clean and Shine that I used for dusting. I decided to try it out on my fridge AND I WAS BLOWN AWAY!!! This stuff took all the finger prints, toe prints (yes, toe prints), food and water right off leaving it looking shiny and new. It even seemed to keep those things at bay for awhile.
I figured that if it worked so well on the stainless steel, then it should work awesome on mirrors and glass...it did, and now I use this item for my mirrors and glass. This has got to be my favorite find yet!
I also have a few items that are fake stainless steel. The Pledge Clean & Shine does not work well on these, but the Pledge Oil works wonders. It even takes out those annoying water stains. Go ahead...Go try it!
When I was a teenager, I used to fill a pan up with soapy water and poor it all over the kitchen floor, then scrub it with a scratcher and then dry it with numerous towels. Some may say that cleaning the kitchen floor this way was probably not most efficient, but I do have to say that it cleaned it absolutely wonderful! Unfortunately, times have changed and I no longer clean my floors this way. Instead I've come across these:
SWIFFER WET JET SYSTEM
Truthfully, this was kind of a "get me through" type of purchase until I could afford what I really wanted (A Shark Wet and Dry Vac). I'm still using these 4 years later (guess I've prioritized where my money gets spent). It works pretty well. I really like that I can spray and clean without bending over and that the pads are disposable so I can just throw the dirt and grime away, but it doesn't clean as well and a pan of soapy water, a scratcher, and a teenage girl slipping around on her knees...it will do though
Lastly, my favorite cleaning product is
OXYCLEAN
I don't have a picture, but I will always have this stuff in my house...always! Let me just tell you that it got up a whole glass of grape juice spilled onto tan carpet without leaving any hint of it ever being there! AMAZING! I've used it to spot clean my carpets, clothes, and even have used it in on my car floors. The trick to it working on those hard stains (like grape juice), is catching the stain as it happens. It will not take a dried stain of grape juice out...this is why I have it in my house always! I always tell people about this product because it works.
So, are you ready to go clean? I'd love for you to stop by my house and try these products out. My shower is ready for a scrub down...any takers?
Raya 12
Here's my young woman. I cannot believe she's 12! Yikes!
Things I love about Raya at age 12!
~ She is a great babysitter
~ She helps me with minimal questions when asked
~ She is super smart
~ She is very easy going
~ She has a beautiful voice
~ She loves to read
~ She has a great relationship with her dad
~ She loves the outdoors
Things Raya loves at 12 years old:
~ Her cell phone
~ Strawberries
~ Making and eating banana smoothies
~ Singing
~ The color red
~ Her family
~ Soccer
~ Volleyball
~ Reading
~ TV show's like H2O, Good Luck Charlie, and Johnny Test
~ Babysitting Carly
Things I love about Raya at age 12!
~ She is a great babysitter
~ She helps me with minimal questions when asked
~ She is super smart
~ She is very easy going
~ She has a beautiful voice
~ She loves to read
~ She has a great relationship with her dad
~ She loves the outdoors
Things Raya loves at 12 years old:
~ Her cell phone
~ Strawberries
~ Making and eating banana smoothies
~ Singing
~ The color red
~ Her family
~ Soccer
~ Volleyball
~ Reading
~ TV show's like H2O, Good Luck Charlie, and Johnny Test
~ Babysitting Carly
Malia 9
Malia at 9 years old:
Things I love about Malia at 9 years old:
~ She is always really helpful with Carly and her Cousin Anthony. She'll even change a diaper without being asked!
~ She's very good at trying to keep the peace.
~ She will clean her room and other places in the house without being asked.
~ She has a beautiful singing voice.
~ She is very creative. She comes up with fun games that entertain herself as well as her friends and siblings
~ She listens pretty well. When told to do something, she generally does it without having to be asked numerous times.
~ She is a monkey. The girl climbs on anything and everything and has no fear of falling. She has awesome balance too!
THINGS MALIA LOVES AT 9 YEARS OLD:
~ Playing her DSi.
~ Frosted Mini Wheats and/or toast for breakfast.
~ Swimming with her friend Ashley.
~ Staying up really late and sleeping in really late.
~ Watching H20, Phineas & Pherb, Good Luck Charlie, and Fairly Odd Parents TV Shows.
Things I love about Malia at 9 years old:
~ She is always really helpful with Carly and her Cousin Anthony. She'll even change a diaper without being asked!
~ She's very good at trying to keep the peace.
~ She will clean her room and other places in the house without being asked.
~ She has a beautiful singing voice.
~ She is very creative. She comes up with fun games that entertain herself as well as her friends and siblings
~ She listens pretty well. When told to do something, she generally does it without having to be asked numerous times.
~ She is a monkey. The girl climbs on anything and everything and has no fear of falling. She has awesome balance too!
THINGS MALIA LOVES AT 9 YEARS OLD:
~ Playing her DSi.
~ Frosted Mini Wheats and/or toast for breakfast.
~ Swimming with her friend Ashley.
~ Staying up really late and sleeping in really late.
~ Watching H20, Phineas & Pherb, Good Luck Charlie, and Fairly Odd Parents TV Shows.
Ethan 6.5
My boy...my little boy...
The poor kid is surrounded with estrogen. It is a great thing when Uncle Jared comes to visit so he can actually wrestle and fight and rough house without all the girly crying. Here's my Ethan at 6.5 years old:
THINGS I LOVE ABOUT ETHAN AT 6.5 YEARS OLD
~ He has the sweetest heart. He is very loving and kind especially to his siblings.
~ He is one smart cookie. He's already doing 2nd grade math and telling time on both analog and digital clocks.
~ He's easy going. Even if he doesn't like how a situation is playing out, he's usually willing to do whatever it is to make everything peaceful.
~ He has the silliest personality and says the darndest things (this is why I created the Kid Quote of the Week).
~ He is a fantastic artist. I have watched him draw for hours and hours.
~ He figures things out super quick. He will always try to do things himself before he asks for help.
~ He has a really hard time smiling normally for pictures. I have more pictures of him making silly faces than him smiling normally.
~ He is very brave. I remember a time when Patrick was pretending to be taken by monsters and even though you could tell he was super scared, he was trying to help his dad out of the room. He also recently had to get blood drawn and knew exactly what was coming...he didn't even try to pull away and only teared up.
~ Even when Carly has done something to him that has made him mad or made him cry, he will always allow her to give him hugs and say she's sorry.
~ He is a momma's boy...what's not to love about that?
THINGS ETHAN LOVES AT 6.5 YEARS OLD
~ He loves oatmeal or pancakes for breakfast
~ He loves Star Wars and can tell you every character's name and story.
~ He loves the Wii. His favorite games are Lego Star Wars, Lego Batman, and Lego Indiana Jones
~ He loves to draw characters from Star Wars, Batman, and Indiana Jones.
~ Some of his favorite TV shows are: Phineas and Ferb, Avatar the Last Air Bender, Ironman, and Spiderman.
~ He loves to play with his toys especially his Lego Star Wars toys and Spiderman toys. (We recently said a prayer so that Heavenly Father could help him find his Doctor Octopus toy. We found it.)
~ His favorite foods are pizza, sugar (his words), quesadillas, burritos, spaghetti and everything I make...except brocolli (again, his words, not mine).
~ His favorite color is blue and he is currently annoyed with all these questions.
This kid is awesome. By far, the most handsomeist boy in the world!
The poor kid is surrounded with estrogen. It is a great thing when Uncle Jared comes to visit so he can actually wrestle and fight and rough house without all the girly crying. Here's my Ethan at 6.5 years old:
THINGS I LOVE ABOUT ETHAN AT 6.5 YEARS OLD
~ He has the sweetest heart. He is very loving and kind especially to his siblings.
~ He is one smart cookie. He's already doing 2nd grade math and telling time on both analog and digital clocks.
~ He's easy going. Even if he doesn't like how a situation is playing out, he's usually willing to do whatever it is to make everything peaceful.
~ He has the silliest personality and says the darndest things (this is why I created the Kid Quote of the Week).
~ He is a fantastic artist. I have watched him draw for hours and hours.
~ He figures things out super quick. He will always try to do things himself before he asks for help.
~ He has a really hard time smiling normally for pictures. I have more pictures of him making silly faces than him smiling normally.
~ He is very brave. I remember a time when Patrick was pretending to be taken by monsters and even though you could tell he was super scared, he was trying to help his dad out of the room. He also recently had to get blood drawn and knew exactly what was coming...he didn't even try to pull away and only teared up.
~ Even when Carly has done something to him that has made him mad or made him cry, he will always allow her to give him hugs and say she's sorry.
~ He is a momma's boy...what's not to love about that?
THINGS ETHAN LOVES AT 6.5 YEARS OLD
~ He loves oatmeal or pancakes for breakfast
~ He loves Star Wars and can tell you every character's name and story.
~ He loves the Wii. His favorite games are Lego Star Wars, Lego Batman, and Lego Indiana Jones
~ He loves to draw characters from Star Wars, Batman, and Indiana Jones.
~ Some of his favorite TV shows are: Phineas and Ferb, Avatar the Last Air Bender, Ironman, and Spiderman.
~ He loves to play with his toys especially his Lego Star Wars toys and Spiderman toys. (We recently said a prayer so that Heavenly Father could help him find his Doctor Octopus toy. We found it.)
~ His favorite foods are pizza, sugar (his words), quesadillas, burritos, spaghetti and everything I make...except brocolli (again, his words, not mine).
~ His favorite color is blue and he is currently annoyed with all these questions.
This kid is awesome. By far, the most handsomeist boy in the world!
Carly 3.5
So I lied about my next post being all about me. As you can see, this one is all about my baby girl. Here she is at 3.5 years old:
THINGS I LOVE ABOUT CARLY AT 3.5 YEARS OLD:
~She has the cutest little squeeky voice.
~She is always singing and she will make up songs about anything.
~She is still cute as ever when she sucks her fingers and rubs her blanket.
~She is still super shy but is coming out of her shell and knows it. She informs me after she talks to an adult that she is not shy anymore.
~When in the house, she is always in her underwear and her pony tail is always taken out. She is often seen outside this way...I wonder what the neighbors think.
~She is not afraid of anything. She is up for all things dare devilish and is currently practicing her head stands on the wall.
~She is super smart. She knows all her letters and sounds and has read simple words like "cat" and "map". We are working on numbers now.
~She has the cutest little outie belly button.
~She loves her brother and sisters and calls them her best friends on a daily basis.
THINGS CARLY LOVES AT 3.5 YEARS OLD
~ She loves the color orange.
~ She loves to eat either oatmeal or Frosted Mini Wheats for breakfast.
~ She loves soda...especially diet coke (I know, I know).
~ Her favorite TV shows include Strawberry Shortcake, Dora the Explorer, and Spongebob.
~ She loves Chuck E Cheeses, rollerskating, swimming, coloring, and gymnastics.
~ She loves broccoli and apples.
~ She loves "white" (vanilla) frosties from Wendy's.
~ She still loves her "brown nanny" (blanket) as well as sucking on her fingers although she is starting to realize that she might be getting too big for this habit.
~ She loves her family but makes sure that everyone knows she is in charge.
What would our lives be without this little firecracker? I don't have a clue, but one thing is for sure...she's definatly a keeper...Love this girl!
THINGS I LOVE ABOUT CARLY AT 3.5 YEARS OLD:
~She has the cutest little squeeky voice.
~She is always singing and she will make up songs about anything.
~She is still cute as ever when she sucks her fingers and rubs her blanket.
~She is still super shy but is coming out of her shell and knows it. She informs me after she talks to an adult that she is not shy anymore.
~When in the house, she is always in her underwear and her pony tail is always taken out. She is often seen outside this way...I wonder what the neighbors think.
~She is not afraid of anything. She is up for all things dare devilish and is currently practicing her head stands on the wall.
~She is super smart. She knows all her letters and sounds and has read simple words like "cat" and "map". We are working on numbers now.
~She has the cutest little outie belly button.
~She loves her brother and sisters and calls them her best friends on a daily basis.
THINGS CARLY LOVES AT 3.5 YEARS OLD
~ She loves the color orange.
~ She loves to eat either oatmeal or Frosted Mini Wheats for breakfast.
~ She loves soda...especially diet coke (I know, I know).
~ Her favorite TV shows include Strawberry Shortcake, Dora the Explorer, and Spongebob.
~ She loves Chuck E Cheeses, rollerskating, swimming, coloring, and gymnastics.
~ She loves broccoli and apples.
~ She loves "white" (vanilla) frosties from Wendy's.
~ She still loves her "brown nanny" (blanket) as well as sucking on her fingers although she is starting to realize that she might be getting too big for this habit.
~ She loves her family but makes sure that everyone knows she is in charge.
What would our lives be without this little firecracker? I don't have a clue, but one thing is for sure...she's definatly a keeper...Love this girl!
Thursday, June 23, 2011
The Bottomless Folder
I have this folder on my computer desktop. It's where I store photos that I want to blog about. It seems like I can never empty it. There is always something in that folder waiting for me to document into some awesome story. Unfortunately, life has been hectic and my creativeness has fallen by the wayside (at least for now). So I have decided to share these photos in one big post. Maybe with the folder being empty, I can create fresh new awesome stories one at a time in the near future...maybe. Well, here goes nothing:
Malia's birthday party was super low key this year (kind if like my blog posts). I took Malia and two of her friends along with Raya to see Diary of a Whimpy Kid II, Rodrick Rules and then we went to Leatherby's for dinner and super big ice cream sundaes. She loved it, and I enjoyed the little planning I had to do to make it happen:
I totally forgot to post a happy birthday post for Raya. She turned twelve and is now a Young Woman! We didn't do cake or ice cream and I didn't take any birthday photos. Truth is, it was a long day. It was the last day of school, so I guess I did take some pictures...Patrick took her to the River Cats game and they had a blast. We will be taking Raya and one of her friends to Sunsplash for her "party". Another low key birthday party. Here are some cute pictures of Raya as a brand new baby:
I found this the other day:
Do you know what it is? A long time ago before computers were a normal tool, libraries used these cards when someone would check out a book. I love that the first date on this is April 22, 1964. That's a long time ago. Times have changed. I often wonder what new things the world will have in 30 years. I can't imagine what will be a normal thing to see then. Hovering cars perhaps? Can't imagine that really happening, but seriously...who knows!
Our 15th wedding anniversary was on Memorial Day. Since we already "celebrated" it with our trip to Occidental, we decided to have a friendly little softball game. Our friends the Miller's and Patrick's brother's family as well as my brother and sister headed over to Pershing School and played some ball...not a real game, but I had a blast. I sure do miss that game:
This is Ethan's Card hat. He has an awesome poker face too:
Malia had to do an oral biography book report. She chose Betsy Ross. This was her outfit she wore as she presented her report:
I think that's it for now...I have some new posts in store for you. It should be interesting...they'll be about me...In the meantime, enjoy this picture:
My nephew Anthony...
Malia's birthday party was super low key this year (kind if like my blog posts). I took Malia and two of her friends along with Raya to see Diary of a Whimpy Kid II, Rodrick Rules and then we went to Leatherby's for dinner and super big ice cream sundaes. She loved it, and I enjoyed the little planning I had to do to make it happen:
I totally forgot to post a happy birthday post for Raya. She turned twelve and is now a Young Woman! We didn't do cake or ice cream and I didn't take any birthday photos. Truth is, it was a long day. It was the last day of school, so I guess I did take some pictures...Patrick took her to the River Cats game and they had a blast. We will be taking Raya and one of her friends to Sunsplash for her "party". Another low key birthday party. Here are some cute pictures of Raya as a brand new baby:
I found this the other day:
Do you know what it is? A long time ago before computers were a normal tool, libraries used these cards when someone would check out a book. I love that the first date on this is April 22, 1964. That's a long time ago. Times have changed. I often wonder what new things the world will have in 30 years. I can't imagine what will be a normal thing to see then. Hovering cars perhaps? Can't imagine that really happening, but seriously...who knows!
Our 15th wedding anniversary was on Memorial Day. Since we already "celebrated" it with our trip to Occidental, we decided to have a friendly little softball game. Our friends the Miller's and Patrick's brother's family as well as my brother and sister headed over to Pershing School and played some ball...not a real game, but I had a blast. I sure do miss that game:
This is Ethan's Card hat. He has an awesome poker face too:
Malia had to do an oral biography book report. She chose Betsy Ross. This was her outfit she wore as she presented her report:
I think that's it for now...I have some new posts in store for you. It should be interesting...they'll be about me...In the meantime, enjoy this picture:
My nephew Anthony...
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