Monday's Magic: Tub Scrub Solution and Home Organization Check In

Monday's Magic: Tub Scrub Solution

Once again, my inspiration comes from Jill at  www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com

In the last month, I have tried everything to get rid of 40 years of soap scum off of our bath tub.  

We have used this forever.  You would think, we would stop using it, when it only did half the job.

This is good to spray the tub after your shower in the morning, but it is definitely not removing any of our GRIME!

This actually made a dent in the soap scum. But I can only say dent, because after using BOTH  magic erasers it only took care of half of the bath tub and I had to scrub extremely hard to get that.

So after I ran out of options from my cleaning arsenal, who did I turn to?  Jillee, Of Course.

Here's her original post:  http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/02/tub-and-shower-soap-scum-buster.html

This was as I was beginning to spray scum buster.  Pictures really don't do this Muck justice.

Step One

Fill your spray bottle HALF FULL of Vinegar.  Heat in Microwave.

(I wasn't sure how my pretty little bottle would do in the microwave, so I heated the vinegar in a bowl, then poured it in the bottle.)

Step Two

Pour in equal part of Dawn Original Dish Soap

I gave my bottle a little shake to mix it up.

Step Three

Spray all over shower/tub and Wait about an hour. 

** You may want to leave the room for a few minutes or open a window.  This stuff has a very strong smell.

Step Four

Rinse away all the Muck.  On your more stubborn areas, you will have to give a little elbow grease, but not much.

The other side of the tub was sparkling clean after one spray and waiting 5 minutes. This side, did need a Round 2.

 Finished Product: Check out the Shine.  

I realiza that soap scum is hard to see on a white tub, but I promise this stuff is awesome.

Weekly Clean House

Check-In

Last week, went great.  I really like the new schedule.  It works great for me.  I even cleaned Windows! On Thursday, I was able to take care of Thursdays Tasks and most of Fridays, because I knew I wouldn't be around much on Friday. 

I did make new task cards to go along with my new schedule.  Since , I have the morning and evening tasks down to routine now, I only wrote the tasks for that Day of the Week.  For motivation, I drew a few pictures.   

My Weekly Hint:  Fold your laundry as soon as it dries!

I know what your thinking.  I can't stop what I am doing every 60 minutes to fold laundry.  I get it. I have argued with my Mother for years over this.  In fact, I went many years, using my coffee table or dining room table as a folding center. It seemed like as soon as I finally cleared the table, there came more clothes! AGGGHH! 

However, This month I have really done my best to run to the laundry room and fold what I can right then.  Especially, dress clothes,(hang them up immediately right...no more wrinkles).  Even if all you have time to do is get them out, give them a shake, straighten them out and lay them in a flat pile.  Then take them into the kids room and multi-task.  I know your good at it.  And with that no more clothes in heaps around your house.  

It may only be working for me, because I am off for the summer and have time to do it.  But, I will do my best to keep up with it, in September.

Hope you are getting the hang of it.  Remember don't give up, every little success is a victory.

Still Stormy??

Dear God,

We know not your plans.  But we know YOU.  We know you as Father, Messiah, Savior, Redeemer, and Friend. We let go of our fear and hold onto your hand.  And this is where we choose to stay.

Love, 

Your Child

       I see my friends and family struggling to understand their current situations. I struggle with them.  I watch the television and shiver in horror of what people are doing to each other. I weep for the families of the Colorado shooting.  I am a fixer.  I want a solution, or even words to make it better.  Yet, none come even close.  All I have is my faith.  And that is all I need.  

          I have seen God perform Miracles.  I have seen hearts changed, bodies healed, and minds restored.  But in this time, clouded with images of pain, heartache, and death; My flesh, looks for God and demands Him to explain what He is doing.  I had faith that God performed His Miracles, and He most certainly did.  However, now it seems like less of a Miracles.  My spirit cries out, "Do not let the devil rob you of that joy.  It is not over yet, and WE ALREADY KNOW WHO WINS!!! "

     

         Since we never get to see the entire picture, we have no idea what is next. We just keep trusting in His Promises and Miracles.  He has a much better view of what happens next.

Hannah always asks me to give her tricks to remember things or complete tasks.  Like when she is really tired on a long walk we say, "I love my feet, they go so fast, before you know it, I am flying through the grass."  And it helps her to refocus and motivates her to walk faster.  

So here is my 'trick', when I begin to question God.  "I may not like where I am, I might not know what is to come, but I know my God and I know what He Has Done."  Let your faith rest in what You Know!

Thursday's Teachable Moments: Fine Motor Activity, Handwriting, and Super Science.

Thursday's Teachable Moments

With My Kids:

Cheap But,Really Fun

One Bottle of Dollar Store Hair Gel, 

One Gallon Zip-Loc Bag, add Glitter, if you have it.

Great for Practicing Letters or even just a fun toy.

Isaiah taking a squeeze gel break

Hannah enjoying drawing shapes

Isaiah drawing a circle.

Hannah drawing an I.

Helpful Hint: Don't leave any air in the bag. Or you will have bubbles which will make your letters hard to read.

Super Science Fun

What you need?

A water bottle or sprite bottle,  

1/2 cup vinegar, 2 tablespoons Baking Soda

A Balloon, 

Two Bored Kids

 Pour Vinegar into sprite bottle,  use funnel to get baking soda in balloon.  Place balloon on the top of the sprite bottle without dumping the contents.  Once the balloon is secured, the kids can hold the balloon up, dumping the contents into the bottle. When the baking soda hits the vinegar, first comes fizz, then comes bubbles, followed by the balloon inflating.  My kids were so amazed!

 They were so proud of their balloons!

For the next thirty minutes they played catch, volleyball, and eventually Momma and Baby. Doesn't everything eventually end up in a game of Momma and Baby?

Two Bored Kids + One Awesome Experiment =

Two Very Excited Kids

Hope you have as much fun with your kids as we did.  Warning:  My kids liked the balloon experiment so well, they ask to do it EVERY DAY! Good Luck.

Monday's Magic: Sure Fire Stain Remover and Week 2 Check In

     

Monday's Magic: Sure Fire Stain Remover

One Part Dawn Washing Liquid, Two Parts Hydrogen Peroxide,  Tsp Baking Soda

On Mondays, I am hoping to try out new household tricks that I find on Pinterest or on my favorite Blogs.  I can already tell you that most of my Mondays Magic will probably becoming from one amazing site... www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com  She is amazing and seems to have a trick in the book for every house cleaning dilemma. 

    

What you will need? 

 Dawn Dish Liquid, Hydrogen Peroxide, Baking Soda

Why I need it? 

 

My Cup Runneth Over...LITERALLY!! I have two beautiful children who inherited my balance and grace...I mean the lack there of.  We even named my daughter Hannah GRACE, in hopes that God would gift her with grace(in all senses of the word).  Unfortunately, she most definitely has my clumsy abilities.  I feel like we are constantly running around with cups splishing and splashing.  So, can you imagine what our carpet in our Dining Room looks like?  Yes, I did say carpet in our dining room.  So, I have been looking for a Magical Spot Stain Remover.  

    

This is my starting patch...

After Solution Poured onto Stain/Spots

FINAL RESULTS

After Scrubbed with Cleaning Brush

The treated spots are gone, but it has left a little of a blue tint.  I might put some water and soak up the Dawn.  Any suggestions?

Week 2 Home Organization Check In

How was your week 2?  What have you learned about yourself and your household?  Lesson 1: No Matter how many different weekly housecleaning plans I find, none of them are exactly me. Most of them are a really good place to start, but as you are reading what works for me, be sure to expect that you and your situation is unique.  Start someone else's 'plan' and prune it down to meet your needs.

How are you doing with the Daily Tasks?...Make Beds, Wipe Down Bathroom, Afternoon Tidy, Clean Kitchen, Bath, Brush, Beds.  These tasks are becoming very routine.  The only time, I have any problems with these, is when we have a very late night for some reason and we sleep past 8 a.m.    Then the morning tasks become a little rushed. 

Do the weekly tasks fit your household? Like previously mentioned, mold this plan for you.  We have a a Rat Terrier who loves to roll in the dirt and grass, before cuddling up on our bed.  So give the dog a bath, has to be a weekly task.  Also, our kitchen floor is white linoleum, so mopping must take place at least twice a week.  I also have to admit, for some unknown and bizarre reason I cannot get my self to clean windows on Wednesdays...peculiar me.  At first, I liked the idea of putting the more in depth tasks at the beginning of the week Monday-laundry, sheets; Tuesday-Vacuum, Dust, Clean Bathroom, etc.  However, now I think my brain is losing interest mid-week and missing the importance of the latter tasks...like window washing and vacuuming every other day.  But this is just me.  So here is MY PLAN for this coming week.  

Monday- Sheets, Towels, Windows, (Mopping?)

Tuesday-Vacuum, Dust, Dog Bath

Wednesday- Laundry, Bathroom, 

Thursday- Meal Plan, Vacuum

Friday- Laundry, Mopping

Have you tackled any of the monthly tasks?  Are you consistent enough with daily tasks, and weekly tasks to start focusing on the monthly tasks?  I am not.  For week 3, I will try my gently tweaked plan.  If it works great, then I will stick to the daily/weekly tasks for two more weeks.  At the point I would like to start attempting the monthly tasks.  I am doing it this way not because I am lazy, but I know myself...if I put too many plates on my tray in the beginning, I will be the poor waitress in the floor with Chile Con Queso on her head.

Where ever you are at in the home organization process, stick with it.  Do what works for you and your family.


Let me know how you are doing.

Wednesday's Wisdom: Fear Not

A few weeks ago, Hannah(5 yrs. old) attended a VBS program at my Mom's church. That night the children learned about what to do if you are afraid.  After only attending one night, she was very proud to have memorized her memory verse.  'Do not be afraid for I am with you, Do not be afraid, for I am your God. Isaiah 41:10"  

When we arrived home, I asked her to let Molly, our Rat Terrier, out of her kennel.  I had yet to turn on any light but in the kitchen.  She said, "Mom, I am afraid of the dark, could you turn on the lights...No, wait! Never mind, I know what to do."  Quietly to herself, she walked down the hall whispering. "When you are afraid, remember God is with you. Do not be afraid, for I am with you. Do not be afraid, for I am your God."   

The last two weeks, I have had several of those moments.  Family members sick in the emergency room, awaiting test results, preparing for medical procedures that may shine a light on more rough waters ahead, a death of a loved member of my hometown who definitely impacted my life with Christ.  To say the least, I was overwhelmed, and my flesh would time after time choose fear, anxiety, and sleepless nights.  All the while, my brave 5 year old daughter and fearless two year old son, daily encountered fears and anxieties, consistently turning to God.  Even today, Hannah was on her way downstairs and asked Isaiah to go with her, because she was a little scared...there might be a bug or spider in the laundry room.  Her brother of course accompanied her down the stairs, but stopped long enough to remind her..."Hannah, not be scared...God with you."  

The waters may seem troubled, but let your heart not be troubled. Your King is with you.  He can always calm the storm, however, He may just choose to calm His child. 




I don't know if you are struggling through rough waters right now, or even about to head right into them.  I pray that you remember, that Your God, the Creator, the Master, the Messiah, Our Salvation is with you.  That he will give you the strength you need.

My Successes and Blunders During Week 1 of Our Home Organization Plan

           

Move Away from the Mess!

              During the school year, I am a mess...I mean my house is a mess, well maybe, we could say both statements are true, but let's focus on the latter.  Which is of course why I have been excited about trying a more structured plan for house cleaning/organization. I want to be able to manage the affairs of my household, open my mouth with wisdom-not stress, and laugh without worry of the dishes piling up in the sink, laundry beginning to form peculiar shapes, and the horror of realizing I have not started a project that has a deadline of tomorrow.  
             
              I figure, if I can get this down to a structured habit during the summer, maybe I'll have a chance to not be a complete mess during this coming school year.  I have been trying to get my act together all summer, but as you may know, without accountability, it is easy to stray.  So let's be accountable.  I'll check in on you and please feel free to ask me if I have removed the fingerprints of preschoolers from the French doors on window cleaning days. Cleaning windows sounds so boring...lol.  I think I watch too many spy-cop shows. Am I really starting to think that house cleaning should be exciting? Well, maybe we can make it have a little Pizazz!


             On Monday, I got up early, made the beds, fixed breakfast, wiped down the bathroom. Made sure I had everything I needed for tacos. Gold Star for the Morning Tasks...Hooray!  By lunchtime, I had clean sheets on all the beds, 3 loads of laundry washed, 2 loads dried and folded and the main living areas straightened just in time for the kids nap time. I made sure to finish up the kitchen, before I started baths, brushing, and bed routine.  This is really important for me, because usually sometime after bath or in the middle of brushing, I have lost all energy, patience, and perseverance to do anything after my two bouncing, balls of joyful energy finally fall asleep. 
               Tuesday went very similarly, Morning Routine was a piece of cake, my bathroom didn't know what hit it. I don't think I have ever seen my floor sparkle before =). My kids loved their role of "House Dusters"...and they did a good job.  Even the two year old dusted 60% of the table!  Isaiah would have rather avoided the vacuuming altogether, but I made sure to wait til he was playing in his bedroom before I turned on the dreaded noise-maker.  We visited family for dinner, so the kitchen mess was limited and easy to tackle. Bed time routine went smoothly.


            On Wednesday, we spent the day with my aunt (who had been seen for pneumonia three days prior) picking up presents, cake, and dinner ingredients for my grandfather's birthday dinner.  Which did get in my way of housework, but meant so much to be able to help out. Especially, considering my grandfather had also taken a trip to ER a few days earlier because of bronchitis.  We did have a wonderful dinner to celebrate my Poppy's 74 birthday.  And what a joy was it for me to be apart of this family gathering!!!  
    So, when I was at home, I only did the minimum.  Needless to say the bathroom most likely missed its wipe down, I did get the laundry done, but in no way did I touch windows, mirrors, or doorknobs.


         Thursday, also included doctors appts. with another family member, so housework was not a priority.  On Friday, I did the morning tasks, afternoon tidy, Bedtime Routine, and Kitchen Cleanup. To say the least, my joy and motivation had gone AWOL.  By Saturday, I was wiped out emotionally, physically, and mentally.  Thank goodness for rest and family time. 


Before I knew it, it was Monday and I was excited to tackle laundry, bed linens, and towels.  I even tried a tip from someone on Pinterest and added vinegar to the rinse cycle with my towels.  The results were wonderfully fluffy, rejuvenated towels.  I call that Pizazz!  
              Now, I am finishing up Tuesday of week two and still motivated to finish strong this week!  Tomorrow, is window washing day!  My favorite...okay, not soo much, but I will have clean windows by tomorrow evening. 
               So, how did week one go for you?  Did you start out strong and finish strong?  Or were you like me, started out strong, only to fizzle mid-week? Or maybe you really didn't get with the plan at all last week.  What were your strengths? What were your struggles?


                Either way, don't give up. Figure out what's working, and tweak things just a little at first. I would try to stick with the main objectives of this plan for around three weeks.  If it is just not even coming close to meeting your households' needs, make larger adjustments.  There are so many resources out there to meet the diverse needs of families around us.  For example, if you have babies or toddlers in toilet training, laundry might be an absolute everyday thing.  If your husband works nights and gets home to go to bed at 8 a.m. (like my amazing, hard-working husband) then making your bed at 7:30 a.m. is probably not very helpful.  Yes, it took me three days of making the bed, before I recognized this.  So now, during my afternoon tidy, I make our bed and check it off my list.



Well, I will check back in next week to update you on the organization plan.  Praying for perseverance, motivation, and joy in your household affairs!

Trying to get on Track

I have been asked for house keeping advice...wow!

A sweet friend of mine, recently asked for some advice on juggling married life, motherhood, work, and a clean house.  In all honesty, I struggle with this daily.  I grew up reading and learning about the Proverbs 31 Woman. There are definitely a few of the P31 characteristics that I lack.  My two biggest issues are organization and motivation.  For the past two years, we have lived with my in-laws.  This year, I really wanted to do better with my part of cooking and cleaning.  I started meal planning in January and did fairly well with it. However, the house cleaning was another story.   

 

House Cleaning

She watches over the affairs of her household,

Proverbs 31:27

Affairs of Household: dishes, vacuuming, dusting, laundry, mopping, budgeting, groceries, etc.

Warning:  I am a work in progress.  After almost 8 years of marriage, 7 moves, and two kids, I do not have this down to a science.  But I do have a system that I am starting to follow.  JustMommies.com has a great arsenal of resources for organized house cleaning. The website http://www.justmommies.com/articles/home-organization-plan.php   
has daily habits , weekly tasks for your house cleaning schedule, as well as, things you focus on during the month.  I really like the concept and plan to follow it the best that I can.   

Daily Habits

Morning Tasks:

1. Make beds.

2. Wipe down Bathroom (I keep Lysol wipes handy for this)

3. Set out something for dinner

Midday Tasks

1. Make sure your weekly or monthly tasks are done.

2. Afternoon Tidy

Evening Tasks

1. Kids bath, brush, and bed.

2. Make sure your kitchen is cleaned.

Weekly Cleaning Tasks

Monday: washing laundry and changing your bed linen and bathroom towels

Tuesday: vacuuming, dusting, and cleaning your bathroom

Wednesday: laundry, cleaning windows, and wiping down door knobs and light switches

Thursday: vacuuming and menu planning

Friday: laundry and mopping

There is a calendar with the monthly tasks, but I am so visual that I need everything in front of me. daily, weekly, monthly.  So my plan is to write monday - friday on cards with am, midday, pm tasks.  I will leave a spot for the monthly task, after I laminate them I can write the task with a dry erase marker.


I have seen all the lovely Command Centers on Pinterest, where supermom posts her menu, tasks, chores, etc.  And of course I want one too!  But, for now my Command Center will be pretty basic.  Here is what I have sooo far! 

 I plan to laminate my cards and then I can write the monthly task on each card for the next week and mark each job off when I am finished.

Command Center

Once school starts, I might do some tweaking based on my schedule.  I will be taking at least one master level class at night, Hannah will be starting dance, and of course, I will have plenty of lesson planning. So, I may have switch some tasks around if necessary. Also,  I would like to try using some of the monthly tasks as 'jobs' for my five year old, so she can start understanding the value and importance of money.


I will definitely keep you posted if it is able to keep me on track or if crash and burn right into my messy house.


Let me know some more helpful tips that you use to keep your home in order.

PINTEREST Projects

My inspiration: Creamy Frozen Yogurt Chips

http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/06/creamy-frozen-yogurt-chips.html

Onegoodthingbyjillee.com has awesome ideas!!  She should probably change her site name to One Million Good Things.

I could not find the nifty, little, tiny cube tray, but I love what I found instead!

Walmart 0.98 cents

Ingredients

 Finished Project!!

Frozen Yogurt Flowers,

My kids love them!

Next Time:

Blueberry Flowers