Declutter Your Life

Financial Tips

2011-03-16T09:50:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite quotes for financial success is by Dave Ramsey:

"Live Like No One Else, So That Later, You Can Live Like No One Else!"

I highly recommend reading Dave's Total Money Makeover. It will change your life!

Conversation Pieces

2011-03-14T12:22:00.001-07:00

My friend, who is an amazing photographer, made a cute printable that you can cut out and put in mason jars for your table. Use them for conversation pieces or whenever you need a smile.

Thanks Molly! I love it!!

Laundry 101

2011-03-09T19:00:00.000-08:00

I’ve honestly never known why you wash some clothes in cold water and others in hot water. I came across an article by Heloise that cleared it up for me. Enjoy!

Hot water removes dirt from heavily soiled clothes and kills more germs than cold water, but it can fade the dyes in some colored clothes and may cause wrinkling.

Warm water usually gets lightly soiled clothes clean and is safe for most colored clothes, but it doesn’t kill germs unless a disinfectant is added.

Cold water requires cold-water detergent to get clothes really clean. You also can dissolve powdered detergent in hot water before adding it to the wash water in a pinch.

ANOTHER INTERESTING FACT: According to the Soap and Detergent Association, the only difference between powdered and liquid detergent is the texture. An added bonus with liquid is that it can be used to pretreat stains. Whichever type of detergent you use, always follow the dispensing directions on the product container to achieve the best results.
Thanks to the Costco Connection for the wonderful article! :)

Know the facts first!

2011-03-08T01:58:00.000-08:00

Have you ever judged someone the wrong way and then found out you were completely wrong? We judge without even thinking about it: Sometimes we don’t talk to our neighbor because they seem weird, maybe you won’t let your kids play with another child because their dad is in jail, sometimes we don’t like to sit by people because they don’t have good hygiene. We judge to protect ourselves and our family, but sometimes we should know the facts first.

When I was growing up we had some weird, dirty neighbors. I literally mean dirty: they would play hide and seek and would sometimes hide in their garbage can they had sitting outside. All the kids had problems in school and didn’t have many friends. They had old cars and their dad was hardly ever there.

One day I was sitting outside and saw a blue rocking horse sitting in their yard. “That’s JJ’s rocking horse!” I shouted to my friends. They instantly recognized it and we devised a plan to take it out of their yard and return it to my brother’s room. When all of them went back into their house we snuck over there and took it. When we got home, my brother was taking a nap so we quietly opened the door and slipped it in the room.

A couple hours later my mom went in the room and instantly called for me to come in too. Surprisingly, there were TWO blue rocking horses sitting next to each other. This couldn’t be! I knew the neighbors had stolen it and I was being a hero by stealing it back!! How wrong I was. I completely misjudged them and jumped to conclusions.

I often think back to the time we were neighbors with them. I can’t call myself a real neighbor because I didn’t care about them. I was selfish. Maybe their lives would’ve been better if I had been kinder.

I’m trying harder to be a good neighbor wherever I live.

"No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted."

--Aesop, in The Lion and the Mouse
Aesop was a Greek slave & a fable author

Image came from this great article: Mending Bridges

Spring Cleaning TIPS

2011-03-06T15:45:00.000-08:00

Spring Cleaning TIPS
1. Don’t worry about fixing broken objects on the big cleaning day. Have a central basket where you place broken items in that you come across while cleaning.

2. Do your main laundry the day before. This way your laundry room won’t be stuffed with dirty clothes and your washer and dryer will be available to wash bedding, towels, bathmats and shoes.

3. Ask someone to watch your little kids that are too young to be helpful. Spend the whole day cleaning then enjoy a nice dinner out together as a family.

4. Send the husband outside! My husband and I both know we have our own opinion on how a task should be accomplished. Save yourself some stress and let your spouse do the outside cleaning while you clean inside.

5. Make a list of chores that need accomplished. If decluttering the filing cabinet isn’t on the list, save it for another day! Don’t overwhelm yourself with too many projects.

6. Figure out your routine in advance. Clean all light fixtures in the house then work your way down to the floors or do one room at a time. Go along with the routine you set and don’t get involved in too many tasks at once that you aren’t capable of being as productive.

7. Enjoy yourself! Turn up the music loud so you can sing, wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty and make your spring cleaning a success!

Hire vs. Do It Yourself

2011-03-05T15:44:00.000-08:00

Most things I can do myself but sometimes I prefer to just hire a professional and save myself some time and stress. Plus I can accomplish other chores while another chore I hate doing is getting done by someone else. Here are things you may want to consider hiring someone to do for you:

1. Carpet cleaning
2. Wash windows, runners and screens
3. Paint: house, deck, patio, etc.
4. Power washing
5. Lawn care: mowing, trimming, pulling weeds, fertilize, etc.
6. Ironing
7. Cleaning blinds

Cancer Awareness

2011-03-03T15:39:00.000-08:00

One of my good friends lost her dad to cancer not too long ago. We are getting the word out to remember to wear blue on Friday.

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.
It is a time to get the word out about colon cancer and it's effects.
To let people know that colon cancer is the 2nd leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States.
That around 150,000 Americans will be face such a diagnosis every year.
That colon cancer usually has no obvious symptoms until it has reached an advanced stage.
That at least by the age 50 you should have a colonoscopy to determine your risk.

If you, send a picture of yourself to kyrsten35@hotmail.com

Spring Cleaning Part 1

2011-03-02T15:35:00.000-08:00

I have compiled a list of chores that I will be doing for my Spring Cleaning. Feel free to print the list and use it on the days you decide to get some major cleaning done. Find something is missing from the list? Post a comment below so the rest of us remember to do it too!

Interior Chores
Dust furniture
Dust light fixtures
Vacuum floors and along edges
Wipe down trim
Touch up paint
Wipe out inside of drawers and cupboards
Sweep and mop
Wash bedding
Wash towels
Vacuum under furniture cushions
Wipe down window sills and runners
Clean out fridge and freezer
Polish furniture
Polish cabinets
Put away winter apparel
Wash shoes
Dust vents
Dust blinds and curtains
Wipe down picture frames and home décor
Wash shower curtain and bath mat
Wash garbage cans

Exterior Chores
Wipe exterior doors
Power wash house
Sweep driveway and sidewalk
Wash windows
Prepare flower beds
Pick up trash and debri
Wash door mats
Wash deck or patio
Stain deck or patio

What Is Your Why?

2011-02-23T11:31:00.000-08:00

A kid’s favorite question is “why?” I think they all go through at least one phase of asking this question all the time: Why do we go to bed at 7:00? Why do dogs eat dog food? Why does daddy have to work? These can be some of the toughest questions to answer because, truthfully, we may not know why either.

It raises a good point though. If we are going to do something…shouldn’t there be a reason why we do it? I think so. Why do we eat breakfast in the morning? Why does a full time job require we put in 40 hours a week? Why do we have our family go to church?

Ultimately we have a reason for everything. All of us have a why. Sometimes our why is selfish and other times it’s because of love. Sometimes our why is out of spite and other times it’s out of humility.

So ask yourself these questions: Why do you get up each morning? Why are you going through the actions of everyday life? Why do you make the choices you do?

WHY?

Here's my why:

Isn't It About Time?

2011-02-22T06:58:00.000-08:00

The LDS Church sometimes has ads on TV that I love. The main message they give is about family and the importance of spending time together. My husband and I always try to make Monday night an evening for just our family to be together. We decided we need to start doing a fun activity instead of just being together.

Being a young family with little kids, it can be hard to find fun things to do...especially in the winter! I compiled a list of activities that we can do together after my husband gets home from work. I love Mondays because he is always home between 1:00-2:00.

*Visit the library: I've always loved libraries but hardly ventured into the kids section. When I went in there with my girls I found so many fun activities for them to do. Puzzles, little tables to read books, toy room, story time, a small fire truck for kids to play on, a fish tank and so much more! Definitely worth taking kids to.

*Go to the pet store: Going to the pet store was always a favorite thing of mine to do growing up. Just make sure you don't accidentally buy a puppy while you're there...it happened to us! Thank heavens my cousin was so kind to take him after we realized what we had done :)

*Visit a park: Even though it's been freezing cold, my husband has still found time to take my girls to the park to swing. It only lasts a few minutes but when they get home it's all they can talk about for the next couple days!

*Picnic: Only recommended for warm weather :)

*Walk at the mall: It's too cold for us to go for a bike ride or a walk outside but it's still fun to drive to the mall and take a walk. Take extra change with you so your kids can ride the $0.50 rides. Funny story: Last time I took my kids to do this there was a smart kid that wanted to ride the rides as well so when someone would get in, he'd jump in next to them and enjoy a free ride!

*Skates anyone? We have a roller skating place here in town and I never go there. Lately I've been thinking how fun it'd be to take my family there and just enjoy laughing together as we all fall down!

*Bowling: Kids love bowling no matter what their age. Plus you can have an excuse for using the bumpers!

My goal lately has been to spend more time enjoying my family. After all, isn't that what life is about?

Laundry Rooms

2011-02-15T11:07:00.000-08:00

Another favorite room for me to dream about is the laundry room. So little thought is put into these rooms, and yet we spend so much of our time in there so it may as well be an enjoyable space!

The best thought out laundry room I've ever seen was at my cousin's house. They had a his and hers bathroom for their kids (they were huge)and each one had their own closet in the bathroom. On the other side of the closet was the laundry room and after you folded the clothes you could put them directly in the closet right from the laundry room. Genius. I hope that made sense!!

Fresh and clean!

Hidden hamper in the wall? Now that is interesting!

Lots of space!

Even more space!

This is my favorite other than you have to bend down so low to get clothes in and out of the washer/dryer.

So this is love...

2011-02-14T07:06:00.000-08:00

To all you people out there I want to wish you a Happy Valentine's Day!!!

My husband is fabulous and life gets better and better the longer we've been married. We push each other to be better and pursue our dreams (sounds lame I know, but it's true!). Life is fantastic.

The best thing my husband has ever taught me is to admit when you're wrong and to say sorry. If we've ever had an argument, he will always be the first to apologize. And if he has ever misjudged someone or something he will always admit it rather than be stubborn. (I have no idea if that made sense)

So to all you wonderful people out there, I want to leave you with one of my favorite blogs. The Dating Divas are AWESOME!!! Go check them out. They can help you improve your marriage, love life and dates!

Peter Walsh: Part 5

2011-02-12T08:31:00.000-08:00

As a mom with young kids, I already find myself with piles of paper each day filled with pictures that they drew for me. I have to find a solution of how to keep some of the pictures and get rid of others. Peter Walsh offers his advice:

Set up schoolwork

1. Hang a large bulletin board in the child’s room and mark off one section with colored masking tape. Reserve this space for current assignment sheets, reading lists and other important school papers. A metal bulletin board with magnets is the easiest and safest option for younger children since tacks tend to get lost underfoot.
2. Buy a plastic file box or crate in a bright color, along with a set of colored file folders. Take time to teach the child how to choose which papers to keep and file. Start slowly, especially with young children: Choose two folder colors, perhaps one for homework papers and another for notices. Gradually increase the number and specificity of the folders.
3. Invest in an inexpensive label maker when your child grows able to manage more than a few file folders. Kids love gadgets and are more likely to maintain systems they’ve designed themselves.

Organize artwork

1. Combine storage with display. String a wire along one wall of the child’s room and use metal clips or wooden clothespins to create a personal art fair. Rotate pieces out as new ones come in.
2. Add two or three narrow shelves to a section of wall and prop artwork on them. Frame favorite pieces and attach others to foam board with double-sided tape so they’re rigid enough to stand up. Or mount acrylic clip frames or shadow boxes at the child’s eye level, raising them as the child grows.
3. Store favorite paintings and drawings in an artist’s portfolio, and slide under the bed or behind a door.
1. Outfit a bookcase with stackable, clear plastic boxes for all their creations. Labeling the visible ends of the boxes will help the system work. Use a photo or
2. drawing if your child is too young to read. Regularly cull the collection to make room for new pieces.
4. Place picnic baskets, either new or from the flea market, in a corner of the child’s room to hold art projects. The hinged lids make it easier to keep things tidy.

Tips

Encourage children to select pieces of artwork and write messages on them to use as greeting cards and wrapping paper.

Pick up a supply of unused pizza boxes. They’re the perfect size for a growing portfolio and stack under a bed easily. Mark the outside edge by year and by child.

Peter Walsh: Part 4

2011-02-11T08:29:00.000-08:00

I can't even sum up what Peter Walsh says without doing him justice. The following information comes from his website. I encourage you to check out his site and browse around.

Here are some tips on CLUTTER

Over time, it creeps into the corners and cabinets, stairways and entryways, closets and cupboards of your home—clutter! Suddenly you’re overrun with piles of unrelated stuff, some useful and some far from it. Junk-proof your life and keep only what you use and love.
Steps

1. Pick one area to focus your decluttering efforts on. Start small—just a drawer, shelf or closet floor. Sticking to a single small area will ensure that you get something accomplished.
2. Dress down. You’re about to get dirty and sweaty, so wear clothes you don’t mind messing up.
3. Decide how long each decluttering session will last. Set a timer or other prompt to let you know when to stop. Keep in mind that you will be most effective if you limit your sessions to a few hours at most. A whole day of decluttering can be overwhelming.
4. Bring bags and boxes to your decluttering location for collecting the items you no longer need or use.
1. Ask yourself these questions as you pick up each item to decide whether it stays or goes:
* Have I used this in the last two years?
* Is it a duplicate? Can I replace it easily if it’s not?
* Does it need repair, and if so, is it worth repairing?
* Will I use it in the next year?
* Am I keeping it only for sentimental reasons?
* Is an unused item taking up space where I could store something more valuable or useful?
* Does it belong elsewhere or to someone else?
* Do I love it?
5. Add that item to one of your boxes: Repairs, store returns, items to put elsewhere, items to return to others, items to sell, donations, mementos, garbage, maybes and definite keepers.
1. Take action on each pile after you’ve handled every item:
* Put repair items in the car. Drop them off on your next errand run.
* Collect store returns along with their purchase receipts and put them all in one designated place. Return them when convenient—and before the store’s money-back return period is up.
* Cart the box with your “belongs elsewhere” pile around the house, and replace everything. Find a permanent home for items; if possible, instead of another temporary spot you’ll have to clean again.
* Box up mementos and items you aren’t quite ready to let go of. List contents on the outside of the containers and place them in a storage area of your house. Look at these items again in six months to decide whether you want to keep them or let them go.
* Place items for donation in boxes or bags and move them to a holding area, ideally in the garage or storage space. Make arrangements for pickup or plan a time in your schedule for drop-off.
6. Clean your freshly decluttered area, and put the keepers in their permanent home.
7. Reward yourself with a tangible prize to reinforce and celebrate your success.
8. Find your next victim—a room, a shelf—and repeat the process until your home is clutter-free.
9. Select a permanent home for every new thing that comes into your life to prevent the clutter from building up again.

Tips

If you are working in a room that is covered in clutter and you feel overwhelmed, box up a small quantity of stuff to take to your clear area to sort.

Walk around the living spaces of your home—kitchen, family room, entry areas—each evening with a box and gather all stray items. Redistribute or toss the box’s contents before going to bed to keep the level of clutter manageable.

Keep a donations box in or close to the laundry room for outgrown or unwanted clothes. Remember, though, that you should donate only items in good to excellent condition— clean, no rips, holes or stains.

Mix small decluttering jobs with other activities. Sort through the kitchen junk drawer while talking on the phone, or cull magazines while watching TV.

To boost your efforts, pretend that you have to move and will be paying someone by the hour to pack and transport all your stuff. Marginal things lose their value quickly when you adopt this strategy. For every new item that comes into your home, get rid of something else (the in-and-out rule).
Warning

Be realistic about how long it will take you to get a handle on your clutter. It didn’t get that way in a week, so you won’t fix it in a week.

Online Magazine

2011-02-10T10:27:00.000-08:00

I wanted to remind you all to check out the February issue of The Barrel online magazine. You'll find us in the back as one of the sponsors :)

Peter Walsh: Part 3

2011-02-10T08:20:00.000-08:00

My husband has a hard time remembering where the keys are. I need to do better about getting a place for him to put them away. Here are some of Peter Walsh's tips to always being able to find your keys.

Pick one location near the door to hold your key ring while you’re at home. Practice putting keys in a basket, bowl or hook by the entry area as soon as you walk through the door so they’re easy to find. If you are having a hard time getting into the habit of using your new holding spot, write a reminder on a sticky note and keep it on the outside entry door until the habit becomes routine.
Slim down massive key rings. Keep only frequently used keys for entry locks, security doors and vehicles on your everyday key ring to keep it light.
Sort through all other keys, testing to see that they actually open something. Toss those that you can’t identify or that unlock things you no longer own.
Install a hook rack for keys in a handy location to hold the remaining keys, such as those for the mailbox, storage shed, bike lock, boat or neighbor’s home. Identify each key with a colored key jacket or key tag. If security is an issue, use a wall-mounted key safe.
Give an extra house key to a trusted neighbor for unexpected lockouts. If you have both upper and lower locks, identify which key opens which lock—or better yet, have both locks rekeyed to the same key.
Avoid stashing your keys in a coat pocket, as they’re easy to forget when temperatures warm up and the coat stays in the closet.
To avoid losing a safe deposit box key, tape it to the inside of a frequently used cabinet or drawer. Note the location within a contents file for the box, kept in your home filing system.
Keep an extra car key in your wallet as a backup in case of accidental lockouts.

Peter Walsh: Part 1

2011-02-08T07:38:00.000-08:00

First of all, go check out this cute little flower arrangement at Thrifty Decor Chick. Talk about a great way to bring a peaceful feeling into one's home!

Image source: Thrifty Decor Chick (I love her, doesn't looking at this just make you happy!?)

Last night was great. We had dinner, hung out as a family singing and telling stories (my 2 & 3 year olds love this), watched Dora together and then I cleaned the house and got soooooo much accomplished.

I woke up this morning, got ready, got the kids ready, ate breakfast and now we don't have anything to do and it's only 8:30! HA!! The house is spotless, everyone is happy...I think we'll just have some fun today!
I bring this up because Peter Walsh (who I really admire) had some tips on his website about making morning not so stressful and rushed. I find that on the days that I do these things, my day goes a lot smoother.

Here are some of my favorite tips:

The night before
*Check your calendar and to-do list to make sure you have everything you need for appointments the next day and to cue your memory for any other necessary items.

*Choose your entire outfit for the next day and do the same for your young kids. Don’t forget underwear, socks, shoes and accessories. You’ll never have to stare blankly into the closet every morning—plus you’ll have time to iron, shine, hem or sew.

*Prepare lunch fixings. Divide cheese, cut veggies and fruit into small plastic bags that can be grabbed in the morning. Assemble sandwiches or dish up a large pot of soup or chili into individual serving containers.

*Hang a shelf at the door with hooks for keys, and use the shelf, a basket or an entryway table to stash sunglasses, purses, lunches, backpacks, hats, mittens, and leashes and plastic bags. Keep a jar of change for bus, train, parking and toll money. If you have out-of the-ordinary items to remember, put a sticky note on your keys: “Bring snacks for soccer practice.” Do a sweep to make sure important items are ready to go by the door. THIS ONE I ONLY LIKE DOING WHEN I KNOW IT IS GOING TO BE A REALLY RUSHED MORNING. I DON'T LIKE WAKING UP AND SEEING THINGS NOT PUT AWAY.
In the morning
*Set your clock a half an hour to an hour early to get some time to yourself. Work out, run a load of laundry, meditate, plan or prepare—in peace and quiet. ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE A MOM THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT! I FIND WHEN I GET UP EARLIER AND HAVE SOME TIME TO MYSELF I'M IN A BETTER MOOD THE ENTIRE DAY.

*Get yourself ready first. If you’re showered and dressed, you’ll be better able to handle whatever comes up.

*Use music to rock your routine. Choose one song to wake up to, another for someone’s bathroom time and a third for someone else’s dressing time. You can have a breakfast song, a getting-dressed song and a brushing-your-teeth song— whatever works. Burn a CD of everyone’s favorites and make your morning an off-off Broadway hit.

*Post morning to-do lists for each family member. Give pre-readers one too, with pictures to cue their tasks.

*Keep your morning free of bicker and balking by listing one or two breakfast options that your kids can choose from on a white board the night before.

Maybe a guest room?

2011-02-07T09:34:00.000-08:00

Something about this time of year really makes me start day dreaming...okay, I day dream alllll the time!

Not just any type of day dream...I think about my next house: what it will look like, how I'm going to decorate it, how I'm going to organize everything in it.

Then I start putting away things in my head to make sure I have a place for everything like weird objects like lightbulbs, games, baseball equipment (weird things you don't usually think about storing when you are building a house)

Last night I came across this website: www.decorpad.com and I couldn't stop looking around this fantastic site. It was spectacular. The picture below usually isn't my style but something about it really appealed to me. What do you think?

www.decorpad.com

Floor Plans

2011-02-05T20:17:00.000-08:00

I promised I would show you house I've been looking at. I love some of Don Gardener's plans. I always take them and make changes in photoshop so they replicate more what I want. Here is one of his best pieces of work:

Obviously there are many changes I would make. I'm in the process of doing that right now, I'll post those changes later :)

My Future Home

2011-02-04T09:44:00.000-08:00

Here I go day dreaming AGAIN! :)
It’s fun because my husband and I have the same dream. We can talk about our future house and it is exactly what we both want to have (with the exception of the kitchen cabinets!!!)…not many couples can say that!

Here are some of the things I want in my future house.

Something about this room appeals to me. I love the rich, clean feel to it. My next house will have a baby grand piano in it. That is what I'm designing my next house around. I will have a formal piano room as well as a great room.

Another appealing room. It feels luxurious...I love the chandelier!

I don't care for the decorating in this room, but I LOVE the entrance to it with the trim. I've already designed part of my house plans to be like this. It will be my piano room right off the large entry way. The door way and hallway will be wide enough to move the piano in and out if we ever want to move it into the great room during a family gathering.

These cabinets are not my style at all, but I love the idea of this little area in a kitchen. Notice it would have a 2nd sink.

I've always loved dark colors. In fact, my house right now is dark brown with black soffit & fascia. But lately when I picture my next house everything is clean and white...ahhhh so relaxing!

This is how I want my patio to look. Makes you want to just sit back and enjoy the little things in life!

Something about this bed really draws me in...

Ahhhh this is love. Simple. Clean.

I like this little chair

This feels good for spring time. Maybe in a guest room

A chair for the piano room or great room.

Yes, my next house will be two stories and open like this. Once again, ignore the colors and decor! :)

Ahhh the picture says it all

*Sigh*

I love a wrap around porch. It's my dream! Also, look at the gorgeous brick on the steps and walk. Lovely

My dream kitchen has white cabinets. I doubt I'll ever get it though...my husband worked in a cabinet shop and hates the look! He wants to see the grain of the wood so you can appreciate its beauty. At least he knows what he likes...

Square styled doors. Right now I have santa fe style with v grooves.

This is what my back splash will look like. I love the brick style tiles with a natural color.

Under mount kitchen sinks. Still debating on composite granite vs stainless...that lemon oil trick will always keep either looking nice.

Another simple room that is relaxing and has a "clean" feel to it. I'm also in love with white trim and these shadow boxes.

Ahhh a front porch. Simply perfect!!

The back view of the house. Notice all the brick once again. I drool over this!

Still drooling :)

Gotta love night pictures

What do you think? What will your future house hold for you? I say "future" house rather than "dream" house because it is my goal to have this. They say you have to dream it before you can achieve it.

Next up...my floor plan! :)

I'm dreaming of...

2011-02-02T20:23:00.000-08:00

CLOSETS! I love a nice and neat closet. My dream is to have a large walk in closet with cabinets that have doors to hide all my clothing. It will also have a large ottoman to sit on while getting dressed...ahhh!!!

ENJOY!

closet-solutions.com

stylistdiva.blogspot.com

www.realsimple.com

yourspaciousself.org

www.solidsmack.com/

Valentine's Party!

2011-01-31T06:25:00.001-08:00

I told my husband last week that we need to start having parties more often. He agreed. We are throwing a party on the 4th of February for some of our friends. Here are some of the things I'm thinking:

Red Velvet cupcakes! They are sooo pretty to look at!!

I love the little mini cookies with the sayings on them...skip the milk!

I absolutely LOVE this cake!!! You can view the tutorial HERE

I love when parties are decorated so cute. Now I just need some crafty skills...!

I'm getting excited! What are your plans for V-Day?

"I wanna be a billionaire"

2011-01-31T06:15:00.001-08:00

I couldn't help but start singing that dumb song in my head!

WOW!!! What a crazy couple of weeks it has been for us. We just finished organizing two events for billionaire Rick Durham. What a phenomenal leader he is and so down to earth. We put on an event in Pocatello with him and another one in Salt Lake City. His sweet wife (daughter of Jon Huntsman of Huntsman Cancer Center) even made all of us cookies!

Needless to say, we have had a blast meeting some fantastic business leaders and getting to learn from them. They were so pleased with how well the events were organized that they offered to speak for us at another meeting in Las Vegas!!!

Clean out that drawer!

2011-01-05T21:46:00.000-08:00

It's time to take on the messiest drawer in your house! The drawer in my house that was the messiest is in the laundry room. It holds odd items like batteries, screw drivers, my husbands work gloves, and stuff like that!

This drawer has been driving me nuts and I finally got it taken care of!!

Here is the before picture

This is the stuff I got rid of

And the end result.

It takes about 5 minutes. Give it a try!

Another House Tour!

2011-01-03T13:42:00.000-08:00

I promised all of you I'd take you on a tour of the house my parents built about two years ago. I only posted the upstairs, it's a lot of house! It's gorgeous, enjoy!

I realize all the next ones are of the same room, but if you're like me you love to see all the different angles! This is the great room. The arches and glazed walls were so gorgeous!

This is the kitchen with rustic maple custom cabinets. See the drop in stove top (it's induction), it can boil water in 30 seconds and when you take a pot off it is instantly cool (you can put an ice cube on it and it won't melt after it has been on). It will only heat where a magnetic pot is, so if something boils over you can just wipe it off and not have a huge mess. Jealous? Yeah, I am :)
Notice all the lower cabinets are drawers...no cupboards. My next house will have this. It makes more sense and is so much easier to keep clean since you can pull it out and see exactly what is inside!

The granite has a rough edge and is doubled up. My mom saw it at my sister in laws house, it looks great.

Here's the fireplace that is in the great room. It was probably my favorite thing about the house. Simple but gorgeous.

This is the library with more custom rustic cherry cabinetry. So much storage in the drawers and cabinets.

These are the faucets that were in the bathrooms. They were so cool, the only problem is they collected hard water at the bottom so you had to keep lemon oil on them so they looked nice.

Obviously out of order, another view of the library

This is the master bathroom, I wish we had a good view of the walk in shower, it was really nice inside and big.
Master bathroom vanity.

Master bedroom. It was very simple but elegant.
Definitely a peaceful environment

The dining room. I love the big window as well as the French doors that lead to the backyard.

Stainless appliances. Love the look, hate cleaning them :)

Guest bedroom

Guest bathroom

I absolutely LOVE the vanity in this guest bath!
My mom always wanted archways like this in her house so that's what she built this home around. Everyone loved it!

These are the lockers that were in the laundry room just off the garage
Laundry room. See, even your laundry room can be a peaceful place that you enjoy going!

The nursery

Another view of the guest room (sorry the pics are so out of order!!)

The pantry.

Bedroom Closet Makeover!

2011-01-02T13:07:00.000-08:00

I'm so embarrassed for what I'm about to show you. My girls share a bedroom and I'm ashamed to admit that their closet has been a BIG mess. To let this happen is so NOT me! Here's my excuse: They both have winter birthdays and then Christmas came and all the craziness that go with it. They got so many toys between the two of them for their birthdays and Christmas and we've been too busy to clean their closet.

Finally, yesterday my husband was like, "I think I'm going to go through their closet and see what I can get rid of." When he starts saying that then I know there's a problem! So I immediately took him to the girls' bedroom and he helped me choose what we should get rid of and (then he went and played Madden '11 while I cleaned/organized!) :)

I'm grateful for a husband that encourages me to keep a clean house. He used to think I was crazy when we first got married but now he really appreciates it and realizes what a good thing it is. Don't worry ladies, it just takes a little bit of training. If your husband isn't very clean, help him out a little bit in an encouraging way and he'll soon see what a great thing it is!

Take a look:

EMBARRASSING! (shudder)

Ahh much better! Their closet is still too full for my liking but until we have a house with a basement where they can have a play room, this will have to do.

They have a ton of dress up clothes and jewelry that is always laying all over the house. I decided to hang it up like this in their closet and so far it's worked so much better.

This is how much I was able to get rid of. The garbage sack and box are completely stuffed full of things.

TIP: If you start going through a closet and throw things away that your kids generally don't use, don't be surprised if they take it out and start playing with it. (Don't fall into the trap of "Oh they must still like this, I better keep it!) My girls were doing this the ENTIRE time I was organizing their closet. I let them play with it and eventually they lost interest and left the room. I then threw everything away and they haven't noticed or asked for it since.

Now it's your turn to clean out a closet! Remember, it's just one closet or drawer at a time to get an organized house. You'll be shocked out how awesome it feels to walk into that room or open that clean drawer. You feel so light! There's no other way to describe it...incredible.

Welcome to my home!

2010-12-29T20:41:00.000-08:00

Want to take a tour with me through my home? We're all curious about each other so I thought I'd let you take a look around! :)

This is my entry way, the French door is to my office and the other door is a coat closet.

When I designed the floor plan I wanted it open so that's what I got!

Step into my office

My Kitchen

I love my drawer dividers, they are super duper nice!

Composite granite sink...highly recommend it!

Rustic cherry cabinets...my husbands favorite

Dining area, sorry for the low lighting!

You have all seen my pantry, but here it is again :)

My kids' bathroom

My girls share this room. I was in the middle of painting and adding bead board to the nursery when I took these. Hopefully I'll get some of those pictures posted soon!

My master bedroom & bathroom

And of course, the garage. Being a clean freak I'm a little embarrassed to show this picture but here it is anyways!

I hope you enjoyed your tour :) I already have my next house plans drawn up...maybe I can show you those in a year from now! I can hear my husband groaning in the background! haha

Next we'll take you on another house tour of a gorgeous home my parents built two years ago and sold :( Don't worry, they'll be building another gorgeous one this spring so more pics to come on that too!

The naked truth...literally!

2010-12-28T07:45:00.000-08:00

I went to the store the other day and thought I'd try something new for my toilets. Here's what I got...don't mind the crazy faces, it's the only way I can get my picture taken without closing my eyes!

I've been trying them out for a couple days and I'll let you know later what I think about them in case you want to try them too. Like my purple gloves? They're my favorite things.I use them to clean, cut up meat and so much more!

In the meantime, here's a question for you that I heard on Oprah once...

WOULD YOU OR DO YOU CLEAN NAKED? Take the poll to the right :)

Efficient OR The Grinch?

2010-12-27T09:42:00.001-08:00

Yesterday we took down our Christmas tree and all of our decorations. It feels so nice so have my house back to normal! After a month it starts to feel like chaos and clutter so we always put it away on the 26th, wouldn't have it any other way.

My questions for you: Do you think I'm efficient or the Grinch?!

ALL of that is in my...Body?

2010-12-27T06:58:00.000-08:00

I've been doing a little bit of education this morning. I watched a video given by Dr. Meyers and he had so much information that stunned me! Here's a little bit of what I learned:

There are 60,000 MILES of blood vessels in our body.

We are made up of 50 TRILLION cells!

Our brain has 100 BILLION neurons.

1 MILLION cells become carcinogenic in our body each day, therefore our body has to fight on a daily basis to keep us from getting sick.

If we spread out our digestive area it would cover 4,000 square feet!

Our bodies need nutrition! We need to protect ourselves against free radicals that cause us to get sick and have disease. Free radicals are formed when molecules are missing an electron, this happens when we eat processed foods, have stress, etc. The thing that will fix these free radicals are ANTI-OXIDANTS that are found in WHOLE FOODS.

Just remember that we need to take care of our bodies: get at least 9 servings of fruits & vegetables each day, exercise and stay as stress free as possible. I want to have energy so I can keep up with my family and I want us to live a long and healthy life. I'm sure you do too.

Can you do this?

2010-12-23T09:59:00.000-08:00

TA DA!!! This is my removable toilet seat. Someone had asked what they are so here it is. You can take it off all the way to clean all those hard to reach places! So perfect I could kiss it...after I use some clorox wipes on it :)

Thanks to my husband for taking the pictures, he told me I was crazy! I realized I've never put a picture of myself on here so this is for all you curious people.

Oops!

2010-12-21T16:04:00.000-08:00

If anyone tried accessing the link below, I'm sorry! It is now fixed!

http://www.thisisnaturalbeauty.blogspot.com/

Definitely check it out, it's a great opportunity to make some money with a brand new company that is one of a kind. I know a lot of us SAHM's are always looking for something and this is definitely something you can do from home. I'm already participating and loving it! Let me know if you have any questions, I'd love to help you out.

New Opportunity

2010-12-21T10:52:00.000-08:00

We have found an amazing company with a great business opportunity. There are two reasons we are SO EXCITED about this:

1. From everything we have studied, the company structure is set up the best way possible.

2. The products are AMAZING (we have personal testimony of this!).

In this struggling economy, everyone can benefit from this. We are so excited and want to share this with everyone! Another exciting aspect is you can WORK FROM HOME!

This can’t be explained in a short article…follow this link to watch a presentation http://www.thisisnaturalbeauty.blogspot.com . If you have questions, you can call or email us. We'd love to answer any questions you may have.

Tracy

208-251-6724

Blogging Dos & Don’ts!

2010-12-20T06:01:00.000-08:00

My cousin is married a girl who has a very popular website. She is so talented and has worked for DIY and HGTV. She blogs mainly about crafty things but throws in some fun stuff like her pregnancy, blogging tips, etc.

One of her posts gave blogging dos and don’ts . I thought I’d share what she wrote with you:

1. Don’t apologize for a lack of posts, it’s booooooring.

2. Do be candid and speak openly about what you think. For some reason, we are so interested in other people… this is why the radio, T.V., reality shows, and blogs are so popular. We can’t get enough of what you think!

3. Don’t ignore other blogs. If you want people to comment on your blog, you’ve got to comment on others. Try to post a comment on one new blog a week.

4. Do reply to comments on your blog. It’s polite, and lets people know you are reading them.

5. Don’t post in a hurry! I do this often, and then have typos that I glance over and don’t notice. Now I have a proofer! {thanks JP}

6. Do post pictures of yourself. Like I said, we’re curious!

7. Don’t hate on Facebook, Twitter, etc., without having used it.

8. Do be confident!

Go check out her blog Oh Brooke.

Must Haves: Toilet Seats

2010-12-18T11:39:00.000-08:00

One of the most fantastic things I did when I built my house was also the cheapest.

Removable toilet seats!!! Ladies, these are a must!

Anyone with boys knows exactly why you need these. You can get these at Home Depot. If I were to do it over again I would get THIS kind, it's a soft close toilet seat that is also removable. This is definitely something I really need in my house, you can always hear when my husband is done because you hear CLUNK as he drops the toilet seat. :)

Shout Out!

2010-12-17T14:48:00.000-08:00

I totally need to give a shout out to these wonderful people! We were one of their sponsors for this months' issue. They are a new online magazine that features everything bloggers want to know. Go check them out here

Public Restrooms Tips

2010-12-17T11:31:00.000-08:00

By far the most disgusting thing is when you have to use a public restroom. It still terrifies me today! So here are some tips for when you have are Christmas shopping and have to do the unthinkable:

Image source: google images

*Squat over the toilet rather than sitting on it! (Sounds weird, terrible visual!!!)

*Keep a small thing of tissues in your purse and use those. For some reason that paper thin, scratchy toilet paper that are in public restrooms freak me out.

*DON'T PUT YOUR PURSE ON THE FLOOR! I don't even put mine on the hook, I just hold it even though it makes things even more difficult.

*Use your foot to flush. My 3-year old already knows that rule!!! :)

*Have the paper towel ready for you to use BEFORE you wash your hands. This way you don't have to touch the handle with your clean hands.

*Dry your hands, then use the paper towel to open the door with. I'm sure that door knob isn't clean!!!

Bathroom Cleaning Products

2010-12-16T11:11:00.000-08:00

Since we're talking about the bathroom, I thought I'd share with you my favorite cleaning products that I use in my bathroom.

Remember, you don't need TONS of products to get the job done, just a couple will do the trick.

LYSOL WIPES: Love these, I wear gloves when I scrub the bathrooms but I also wipe down surfaces with these. I love knowing that I'm disinfecting while I'm cleaning. Check out Lysol's website for coupons, cleaning tips and articles. They're also offering a $5 rebate if you get the flu shot.

COMET bathroom cleaner: This smells AMAZING! I love the smell of cleanliness! Seriously can't get any better than that. I use it on my toilets. This is another product that disinfects while you clean. Perfect.

Scrubbing Bubbles: This is probably the ugliest thing hanging in a shower...but it actually works!!! Showers are so hard to scrub. I highly recommend getting one of these. When they have coupons available, they're usually worth quite a bit.

COMET CLEANSER: Another incredible smelling cleaner. I don't really sniff these, but you definitely can smell them :) I use this on my tub and sinks.

Windex: I use this for the obvious... mirrors! I also wipe down counters with it when I don't use Lysol wipes. I don't think you need to buy name brand for this product, but I recommend name brand for the others.

Clorox Toilet Wand: Of all the cleaners in my bathroom, this is my favorite actually. So easy to use, no touching the nasty toilet. All you do is stick a scrubber on the end of the stick, scrub the toilet then use the blue button to release the scrubber in the garbage. Easy.

Soap Dispenser: My mom actually found a better soap dispenser than this for her showers, but this is all that was left at Home Depot when I bought mine. I love not having bottles all over my tub. Keeps everything looking neat.

Bathroom Cleanliness

2010-12-15T11:00:00.000-08:00

With holiday parties and guests at your home, it's important to make sure you're house is ready. One of the most important rooms to clean is the BATHROOM. Another important reason to keep your bathrooms clean is all the germs and sickness going around this time of year. We need to keep our family's healthy.

Bacteria is lurking on every surface of your home. Be sure to disinfect once a week and wipe down surfaces daily.

Here are tips to help your bathroom be germ free:

*Close toilet lid BEFORE flushing. When you flush, germs (yes, lovely fecal matter) can go in the air and land on your toothbrush. GAG!

*Wash towels weekly. (Don't forget the decorative ones hanging up)

*Wash the bath mat. This is something people forget to do when cleaning the bathroom. Wet surfaces are more likely to have bacteria on them. Hang them over the tub to dry after they are used.

*Put away hygiene & cosmetic products after you use them. You don't want bacteria to land on your skin cream only to be rubbed all over your face. If you have cuts like from popped pimples, you especially don't want to get bacteria on your face.

*Use liquid soap. It only makes sense...you don't want to rub dirty hands on a bar of soap.

*Wash the door knob to the bathroom door. This is often forgotten and one of the dirtiest places in the bathroom.

Garbage day comes once a week!

2010-12-08T02:19:00.000-08:00

How lucky are we? Seriously, all we have to do is wheel our garbage can out to the street and a big garbage truck comes and takes it all away. Life is so easy sometimes.

So here is what I was able to get rid of:
Remember, some of these items go in the large garbage can and the rest goes in my car to be donated to D.I.

Christmas Gift Idea

2010-12-06T11:45:00.000-08:00

Take a little more time to think about what to give your friends & neighbors for Christmas. Too many sweets are passed around and end up going in the garbage because we get WAY TOO MUCH of it!

This is what I'm doing this year:

These almonds are bought from rancher so they truly are raw and filled with nutrition. I sprout them, place them in a dehydrator at 106 degrees, pour granola sauce (with no white sugar) on top and dehydrate again. So much healthier than homemade candy & cookies!

I also have a neighbor who passes out a poem with salt to sprinkle on your sidewalks. It's really cute how she puts it together and it's not wasted.

Chili's Southwestern Eggrolls

2010-12-02T12:17:00.000-08:00

Our family loves Chili's but it can get expensive. Here is one of our favorite family recipes:

Southwestern Eggrolls

Image source google images

1 chicken breast fillet
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp minced red bell peppers (optional)
2 tbsp minced green onion
1/3 c. frozen corn
¼ c. canned black beans, rinsed and
drained
2 tbsp frozen spinach, thawed and
drained
2 tbsp diced, canned jalapeno peppers
½ tbsp minced fresh parsley (dried is fine
too)
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp chili powder
¼ tsp salt
Dash of cayenne pepper (important that
your spices are fresh)
¾ c. shredded Monterey jack cheese
5 7-inch flour tortillas

1. Cook chicken on the stove top
2. Set chicken aside until cool enough to handle, then shred.
3. Preheat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a medium-size skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Add the red pepper and onion to the pan and sauté until tender.
5. Dice the cooked chicken into small cubes and add it to the pan.
6. Add the corn, black beans, spinach, jalapeno peppers, parsley, cumin, chili powder, salt and cayenne pepper to the pan and cook for another 4 minutes.
7. Stir well so that the spinach separates and is incorporated into the mixture.
8. Remove the pan from the heat and add the cheese.
9. Stir until the cheese is melted.
10. Wrap tortillas in a moist cloth and microwave on high for 1 ½ minutes or until hot.
11. Spoon approximately one-fifth of the mixture into center of a tortilla.
12. Fold in the ends and then roll the tortilla over the mixture.
13. Roll the tortilla very tight, then pierce with a toothpick to hold together.
14. Repeat with the remaining ingredients until you have five eggrolls.
15. Arrange the eggrolls on a plate, cover the plate with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 4 hours. Overnight is best.
16. While the eggrolls freeze, prepare the avocado-ranch dipping sauce by combining all of the ingredients in a small bowl.
17. Preheat 4-6 c. of oil to 375°.
18. Deep fry the eggrolls in hot oil for 12-15 minutes and drain on paper towels or a rack for about 2 minutes.
19. Slice each eggroll diagonally lengthwise; arrange on a plate around a small bowl of the dipping sauce.
20. Garnish the dipping sauce with the chopped tomato and onion.

Note: If you don’t want to heat everything together as shown in the recipe you can just fry them and stick them in the microwave for a minute to melt the cheese and blend the flavors. We normally multiplies the recipe by at least 6 and freezes them.

Get Organized: December

2010-12-01T02:18:00.000-08:00

Image source: google images

December

Time to get prepared for the upcoming events of this month! December is extremely hectic and chaotic so let’s get to work now so we don’t stress out and forget something important.

Grab your calendar & Power Journal, we’re about to get started!

Fill in the dates:
*Birthdays (If a family member has a December birthday, think of one thing you can do to make it a little more special. Sometimes December birthdays aren’t special because of the hustle and bustle of Christmas.)
*Christmas parties
*Anniversaries
*Other events

Aren’t sure when all these different activities will take place? Take the time now to figure it out. Call your mother in law to find out when their family Christmas parties will be held. Having a party with your close friends? Set a date today so you don’t have another thing to worry about.

Don’t forget to send out Christmas cards. If the thought of having to write a Christmas letter keeps you from sending anything out, just send a postcard with your family picture. This way family & friends will know you are still thinking about them.

I really like Minted & Shutterfly. They have cute designs, good prices and easy to use.

Plan the menus:
What do you need to make for the different events on your list? Are you in charge of Christmas dinner, if so delegate dishes to others who are attending. Make a list now of items you know you will need on your shopping list. If it helps, do weekly shopping and plan a list now for each week. If you realize you’ve missed something, you can add to it later.

Image source: google images

Get the house ready:
Pass out assignments to your family of what they are in charge of to help get the house ready for upcoming events. Have your husband set up the lights outside the house and make sure the walks are shoveled and free of ice. Get the kids to wrap presents that have already been placed in boxes (and taped shut! ) so you don’t have to worry about wrapping gifts.

Image source: google images

Check the list:
Write down all the names of people who you have to buy gifts for. Keep the list with you and write down gift ideas when they pop in your head. Still having trouble thinking of a gift? Check out our Annual Christmas Survey.

Don’t forget how easy online shopping is! Take advantage of free shipping and promo codes most online stores offer this time of year. Make a goal to get your shopping done in advance to reduce stress. When you go out to run errands, pick up a gift or two on your way home.

Keep it simple:
Remember what this time of year is really about. People won’t remember what you served for dinner (unless it was really bad!!!), what décor you put up or even what you wore. They are going to remember that you had fun being together as friends/family.

Happy Holidays & Merry Christmas!

Weekly Menu

2010-11-29T01:08:00.000-08:00

Monday: Sticky fingers (tastes just like Wingers)
Tuesday: Potato Soup
Wednesday: Chili
Thursday: Salad night (Everyone make their own salad with whatever toppings they want)
Friday: Date night!
Saturday: Vegetable meatballs
Sunday: Steak, mashed potatoes & gravy, homemade rolls

Leftover Turkey?

2010-11-28T12:56:00.001-08:00

Have lots of turkey leftovers? We've got the solution. Tomorrow we'll post a FABULOUS recipe with pictures and instructions. Can't wait!

Image source: google images

Just as I promised

2010-11-26T02:42:00.000-08:00

Remember my pantry that I showed you last week? Well, here are those acrylic containers I had in there.
Here's what I think about them:

1. They make my pantry look neater, less bags & boxes.
2. I like that they're clear so I can see into them.
3. They aren't super duper heavy duty, but they'll last for a while.
4. They were cheap (cost wise) so I felt it was worth not spending the extra money on nicer ones.
5. They don't hold spaghetti noodles, something I don't understand.

I got them at Bed Bath & Beyond, 5 containers for $20. If you want some really nice ones and don't mind spending more money (5 for $50) then check out the oxo brand. My sister in law has them and they're awesome!

So this picture shows how much garbage I was able to get rid of. Boxes & bags just look so sloppy! I love containers, they're perfect.

Here's what I do with the "extras" that won't fit in the container. This way it's hidden and organized for when I need to refill my containers.

I like labels. No, I'll be honest...I LOVE labels! so I decided to add some to these. I just designed this dumb little thing (remember, I lack creativity skill 100% of the time) in Photoshop so I could have my own labels. I printed them with regular paper. Then I mod podged them on. Easy.

They look fantastic in my pantry and I'm hoping to get some more to contain some things I ordered from GSG.

07
08

Hurray! It's garbage day!!!

2010-11-24T02:12:00.000-08:00

This is something I try to do once a week on the day before garbage day:

Yes, I try to fill up my large garbage can with garbage from my house and try to fill up my car with items to donate to D.I. I love seeing how much I can get rid of and always try to cover my table so I can feel the satisfaction! Try it, you'll become addicted too!

Goal!

2010-11-21T01:58:00.000-08:00

My family used to set goals growing up and for some reason I loathed doing it every single year. Looking back I realize I didn't enjoy it because I didn't set goals that I could see myself accomplishing or they were goals that were going to take years and years to do. Such as: Become a millionaire, Get married and have a family, Graduate from college, etc.

Now I set small goals that consist of me doing something everyday to make it happen. My goal for this week is to Compliment at least two people each day: one family member and a non family member.

Whenever I give a compliment (a meaningful one) I feel happy, the same way I feel when I receive a compliment. Let's all try a little bit harder to be a little bit nicer. :)

Pantry Help

2010-11-19T02:25:00.000-08:00

I have a large pantry that I'm in love with. When I was designing my house plans I made sure I had this, it was more important than a lot of other things. Lately, I've been a slacker: putting things where ever and not taking pride in what it looks like (being the type of person I am, that's embarrassing to admit but yes, none of us are perfect!)
(Ignore the terrible lighting, I don't know why I didn't notice how bad the images looked when I was taking them!)

See, it's not REALLY REALLY bad, but it is definitely sloppy. You do have to forgive me though on the highest shelf, that is my food storage and will have to rest peacefully there 'til we build our next house which will be bigger and have a food storage room for all of these items.

So I got to work:

Once again, lovely sterilite containers do wonders for hard to organize items. This holds all my mixes: dressing, gravy, seasonings, pudding, etc.

After straightening a few things, throwing away garbage and better organization, this is what I came up with:

Much better in my opinion! You'll notice some new acrylic containers in these pictures that weren't there before. Check back later for more on that!

Daily Chore: Clean Your Washing Machine

2010-11-15T02:16:00.000-08:00

Today’s Chore: Clean your washing machine

I was putting my laundry in the other day and decided I had had it with the soap scum! I grabbed a wet wash cloth and got to work wiping everything down. It’s really one of the easiest chores you can do and is really rewarding. As I got into it, I was shocked to find so many places that needed cleaned up. I pride myself in being a clean person, so I was astounded at the drips that I hadn't noticed!

Check it out:

You'll have to look sideways at this. Scrub the soap off that has accumulated in the soap dispenser.

Clean inside that little rubber part. You'll be shocked what you find: a band aid from when your son went to the doctor! :) (You'll be surprised at what kind of gunk you get out of here, and it smells...trust me!)

Kind of hard to see, wipe the inside of the door, tons of scum on the outside edge of it.

And some more scum on the door...isn't this fun! lol

Drips from opening the door in the middle of the cycle.

Ahh much better! You'll be shocked at how different it feels to do laundry with a cleaner machine. It's not like they get really dirty but small changes make a big difference.

BTW, Home Depot is having an INCREDIBLE Pre Black Friday sale right now on appliances. We got this washer & dryer set for $600 a piece (which was a good deal) and now they're on sale for $400 a piece! Supposedly their Black Friday sale will be even better. Go check it out! :)

Weekly Menu

2010-11-15T01:07:00.000-08:00

Monday: Sweet & sour chicken

Tuesday: Indian Tacos

Wednesday: Hawaiian Haystacks

Thursday: Salad Night (Everyone make their own salads with whatever toppings they want. I thought my husband would hate doing this every Thursday night but he's actually been enjoying it!)

Friday: Date Night!

Saturday: Family Party: Sloppy Joes

Sunday: Dinner with the family

We are a happy family!

2010-11-14T04:26:00.000-08:00

Sometimes decluttering your life means that you need to get rid of hard feelings you may have for another person. One things I learn on a daily basis from these two beautiful little girls is how quick we need to be to forgive one another and offer a hug.

Being the Sabbath, we have a special "chore" for you:

Make amends with a friend or family member that you have been harboring hard feelings toward. Try harder to have a relationship with them, let go of hard feelings and let them know you care about them no matter what your past relationship has been like.

We all know how hard this can be sometimes, but it's something that will make you feel "light" and so much happier.

This hymn (Love at Home) just came to my mind as I'm typing this, the lyrics are beautiful:

There is beauty all around,
When there’s love at home;
There is joy in every sound,
When there’s love at home;
Peace and plenty here abide,
Smiling sweet on every side,
Time doth softly, sweetly glide,
When there’s love at home.

Love at home, love at home;
Time doth softly, sweetly glide,
When there’s love at home.

In the cottage there is joy,
When there’s love at home;
Hate and envy ne’er annoy,
When there’s love at home;
Roses bloom beneath our feet,
All the earth’s a garden sweet,
Making life a bliss complete,
When there’s love at home.

Love at home, love at home;
Making life a bliss complete,
When there’s love at home.

Love becomes a way of life,
When there’s love at home;
Sweet, insistent end to strife,
When there’s love at home;
Glad submission each one’s gift,
Willing pledge to love and lift,
Healing balm for every rift,
When there’s love at home.

Love at home, love at home;
Healing balm for every rift,
When there’s love at home.

Anger cools and pressures cease,
When there’s love at home;
Children learn to live in peace,
When there’s love at home;
Courage to reach out in grace,
Meet a stranger face to face,
Find a reconciling place,
When there’s love at home.

Love at home, love at home;
Find a reconciling place,
When there’s love at home.

There’s no question you can’t ask,
When there’s love at home;
There is strength for any task,
When there’s love at home;
Sharing joy in work or play,
Confidence to face the day,
Knowing love will find a way,
When there’s love at home.

Love at home, love at home;
Knowing love will find a way,
When there’s love at home.

Kindly heaven smiles above,
When there’s love at home;
All the world is filled with love,
When there’s love at home;
Sweeter sings the brooklet by,
Brighter beams the azure sky;
Oh, there’s One who smiles on high
When there’s love at home.

Love at home, love at home;
Oh, there’s One who smiles on high
When there’s love at home.

Have a fantastic day of rest. Monday we will have a chore on cleaning our washer. Stay tuned :)

Freezer Meals

2010-11-13T01:18:00.000-08:00

We were able to attend an awesome class on Wednesday on "Freezer Meals & Making Meal Time Easier". Needless to say, we totally enjoyed it! We are super stoked to start sharing some awesome things we learned and show you what steps we have taken to make meal time so much easier so we can enjoy spending that time with our families.
Here are a couple things that I learned:

1. You CAN freeze your own dough and it'll raise once you've taken it out. I thought Rhodes Rolls had some sort of secret to their dough, but apparently anyone can do it! So what'd I do...I made a huge batch of homemade bread and turned some of it into roll dough, French bread dough, bread and breadsticks. I made the servings the perfect amount my family needs for a meal. Now I just pull out what I need and nothing is wasted. It's a quick and easy way to homemade goodness!

2. Freeze your own cookie dough! I enjoy homemade cookies but hate sitting around for the timer to go off, scoop them off the pan, put more on the pan, put them in the oven, sit around some more, etc. Jeanne, the gal who taught this class told us to make your dough and put it on cookie sheets and freeze it. Once they're frozen, take them off the pans and put into baggies. This way you the cookies won't stick together when you pull them out and you only have to pull a couple out at a time. No more eating the ENTIRE batch in one day! :) She said to let the dough thaw over night before you decide to bake some, but I was craving some delicious cookies and only let them thaw for ten minutes and they worked perfectly.

3. I made a bunch of Red Lobster biscuits because my Bisquick was about to expire. I did the same thing I did with the cookies, I put the dough on a cookie sheet and then froze them. After they were frozen I put them into bags so I can just pull out a few at a time for meals. EASY.

4. One of my favorite things she talked about: SOUP IN A CUP. I always have soup left over after I make it for dinner and she had the idea to pour them into individual cups, cover and put in the freezer. Then when you want a bowl of soup all you have to do is heat it up. Love it!

Some other items I threw together the last couple days are fajitas, biscuits, waffles and muffins.

There are so many things you can do to make meal time easier and I can't wait to share some more with you tomorrow!

It's a SALE!

2010-11-12T14:35:00.000-08:00

Green Smoothie Girl is having an awesome group b uy on tons of items. These are awesome deals for these products. Go check them out here.

Here’s what I bought:

Chia seeds: These are a super food packed in these tiny little seeds. Stabilizes blood sugar, reduces cravings, builds energy and so much more. Learn more here.

Flaxseed: These are considered the "most powerful plant food on the planet". Learn more about these here.

Protein Shake: Natural flavored so my husband can just add it to his green smoothie every morning. Also comes in chocolate and vanilla. "At 85% protein, Sunwarrior has the highest (non soy) raw whole grain sprouted vegan protein content on the market. Great tasting with a silky smooth texture. Contains all 9 essential and non-essential amino acis in a perfectly balanced Amino Acid Profile. 98% to 99% digestion efficiency. Hypoallergenic, Non-GMO, Gluten Free"

Raw almonds (These are different than other almonds you buy in the store. They truly are unpasteurized {meaning they have more enzymes} and bought directly from a rancher. Packaging in stores usually says unpasteurized but it just means they're not roasted. Read more about them and their higher nutritional value here. We sprout these and they're a delicious snack!)

What's in your freezer?

2010-11-11T12:24:00.000-08:00

I'm sorry, but my memory cards have stopped working so I can't use my camera! The good news though is that we have some AMAZING ideas to share with all of you to help make meal time SO MUCH EASIER. Just a couple days of prep a month. Meals in minutes. Homemade treats at your fingertips. Less money spent. No joke.

In just two hours, without rushing to the store to get more ingredients, I made the following just from what I had in my house and will be able to use for meals with no prep time:
*2 fajita dinners
*Homemade cookies galore, and I only have to cook a few at a time if I want. No more devouring the entire batch in one day.
*French Bread for 2 meals
*Bread sticks for 2 meals
*Rolls for 4 meals
*Red Lobster Biscuits for 3 meals

I can't wait for nap time again in two hours so I can get some more meals ready! We'll have more info to share with you TOMORROW. Stay tuned all you fantastic people! :)

sometimes we just have to say no.

2010-11-10T20:25:00.000-08:00

image source: Google images

Part of decluttering our lives means we shouldn't get caught up in doing so much that we don't have time to enjoy life and relax. In order to achieve this sometimes we just have to say no!

Most women have a really hard time with this concept. Ever seen 27 Dresses when the cute guy makes her practice telling him no? Exactly what we probably need to try sometimes!

I bring this up because I find myself trying to do too many things, and everyone I talk to is in the same boat. We want to please everyone, want to feel good about ourselves for accomplishing so many things in a single day and we're scared of being called lazy (all you SAHM's know what I'm talking about!). We can't make 3 large meals every day, clean the entire house, run kids to school, run kids to extracurricular activities, find interesting things to blog about, go grocery shopping, iron your husbands work clothes, run your own business, make cute cupcakes for your daughter's 5th grade class, and relax & enjoy life all at the same time. Just say "No!" to the unimportant things.

So, stop stressing about keeping up with the blogging world. Say "No!" and relax while everyone else is frantically looking for batteries to their camera because they died and they so desperately need to take a picture of the meatloaf so they can blog about it tonight after the kids are in bed while your husband is standing behind you complaining that all you do is blog and it's after midnight so you should go to bed but you can't because you have readers that rely on you to have a post at least every. single. day! (whew, typing that just made me tired!) :)

Don't worry about making cute spider cupcakes for your daughter's class that will take extra time and trips to the store because you forgot the candy to go on top. Just say no and buy some from the store!

Or, when your sister calls you again to babysit her kids "just this one last time for only a couple minutes" while she runs to the grocery store, but you know these short little trips always mean she's going to be gone a few hours and frankly, you don't feel like watching her snotty nose kids again while you could be wrapped up in a blanket reading a book! It's okay, just say no!

Or, everyone wants to know if you're going to be throwing that big holiday party you've thrown every year for the past 10 years that you go all out for but are finally getting sick of doing because no body helps out so it's just a huge stress. Say no to that one too.

And, anything else that makes you feel a little crazy, just say no to that too! It's okay to take a little time off for yourself, after all, we are human too! :)

Christmas Gift Idea

2010-11-09T05:13:00.000-08:00

Want a GREAT CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEA?

Last March my husband and I saw a demonstration of a VitaMix. We got excited about the fact that we could improve our health with this one simple machine. Not long after purchasing this, we found the Green Smoothie Girl website and blog. That day marked the beginning of a very important change in our lives! We learned that we could make these tasty green smoothies with all fresh fruit and vegetable and with drinking a quart a day we get 15 servings of fruits and vegetables! Of all the changes I have ever tried in my life, this is the most exciting! I am glad to say that 8 months later, this is still a regular habit!

Picture Source: Google images

There is another high powered blender that is comparable to the VitaMix, the BlendTec. These not only help you make smoothies with all fresh fruits and vegetable but we make soup in them too! The BlendTec will also grind wheat with just a push of the button. The VitaMix will grind wheat but you have to buy a separate container that has a different blade.

Picture Source: Google images

These blenders are not anything even close to the blender most people have in their homes. These are POWERFUL and nothing can compare with them! Visit Green Smoothie Girl and watch some videos. You can also order these right from her website. You can also visit www.vitamix.com or www.blentec.com to see how these work.

These blenders make a perfect gift for anyone but especially for those who are interested in improving their health! If you have any questions about either of these high power blenders, we are glad to answer them!

Weekly Menu

2010-11-07T13:06:00.000-08:00

Monday: Chicken marinara & Red Lobster biscuits

Tuesday: Chicken alfredo & French bread

Wednesday: Chicken & rice

Thursday: Salad night (Everyone make their own salad with whatever toppings they want)

Friday: Date night!

Saturday: Winger's sticky fingers

Sunday: Dinner with the family

Putting it into action!

2010-11-05T08:35:00.000-07:00

One of the questions we get asked over and over is “how do I put into action what you have taught me?”. One answer to that is going to be shown in today’s post.

Let’s go today to our bathroom’s. Take a look in your drawers, linen closet…really any place in your bathroom where you store things! Open up one of these and then ask yourself “how much of this do I really use?” “How many things am I keeping just because I bought it?” “If I haven’t used it yet, will I really EVER use it?” or I like this one “if I used it a few times and didn’t like it, why do I still have it?”.

I believe that ¾ of what we store in our bathroom is garbage! If you don’t like it or use it then get rid of it. So many people fill up their space because they bought it and hate to just throw it away and because there is still room to stuff it. Who ever made anyone believe that we had to keep our cabinets and drawers full?

Today I have a challenge for you. Go through your bathroom. Clear out those storage areas and ONLY KEEP WHAT YOU USE! Throw out expired medications, old hairspray, old cleaning supplies, unused make up, old towels…anything that you don’t use. This extra stuff is smothering you. It is AMAZING how you feel after decluttering even one room! The room will feel different when you walk into it, even though the new organized area is behind a closed drawer or door!

Where do you start? I suggest to start on the most simple area. Like the drawer you keep your toothbrush in. Take everything out of that drawer, throw away any items you don’t use, wash the drawer out, clean up the toothpaste tube (I like to buy the little gadgets that you put on the tube to keep it all squeezed to the top) and anything else that is dirty that will be in the drawer. Now put things back in (in an organized way). We LOVE CONTAINERS and use them in drawers too! When we moved into our new home, my husband organized the drawer for his toothpaste and razor. I always have tons of containers in many sizes. He took one that fit his needs, put a white wash cloth in the bottom then neatly put his deodorant, shaving cream, razor, toothbrush and toothpaste in. 14 months later that drawer was still as neat as it was the first day!

Let’s move to under the sink. What do you store there? It depends on the space you have in your bathroom but most people store toilet paper and cleaning supplies. When you put the toilet paper under there, don’t leave it in the plastic wrap…take it out and stack it. With our cleaning supplies we like to use a large container and put all cleaning necessities in. When it is time to clean the bathroom, all you do is pull that container out and get to work. Before you organize the things under your sink, be sure and wipe the cabinet out.

Now take these easy steps and move to other spaces in your bathroom. When you get to the linen’s, take them out, fold them neatly and stack them. It is a pleasure to open up these spaces and see the neatness, especially the linen’s!

Cleaning out these areas leaves plenty of room to store the extras of things that you buy to keep on hand that you actually use. You can see that in the photo.

Periodically these containers that you store things in will need cleaned, but not very often. I find the ones with my cleaning supplies need it more often than any others.

The attached pictures are from my home after living there for 14 months. It is easier to keep things organized than it is to keep them messy. Have fun and let us know how it goes when you organize your bathroom!

Happy Tossing!

Gift Giving Shouldn’t Add Clutter/Junk To Our Homes!

2010-11-04T06:57:00.000-07:00

Gift Giving Shouldn’t Add Clutter/Junk To Our Homes!

Do you buy a gift just for the sake of giving a gift, because it is expected (or you think it is expected)? Several years ago I quit buying gifts just because someone was having a birthday or because it was Mother’s Day or Father’s Day! Don’t get me wrong…I love buying gifts for people! BUT…I realized that so many gifts add to people’s clutter! We all have faced the dilemma “I don’t like this, but it was a gift so I have to keep it”. I don’t feel that way anymore. I have been in many homes that are so cluttered and it is all things given to them by loved ones! I had a woman tell me one day “I bought this item because I liked it. After that everyone thought I wanted to collect things like that so I am constantly being given gifts. I don’t even like it anymore but I don’t know what to do!” Another woman told me “I like recipe books and so every birthday or holiday, my family buys me more. I have so many and I can NEVER use all the books I have!” I didn’t count but I bet this woman had over 100 recipe books!

Not only are we adding to clutter in people’s homes, but we are wasting our money! Have you ever thought about that? Every time you give a gift that adds to junk/clutter in someone’s home or life, you have WASTED your money!

This holiday season make a commitment to NOT do that! Be wise with your spending/giving. Put thought into your gift. ONLY GIVE A GIFT IF IT IS WANTED OR NEEDED.

Now that brings up another problem…children always think they want this or that. Don’t add to the children’s clutter either. If they do want new toys, help them make room for the new ones by going through and donating or throwing away some of the old ones. One toy out for every new one that is in.

So what should you do with Birthday’s, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, etc? Take your loved one to lunch, spend some time together. That is always so much better than a gift. Does this make you feel guilty? I announced to my sisters and parents what I would be doing. There were no objections. For my children (they are all grown), I give them money so they can buy what they will love. For Christmas I still give gifts but I have them complete a questionnaire so I know the things that are important to them.

Has this been a hard change for me? Sometimes. There are times I am in a store and I throw something in the cart because so and so will like it. Usually, I come to my senses and put it back, realizing that once again, I am falling into the clutter trap. Am I glad I made these changes? YES! Holiday’s and birthdays are so much less stressful and I know the gifts I give are loved and meaningful.

So my challenge to you is…change your gift giving habits! Make every penny you spend count and don’t add to other’s clutter!

Happy Holiday’s!

All photos courtesy of Thrify Decor Chick. Check out her blog for some cute holiday & everyday decor ideas.

My project for today.

2010-11-02T10:47:00.000-07:00

This is what is going on in my recipe binder...can't wait to show you the end product tomorrow!

FAQ's

2010-11-01T15:20:00.000-07:00

FAQ’s

What is your trick to keeping a sink clean and shiny? We love lemon oil! It works great on stainless steel and composite granite sinks. Just clean your sinks with a cleanser (Comet is our favorite), wipe dry, squirt lemon oil in it and wipe around with a paper towel. This will keep your sink looking nice for about three days, water spots won’t show up and it will repel the water.

Will you come teach a class for our church group? Teaching classes is one of our favorite things to do. Our classes are free for church groups, teachers and other organizations as long as you have 15+ people. We will travel 50 miles from where we live for free. If you want us to travel further we will but ask that you pay our traveling costs.

I’d like to come to your classes, but don’t have a group organized can I still attend somewhere? No problem, a few times a year we offer classes that you can sign up for. Generally these classes are $25 and everyone who attends says it’s well worth the money. We offer small group discounts if you want to bring a friend or family member.

Where are you located? We live in good old Chubbuck, Idaho!

How long have you been doing this? We’ve been cleaning/organizing our whole lives but we started teaching classes in 2005.

I keep reading about POWER JOURNALS! and Daily Chores, what are they exactly? The POWER JOURNALS! are a tool to help keep you organized in your life. They contain the Daily Chores that will help you stay on top of your house work, organize your calendar, and help you pay your bills on time.

How big are your families? Tracy has been married for over 27 years and has four kids. Chelsie is Tracy’s only daughter. Her and her husband have three kids.

Where do you get those containers that are in all of your pictures? Right here is the best place we've been able to find them in.

I keep reading words about Enrichment Night, am I missing something? We are of the LDS faith, and sometimes we slip up and use words that not everyone will understand. Enrichment Night is when female members of our faith plan an activity to learn about ways to strengthen our homes and families.

My house is a disaster, can you come help me? Of course! The question alone makes us excited, we love doing this! We do free consultations within 50 miles of Pocatello, ID. If you want us to help you organize, we have a base rate of $100.

How do I keep myself motivated? Sometimes it’s hard to stay motivated, trust us, we know! The thing is to keep your POWER JOURNAL! out and use it, keep reading the blog for ideas and tips and best of all is to attend the classes. They are definitely motivating!

Christmas Shopping Made Easier!

2010-11-01T13:30:00.000-07:00

I love Christmas! I love everything about it, the decorated trees, the smells, the happiness, family get-togethers, everything! The only thing I don't like is deciding what on earth I should buy for people! I can think of great ideas throughout the year but can't remember them when it comes time to buy something for that person. We both came up with ideas to help us give great gifts that won't result in junk and will be something that person wants/needs.

1. I created a document in Word that has a list of everybody that I need to buy gifts for: Christmas, birthday, graduation, etc. Whenever I have an idea come to mind, I hurry and save it in that document and keep adding to it whenever I get an idea. I now have at least one item for everyone on my list this year. (Just be sure to keep the document hidden or else your kids might come across it and see what you're getting them!)

2. My mom created this awesome document that we all had to fill out this year. It has several different categories where people will list what they want or need, what their most desired gift is, etc. We have it available to download or you can create your own if you want to change it. I love this idea!
Annual Christmas Survey

Weekly Menu

2010-11-01T13:02:00.000-07:00

Monday: Chicken tortilla soup (This soup is so good and incredibly healthy!)
Tuesday: Steak over rice
Wednesday: Fried burritos
Thursday: Salad night (Everyone make their own salad with whatever toppings they want)
Friday: Date Night!
Saturday: Spaghetti & meatballs
Sunday: Dinner with the family!

Red Lobster Biscuits

2010-11-01T07:06:00.000-07:00

These biscuits are the easiest to make. It's nice to have something that is quick and yummy to serve with dinner when I can't think of anything else. They taste a lot like Red Lobster's Cheddar Bay Biscuits that are to die for!

Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits
2 1/2 cups Bisquick baking mix
4 tbsp cold butter
1 heaping cup grated cheddar cheese
3/4 cup milk
1/4 tsp garlic powder

Brush on top:
2 tbsp butter, melted
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp dried parsley flakes
pinch salt

Preheat oven to 400. Combine Bisquick with cold butter in a medium bowl using a pastry cutter or a large fork. You don't want to mix too thoroughly, there should be small chunks of butter in there about the size of peas. Add remaining ingredients.

Drop 1/4 cup portions on cookie sheet. Bake about 12-15 minutes or until tops are browning. Brush the butter and remaining ingredients on top.

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Tortilla Soup

2010-11-01T06:58:00.000-07:00

This soup is one of the many reasons why I love my BlendTec. You can literally have raw, homemade soup in just 5 minutes!

Tortilla Soup
3 Roma tomatoes (halved)
2 tbsp taco seasoning
1 2"x2" cube of sharp cheddar cheese
3 sprigs cilantro
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/3 large carrot
2 tbsp onion
1 tsp chicken boullion
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 cups hot water
1/2 avocado

Blend the ingredients until hot. Add tortilla chips. Serve

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Make Meal Time Easier

2010-10-27T13:18:00.000-07:00

Wondering how to make meal time a little easier? Try coordinating meals a couple times a week with a friend/family. Each of you be in charge of something, make enough for both families and share. My mom and I did this the other day with Indian Tacos: I made the dough for the fried bread and she made the chili. Then we put enough in a container for the other family and traded. It worked so great! Meal time was easy & my husband appreciated the change of taste.

Now I'll leave you with an awesome recipe for you to use for fried bread. It's a lot healthier than most recipes. It makes a lot so maybe cut it in half :)

Whole Wheat Bread
5 1/2 cups hot water
2/3 cup oil
2/3 cup honey
2 TBSP salt
2 TBSP yeast
2 cup white flour
10 cup ground wheat flour

Dissolve yeast in water. Add all ingredients except the flour. Mix. Add white flour. Mix. Add whole wheat flour 1 cup at a time. This dough will be sticky.

If you want to make it into bread, roll into loaves. Let rise & bake at 350 til done.

Weekly Menu

2010-10-18T07:01:00.001-07:00

Monday: Sticky Fingers (Tastes like Winger's!)
Tuesday: Indian Tacos
Wednesday: Fried Burritos
Thursday: Chicken Tortilla Casserole
Friday: Date Night!
Saturday: POWER PUMPKIN CARVING PARTY: Bring Soup for dinner
Sunday: Roast & Potatoes

All New: Student POWER JOURNAL! download

2010-10-15T16:46:00.000-07:00

It's here! We have made the Student POWER JOURNAL! and now have it available for you to download. This is to help students stay organized with their school work, due dates and time.

Enjoy!

Student Power Journal

Organizing Crafts!

2010-10-12T13:32:00.001-07:00

Face it, those projects you started at enrichment night four years ago are now outdated and it’s time to toss them out! All the leftover fabric you’ve been saving “just in case” is just junk and it’s now time to say goodbye.

I was talking to someone whose grandma has a box labeled “String Too Short For Anything”. If any of you have boxes or containers with similar labels, then there’s a major problem! :)

Let’s get to the fun stuff: dejunking & organizing our crafts

I’ll be the first to admit it: I’m NOT crafty! I wish I was, it would be so fun to be creative and to make cute things. Therefore, I don’t have as many crafts/supplies that some of you may have. This is on a very basic level so some of you might have to work a little harder on this than I had to.

Let’s begin!

1. Start going through everything and organizing it into piles:
a)Necessary items that you will for sure keep
b) Items that are definitely garbage
c)Supplies & unfinished projects that you aren’t quite sure about

2. Now take all items from pile “b” out to the garbage so you have more room to work and don’t feel overwhelmed by unnecessary items.

3. It’s now time to think through pile “c” and decide what you’ll do with it. I had jewelry that was broken and needs to be fixed next time I get out my supplies to make jewelry. I decided I still will wear it as soon as it’s repaired and it’s not so large that it takes up needed space. As far as fabric that I’ve had for a long time and haven’t ever used, I decided to get rid of. Ladies (and maybe gentleman!) if you have projects that you’ve never finished and wouldn’t ever use (such as outdated cross-stitching that you have a hard time getting rid of because you spent hours working on it) then it’s a good idea to get rid of them.

4. After pile “c” is completed, by throwing away those items/projects or by deciding it was NECESSARY, it’s now time to work with pile “a”. It’s time to start organizing your supplies by like items. Here are some tips:

1. Use clear containers so you can easily see what is in them. You don’t need expensive containers either. I bought mine at Home Depot 3 years ago for $0.99 each and they still are still holding up.

2. Label your containers. If you want, buy an actual label maker. Sadly, mine broke and I need to purchase a new one because I hate being without it!

3. Sort like items together. To some of you this is obvious, but for some reason things get mixed up and need put back in the right container.

4. Purchase containers that are made for particular items. I have a ribbon holder that I absolutely LOVE. It’s so nice to have my ribbon wrapped up nicely rather than wrapping up with each other and making it a hassle anytime I need to get some out. Another one of my favorite containers are tackle boxes for beads, buttons, needles, etc. I know that some stores have containers in the craft section but when I’m shopping for containers I look there as well as the fishing aisle because sometimes the containers are just what I’m looking for.

Now that you’ve organized all your supplies plan a girl’s craft party! It’s so much more enjoyable to use things you have when it’s not a jumbled mess!

p.s. If you have any awesome blogs or websites with great craft ideas, list them below so we can all check them out!

HAPPY TOSSING!

What a surprise!

2010-10-11T11:21:00.000-07:00

I had some ladies from my church come visit me and when they left they couldn't find their keys. We searched for them and couldn't find them anywhere. Finally, we decided to take the cushions off the couch. Nope, we didn't find the keys but I found plenty of others things: bracelets, buttons, cap to my thumb drive, rubber bands, crumbs, more crumbs, etc. So embarrassing!

Want to know what I did the next day? I took every cushion off of all my furniture and VACUUMED!! It was hilarious to see my little girls get excited as the cushions came off one by one to find what surprises were underneath each one!

Do you know what is under your cushions? How about you find out today and then take the opportunity to clean it up and vacuum :)

Weekly Men

2010-10-11T11:17:00.000-07:00

Monday: Chicken alfredo
Tuesday: Fried burritos
Wednesday Hawaiian Haystacks
Thursday: Indian Tacos
Friday: Date Night :)
Saturday: Sweet & Sour Chicken
Sunday: Dinner with the family-make rolls

Sterilite Containers

2010-09-30T13:18:00.000-07:00

We were recently asked where to get Sterilite containers like the ones we have in our header. Walmart used to sell them but ever since they remodeled my Walmart, they've gotten rid of them! So I've been looking around and here is what I've found:

Housewares & Beyond: So far this has been the best place I've found. It looks like they have all the different sizes whereas the links below don't.

Ace: It looks like this store only sells one size, but they come in a package of 6.

Walmart: WOW! I actually found these on their website but it specifically says "not sold in stores" Hopefully we can all start buying a lot so they stock them again! :) Note: It looks like they only carry one of the sizes still.

If you are able to find another place that sales these containers, let us know so we can tell everyone else!

Why we love Oprah...

2010-09-24T13:06:00.001-07:00

...because she has fantastic articles and shows on decluttering! Today I was looking at her website and came across this awesome article that I found inspiring. It has so many key points in the article that are exactly what we teach in our classes. Go here to read it!

Here are some of the key points that I enjoyed:

1. Editing your cookbooks: My mom made us the best Christmas present ever when she went through our cookbooks and typed up all our family favorite recipes and put them into a binder. Now my sister in law is typing up more family favorite recipes and printing them off to add to our binder. It's so compact and we can add and subtract to it whenever we want. LOVE IT!

2. Appliances: Get rid of the ones you don't use or that don't work. I bought a BlendTec a few months ago but never got rid of my other blender. Now after reading this article I'm dying to go donate it!

3. Mail: The article talks about having a place for the mail and to not sort through it until you have time. My solution for this is my Bill Paying POWER JOURNAL! that I stick bills and items that need taken care of in and then I toss all the junk mail immediately after getting it from the mail box.

4. Special occassion outfits: I've wondered about this very thing. I will confess...I have held on to some gorgeous dresses for several years because I just know I'm going on a cruise SOMEDAY and will need them! His advice is the same thing we hear over and over again: "If you haven't worn it in a year, donate it." My mind is made up, I'll take the dresses along with my blender down to D.I.

5. SALE items: I've had this very conversation with my husband several times (he's gotten better but he was terrible when we first got married) that if we don't need it then don't buy it EVEN IF IT IS ON SALE! This will keep "stuff" out of our homes.

6. Inherited items: Inherited items are such a sensitive topic. I'll just copy and paste exactly what he said "Things don't have to become yours simply because they belonged to a relative. You're not living her life, and you're not a bad person for giving inherited items away." I love love love that! I know several people that have a couple storage units full of a relatives items. They refuse to give their stuff away. My kids will know that when I die, take a couple things they love and then chuck or donate the rest! Save everyone a lot of hassle and MONEY. :)

Now you go read the article and leave a comment on what your favorite part was! I'm off to do some decluttering :)

HAPPY TOSSING!

M.I.A.

2010-09-18T11:00:00.000-07:00

I know, we've totally been M.I.A.!!! Sorry! Here are our excuses:

#1: One of us sold our house and have been misplaced for a while! With no house to keep clean and stress of moving, it's hard to motivate others!

#2: The other one has been pregnant and just had a sweet little boy on the 7th! It was a hard pregnancy and blogging has been the least of concerns! :) Luckily, the birth of this new baby has brought a new drive for cleaning!

So now that WE'RE BACK, let me share something with you! :)

Since the birth of my baby (plus a week for recovery!), my house has been CLEAN, the laundry is done EVERY day, I make dinner that isn't already frozen or take out, I spend more time enjoying my three kids (that are all under the age of 3) and I feel FANTASTIC!!! Most of you are probably saying "She is CRAZY!" Yes, I am. Here is my secret:

DAILY CHORES!

Since having this baby, I rewrote the daily chores for my POWER JOURNAL! and it's been the reason why I've been so successful. So now you do it too. Either print off the daily chores list that we already have on our blog, or create your own.

Here are some tips to creating your own daily chores that have helped me:
1. Break things up: If you're like me, you hate the thought of scrubbing the bathroom. So I broke it up...Monday I clean the sinks in the entire house, Tuesday I scrub all the mirrors in the house, Wednesday I scrub the toilets, Thursday I wipe down counters with disinfectant, Friday I sweep and mop the floors, and Saturday I scrub the tubs and showers. Of course, I do these things in addition to my other daily chores, but breaking up the bathroom helps me keep my bathrooms clean!

2. Keep it simple: If you give yourself too many chores then you're not going to want to do them. My maximum amount of chores for one day is 5.

3. Get others to help: I assigned my husband a couple chores for the week and just a couple chores that he doesn't mind doing helps me out a lot! My kids are still too young to understand the chores concept but they know how to clean up their toys, help unload the dishwasher and help me dump garbages. Keeping your family involved is healthy for them even if sometimes it's easier to just hurry and do it yourself.

4. Set a schedule: My husband knows that on Wednesdays before he goes to work, I go grocery shopping, run my errands and tan while he watches the kids. 7:00a.m.-9:00-a.m. is MY time to do things that I need to get done and have some alone time. Wednesdays are the days I write the menus, grocery shop and clean out the fridge. Thursday is the day I set aside to pay the bills & blog. I get up earlier on Thursdays and accomplish those things before my kids get up and I can do it because it's quiet. Friday is date night. Part of my daily chores on Friday is to clean out my purse so that it feels nice and clean when I go out with my husband, I know it sounds weird but a clean purse makes a big difference! I also set Friday aside to clean out the cars so they are a relaxing environment while we drive to our destination.

I hope you're feeling a little more motivated. Now jump on it and write up some daily chores so you can be as energized as I am! I now spend less time cleaning, less time on the computer and more time enjoying my family!!! I love it!

The Container Store

2010-05-14T11:19:00.000-07:00

For fun (yes I do weird things like this in my spare time!) I was looking at containerstore.com and thought I would show you some things I liked:

I thought these were great! The white looks nice with a little bit of color on the sides. They stack which is a plus and you're also able to pull things out of the containers while they stay stacked! I thought these would be great for closets to put toys in or for socks, bras, underwear etc.

I love this. I already have something similar to this but I really like the look of this one better. They say it also comes with different labels that you can use or just make your own.

LOVE these!!! You install this in a lower cabinet and it rolls out for your garbage. My mom has one of these and I coveted it :)

One thing I love that you can find at sterilite.com are the Ultra Storage Baskets.

What are some of your favorite containers for organization?

Welcome In Warm Weather!

2010-05-10T11:57:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love that the weather is warming up! Not only does it excite me to deep clean my house, but it also gets me excited to get out in my yard and make it look nicer!

Today, grab a wet rag and wipe down all your exterior doors. Remember to wipe down the threshold too. We have had so much rain and wind lately that there is dirt all over my exterior doors and I can't wait to do this! Also, grab a broom and sweep the steps leading into your house as well as your sidewalk. I can't believe the difference this makes! If you have a railing be sure to wipe it down. If you have a screen door or a door with windows, grab the squeege and clean those windows!

Now sit on your front steps and enjoy the nice weather and your clean front porch!

What's that smell?

2010-05-07T08:33:00.000-07:00

Image source: google images

We recently had someone ask us this:

"I have a question on how to make your house smell good. I have 4 kids with 2 in diapers, and though my house is always clean and I throw out the diapers as soon as I change them, I feel like my house doesn't smell as good as I want it to. What are things you do to make your house the house on the block that everyone say's "mmmmm, your house always smells so good".?"

I definitely know how you feel, I too have 2 kids still in diapers and you definitely have to work to get that smell out of your house! Here are a few tips to keep your house smelling fresh:

1. Keep up on your laundry: Dirty clothes often leave smells that we don't even realize are there. Try to do a little bit of laundry every day throughout the week rather than having a big stack of dirty clothes to do on your laundry day.

2. Let some fresh air in: Especially now that Spring is finally arriving, open up your doors and windows to let fresh air come in. Sometimes even in the winter I open up a few windows if I feel the house is getting stuffy. Usually after changing a particularly nasty diaper I leave the window to the nursery cracked open a little. :)

3. Keep it clean: Staying up on house work definitely keeps the smells away. Remember to disinfect your counters regularly, use furniture polish when you dust and keep your floors mopped. These little things will help eliminate smells. Also remember to scrub your sinks nightly. There are so many smells that come from the sink and garbage disposal.

4. Take that raw meat straight out!: If I'm cutting up meat and getting all the fat off, I put it in a garbage sack that goes straight outside to the garbage. This keeps the garbage & house from stinking. Remember to also dump your garbage daily!

5. Scentsy!: Or any other similar product will give your home that extra boost. I especially love the ones that smell likes fresh laundry. Just remember that air fresheners and candles should not be used to mask a smell!

Thanks for the questions. How do you guys make sure your homes smell clean? At our next class we will be giving away a scentsy warmer to show that we love all of you! (This is over a $20 value!) :)

We love questions!

2010-04-27T06:30:00.000-07:00

We love when people ask us questions or leave us comments. Recently, we posted "What papers/records do I need to keep and how long". We received a comment that we thought was important to address:

Q: Every now and then I think about scanning the bills and other documents and saving them on the computer. Do you know any down sides to this? For example when only the original paper will be accepted?

A: I cannot say for sure if there are ANY documents that you would need the original’s for. I know that when I worked at the local University we put all of our records on micro film (that dates me, doesn’t it!). In looking over the list that we posted, I would keep original copies of the following

Tax returns

Deeds, mortgages

All legal documents (birth and marriage certificates, etc)

Wills

Power of attorney designation

Titles

My best advice outside of the items listed above is to use common sense. Definitely keep anything that is a record that has been notarized. In the instance that things have a seal or notary, duplicates are not acceptable.

What papers/records do I keep?!

2010-04-14T19:39:00.001-07:00

We get asked a lot about what papers/records should be kept and what can be thrown away. Following is what Dave Ramsey says on the subject. For those of you who don’t know who Dave Ramsey is you can go to www.daveramsey.com. We strongly recommend going to his live presentation of “Total Money Makeover”. He is in Salt Lake every May. It is an amazing presentation and one that EVERYONE should attend. His Total Money Makeover book is the best money you will ever spend and is available here.

New Year’s is behind us and tax season is here. As you gather all the necessary documents for your taxes, why not take the extra steps to get your files organized? Look at it as a late New Year’s resolution!

The task can seem overwhelming at first, but you will feel so much better once it’s done—trust us. The main reason why people don’t have their files organized is because they don’t know what to keep and for how long. After you finish reading, you won’t be able to use that excuse anymore!

First things first: You’re going to need something to store your papers in. We recommend a filing cabinet, but you can also make do with a box. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy—just something that will get the job done.

Now, gather all of your documents. Yes, we mean all of them. Put them into one large pile, roll up your sleeves, and get busy! As you work through the papers, create five different categories:
Keep for 1–3 Months

* Utility bills
* Sales receipts for minor purchases
* ATM and bank deposit slips

Keep for 1 Year

* Checkbook ledgers
* Paycheck stubs
* Monthly mortgage statements
* Expired insurance records

Keep for 7 Years

* Bank statements
* W-2 and 1099 forms
* Receipts for tax purposes
* Cancelled checks
* Disability records
* Unemployment income stubs
* Medical bills/claims

Keep Indefinitely

* Annual tax returns
* Deeds, mortgages and bills of sale
* Year-end statements for investments
* Legal documents (birth certificates, marriage license, divorce papers, passports)
* Home improvement documentation and receipts
* Receipts for major purchases—for warranty and insurance purposes
* Wills
* Living wills
* Power of attorney designation
* Medical and burial instructions
* Beneficiary directions
* Real estate certificates
* Automobile titles
* Current insurance policies
* Medical records
* Education records
* Pension plan records
* Retirement plan records

Trash

* Paycheck stubs after reconciling with W-2 form
* Expired warranties
* Coupons after expiration date

Next, file each category into a filing cabinet drawer or box. Clearly label what each file contains. Shred any papers that you don’t keep. It may take a little while to go through all your documents, but it’s worth it. Imagine how much less stress you’ll experience thanks to your life becoming more organized!

Menu: April 12-18

2010-04-12T06:49:00.000-07:00

Monday: Lemon grilled chicken, roasted parmesan potatoes
Tuesday: Orange chicken, rice
Wednesday: Potato soup
Thursday: Chicken rolls
Friday: Date night
Saturday: Hamburgers, chips
Sunday: Dinner with the family, bring salad

Daily Chores: Friday

2010-04-09T06:44:00.000-07:00

First of all, we taught a class in Idaho Falls last night and we'd like to thank everyone that came! We had so much fun with everyone and enjoyed all the comments and input that everyone gave.

Here are the chores for Friday, remember you can find the weeks worth of daily chores and routines HERE.

Since it is Friday, remember to do something sweet for your significant other today and plan a date night!

1. Morning routine

2. File papers

3. Write letters & cards

4. Clean out your purse

5. Clean out car & check fluids

6. Pay bills

7. Run errands:

-Return library books

-Post office

-Buy gifts/cards

-Bank

-Wash car

I'm so excited to do these things today because I'm especially enthused after a class! Since Easter (running my kids around everywhere with a bunch of stuff) my car has been messy and I can't wait to get my hands on it.

Menu: April 5th-11th

2010-04-05T05:45:00.000-07:00

Monday: Orange Chicken, corn/peas
Tuesday: Chicken cheddar rice bake, onion soup potatoes
Wednesday: Taco bravos
Thursday: Roast, sour cream potatoes
Friday: Date night
Saturday: General Tso's chicken, rice
Sunday: Dinner with the family, bring rolls

Did you know...

2010-04-02T09:30:00.000-07:00

Did you know that vacuuming often will make your carpet last longer? This is especially true for stairs. Pull out the vacuum today and use it, and then ask your huband to do the stairs for you!

Garage Organization

2010-03-29T13:27:00.000-07:00

Obviously my garage is still a work in progress, but it's a lot cleaner than some garages I see. The thing about my family is that we don't have tons of stuff, hopefully we will be able to stay that way for the rest of our life!

My husband & I built these shelves during the winter...it was freezing cold! I was so glad that we did it because he's a contractor and has so many tools that he needs. We were able to build one side for his construction materials and the other side is for our stuff. He thought I was crazy for wanting to build these shelves but after we did it and he got his tools put on, he said, "Wow, I like how it feels to be organized!" After that he went out to his truck & trailer and cleaned them in the dark!

Look at these images and let me know what you think. We definitely still have more work to do but at least everything isn't stacked on the garage floor. At the end of this post, comment & answer the questions I have at the bottom.

I'm curious...are you able to park in your garage? Are your neighbors able to park in their garages?

2010-03-29T11:31:00.000-07:00

I told everyone on facebook that I was going to be posting pictures of my garage shelves, but for some reason I can't add any pictures! I have the post all written and everything but it's kinda useless without pictures :) I will keep trying, so check back.

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Sweet & Sour Chicken

2010-03-29T10:06:00.000-07:00

Sweet & Sour Chicken...to die for! :)

I'm not a huge fan of sweet & sour chicken, but for some reason I just LOVE this recipe. We usually do it in a dutch oven for big family dinners, but you can just do it in a casserole dish as well.

2 cups flour
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp pepper
1 tbsp seasoning salt
Boneless skinless chicken cut into squares

(Here is the chicken being browned)

Mix dry ingredients together & dip chicken pieces in it. Brown chicken then put in dutch oven to continue cooking with the following sauce:

3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup vinegar
1/4 cup water
dash of salt
3-4 tbsp catsup
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp garlic powder

Bake in the oven 'til done

Winger's Sticky Finger Sauce!

2010-03-23T06:38:00.000-07:00

Winger's Sticky Finger Sauce

¾ cup brown sugar
3-4 TBLS Franks hot sauce (must be Franks)
3 TBLS water

Heat until sugar is dissolved and pour over breaded chicken fingers. You can either bake these or fry them, either way they're delicious!

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Menu: 22nd-28th

2010-03-22T05:20:00.000-07:00

Monday: Steak, mashed potatoes & gravy
Tuesday: Indian tacos
Wednesday: Meatloaf, salad
Thursday: Wingers copy cat sticky finger recipe, cesar salad
Friday: Date night
Saturday: Breakfast for dinner
Sunday: Dinner with the family, bring biscuits

Spring is in the air!

2010-03-22T04:47:00.000-07:00

Ahhh seriously, spring just brings so much joy with it! Winter is so long and cold and makes you lazy with your housework, and then spring comes and you just want to do all your Spring cleaning and sing while you do it!

Today's daily chore is to wash your coats, hats & gloves then put them away in a container 'til next winter. When you get them out next winter they'll be ready for you and you won't have to search for them. Remember to label the container you put them in. If you're like me, all your containers match and you don't know what's in them unless there are labels. I had my husband build me lovely shelves in our garage and my containers fit on them. It's great. I better post pictures of my garage tomorrow...we cleaned it and I LOVE IT!

**TIP: I had a basket in my coat closet where we kept our hats, gloves & scarves. I have taken all those items out and put sunscreen & baseball caps in their place. These always seem to be items we need on the go but can never find. This is so helpful!

Menu: March 15th-21st

2010-03-15T10:18:00.000-07:00

Monday: Hawaiian haystacks
Tuesday: Chicken & rice, fresh vegetables
Wednesday: Spaghetti, garlic bread
Thursday: Nachos
Friday: Date night
Saturday: Toasted cheese sandwiches with spaghetti O's
Sunday: Dinner with the family, bring salad

Chicken Tortilla Casserole

2010-03-10T18:15:00.001-08:00

Chicken Tortilla Casserole

Corn tortillas (or flour if your husband is picky like mine!)
1 can canned milk
4-5 cups shredded chicken
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 chopped onion (optional)
1 small can diced green chilies
Grated cheese

Warm tortillas so they're easy to tear. Saute onion and chilies. Combine milk and soup to onions & chilies. In 9x13 pan, place layer of tortillas, layer of chicken and cover with 1/2 of soup mixture. Add another layer of tortillas, chicken and rest of soup mixture. Spread cheese on top.

Bake at 275 for 45 minutes.

*Tip: I absolutely love the green chilies that I have pictured with the ingredients. They have more flavor than anything in a can and don't have to be sauted. I also love to make this and cover it with tin foil and stick it in the freezer for meals when I don't have time to cook.

My favorite things...

2010-03-10T17:55:00.000-08:00

Here are a couple of my favorite things: Those lovely purple gloves & canned chicken! Not even kidding, this makes my time in the kitchen so much EASIER and FASTER!

I absolutely hate touching meat, a gift I inherited from my dear mother, so this was her cure for the problem. These purple gloves can be found at walmart over by the band aids. I use them all the time in the kitchen and whenever I clean the bathroom. I usually buy the darker purple gloves because they're thicker but they were out when I last went to the store.

My next favorite thing is my canned chicken. My sister in law, whose blog is so cute and you should definitely check it out, told me she canned some chicken and I thought it was the best idea ever so I tried it with my mom. It makes meal time so much easier when you need shredded chicken. All you do is empty it out on a plate, mix it around in your hands and you instantly have cooked, shredded chicken!

After I did this to the chicken, I was able to make 2 meals with it (which will be posted later with pictures :) ) and then I took the left over chicken and mixed it with mayonnaise to use for sandwiches. This is seriously so good on a sandwich! I love it and so does my family. Easy easy easy!

Want to know some more of our secrets? How about homemade chili in 5 minutes?! Yeah, we'll be posting that sometime soon too!!

Menu: March 8th-14th

2010-03-08T10:15:00.000-08:00

Monday: Chicken tortilla casserole, rolls
Tuesday: Crock pot lemon garlic chicken, vegetables
Wednesday: Steak over rice, crispy potato wedges
Thursday: Potato soup, salad
Friday: Date night
Saturday: Mac N Cheese grandma style :)
Sunday: Dinner with the family, bring corn flake cookies

Clean as you go!

2010-03-03T19:24:00.000-08:00

Clean As You Go

Monday morning my husband and got up and cleaned our entire house-dusting, vacuuming, mopping, organizing. You name it, it got cleaned! Monday evening I got sick (againL) and I have pretty much been in bed ever since. My first thought was “at least we got the house extra clean” and that made it easier to stay down.

Late this morning (Wednesday) I walked out of the bedroom and into the kitchen where my husband had been taking care of things. I can’t even describe the mess! I really wish I had thought to take a picture to post with this! I will try and help you imagine what it was like. First of all, he had cooked an omlette. Everything (and he likes a lot of different ingredients) from his omlette was out on the counter. Next I had asked him to make Jarom a green smoothie (Jarom is sick and I am trying to get more greens into him). On the island was 2 boxes of produce (I am talking BIG boxes. I went to Costco yesterday morning and bought $100 of fresh produce), our VitaMix, some Rubbermaid containers (because I had asked him to organize and clean all the produce for the cold room), the lemon juice, a large open yogurt container, a dirty spoon, a couple of dirty knives, an apple core (from the smoothie he had made) and the dirty VitaMix blender cup. This is just a few things that were on the island. I also looking in the sink and it was full of dirty dishes.

He asked if I would help him wash and prepare the fruit. I told him as soon as we cleaned the kitchen, I would help him. His response was “I thought it would be easier to clean it after we are done.

I shouldn’t have been shocked. Every time Clark is cooking my biggest complaint is that he is soooooo messy. As I was cleaning up the kitchen I realized that this would make a great post!

The first month I was married, I realized it was much easier to cook and clean if you cleaned up as you go. It is so easy! When you dirty a utensil, put it straight in the dishwasher. After you put the lemon juice (or any other ingredient you are using) into the recipe, put it where it belongs. If you spill something while cooking, wipe it up. You get the idea—CLEAN AS YOU GO! I have done this for 29 years. When we sit down to a meal, the entire kitchen is clean. When we get up, the only dishes to do are what is on the table. If I have a pot that I have cooked in that cannot go in the dishwasher, I even wash it and put it away before the meal.

My husband is a slow cook when he is in the kitchen. I think a huge reason for that is because he is working in a mess!

This clean as you go doesn’t just work in the kitchen. Do it with every task you perform. In the morning when you are getting ready, put the blow dryer away after you are done with it. After you use the hair spray, put it away. Same with your makeup. Curling irons do need to cool so I try and heat them up while I make the bed, use them and then they can cool while I put on my makeup. When I walk in to put my makeup away, I can put the curling iron and flat iron away. Then as I walk out, the bathroom is all clean.

The nicest thing about cleaning as you go is that your rooms stay clean. Company can come at any time and you are not embarrassed. Then you can get up on Monday morning like Clark and I did and the cleaning that needs done is the stuff that makes your home SHINE!

Try to Clean As You Go and let us know how it helps you! It feels soooooo good!!!

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Menu: March 1st-7th

2010-02-28T20:04:00.000-08:00

Menu: March 1st-7th

Monday:Paremesan Ranch Chicken, mashed potatoes
Tuesday: Blackened chicken alfredo, salad, French bread
Wednesday: Tacos bravos
Thursday: Bagel pizza
Friday: Date Night
Saturday: Fried Burritos
Sunday: Dinner with the family, bring Red Lobster biscuits

French Bread

2010-02-27T12:30:00.000-08:00

So I totally stole the image from google images, but when I make this I will be sure to post a picture for you. I just wanted to post this recipe so you guys can prepare to make it :) Remember, on Monday we'll be posting our weekly menu! This bread is going to be part of Tuesday's menu...can't wait!

This is actual French bread! We have some friends from France who taught us a few recipes and this is by far our favorite. It is soooo good and so easy!

French Bread

2 cups warm water
1 tbsp yeast
3 tbsp sugar
Mix together until dissolved. Add:
2 1/2 tsp salt
5-6 cups flour

Knead for 15 minutes or until a fairly stiff dough. Place in greased bowl and place a hot, damp towel over bowl. Let rest for 2-3 hours (more is okay but no less) in a warm place. Divide into 3 equal parts and braid. (Or if you're lazy like me, just divide in half and make two loaves) Place on greased cooking pan. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

**Tip** I like to cook mine longer sometimes so the edges get extra crispy.

**Tip** Serve immediately because the crust will start to soften after about 10 minutes.

We love to serve this with olive oil and spices like they do at fancy restuarants. Mmm :)

Menu Organization...NEW!

2010-02-24T10:09:00.000-08:00

We have decided that we're going to add to what we post on this blog and we're going to start showing you how we organize our meal time! :) Starting Monday we'll post our weekly menu and start posting recipes that we use. If you're interested in sharing ideas on how to organize your weekly menus let us know and we'll share it with everyone while giving you the credit. Also, don't forget to send us in recipes that you enjoy so we all can test them out too!

Stay tuned to see what we post on Monday!!!

Organization...in the fridge?

2010-02-23T11:44:00.000-08:00

How often do you have produce go bad in your fridge? I will admit that it happens to me ALL the time! It gets so frustrating because it costs money, and I get upset that I let healthy food go to waste.

Here's what I did when I went to the store yesterday. I got home and immediately washed my vegetables & cut them up. I then made individual salads and put them in baggies so I can easily have a salad whenever I want one. The left over vegetables I put into containers all cut up so it's easy for snacking.

This looks so much better in my fridge! No sacks or mess that I don't need taking up precious space in my fridge. Looks & feels great!

Sometimes we just get sloppy...

2010-02-22T15:32:00.000-08:00

This post will show you that I’m just as guilty as everyone else about getting sloppy in the places that other people don’t see.

Here is a drawer in my bathroom that gets way too messy. I clean it out about once a month because I get lazy. In the first picture you’ll see a bunch of jewelry that is thrown in there because I don’t feel like taking an extra two steps to put it away in the closet. My contacts are another thing that have their own place, but once again I got lazy and just threw them in there to get scratched up.

The picture below is soooooo much better! I took out so many things that didn't belong in this drawer and put them away. What can we learn from this? Let's not get lazy in our daily routines even if we're the only ones who will see the mess. It feels so much better to get into drawers that are clean and will help us keep the rest of our house clean.