Me: A to Z

A. age :: twenty.five

B. bed size :: queen
C. chore you hate :: vaccuuming

D. dogs :: Titus and Brutus
E. essential start to your day :: french vanilla cappuccino

F. favorite color :: red, peach, yellow and turquoise

G. gold or silver :: silver
H. height :: five.foot.two (almost)
I. instruments you play :: piano and clarinet

J. job title :: wife, mama, writer/blogger, crafter

K. kids :: Caden and our new little peanut!
L. live :: St. Louis, Missouri

M. maiden name :: McFarlen

N. nicknames :: Mac, Missy, E

O. overnight hospital stays :: two
P. pet peeve :: mean people, open-mouth chewers, selfish drivers
Q. quote ::"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot 

R. righty or lefty :: righty
S. siblings :: one older brother, two sisters

T. time you wake up :: Whenever Cade wakes up, usually 7:30 am
U. university attended :: Southeast MO State University

V. vegetables you dislike: collard greens (that's a veggie, right?)
W. what makes you run late :: my sweet baby, my hair
X. x-rays you’ve had :: dentist, wrists, tailbone
Y. yummy food :: chinese food, "fresh-mex", pasta
Z. zoo animal favorite :: puffins, baby elephants, giraffes

xoxo have a lovely day friends!

Critter Update

Here's an update on our critter problem. I decided to make both the repellent and killer recipes I found online. That way, the mice that are not repelled, will die. I sprayed the repellent around the baseboards, and also around the outside perimeter of the house. Then I set out the powder mouse killer in the corners we have seen mice run to/from, in little cups. I did this last Thursday, and have not seen a single mouse, or mouse poo, since! I know that this is not definite proof that every single mouse is gone, but I'm a happy girl!

Here are the recipes I used, in case you are having the same issue:

Mouse Repellent (also works with moles):

2 Tbs. Castor Oil
6 Tbs. Liquid Dish Soap
1 tsp. Hot Sauce (the spicier, the better)
1 clove Minced Garlic
1 Quart Water

Mix ingredients in spray bottle. I also added a few drops of peppermint oil for good measure, since I read that mice can't stand the smell of peppermint.

Mouse Killer:

1 cup Flour
1 cup Sugar
1 cup Baking Soda

Mix ingredients and place in small bowls wherever you see mice traffic. Safe for pets/kiddos, but will cause gas if swallowed.

Hope this helps! Have a fabulous day!

Some Days I Feel Like This...

... and today is one of those days.

;)

To Do This Week

In my effort to make our home more efficient, I am making more lists. Here's what I hope to accomplish this week:

• Laundry - I kinda promised Husband he could have clean clothes to wear to work.
• Make My Own: mouse killer and repellent, ant and mosquito sprays, shampoo bars, and chalboard paint.
• Collect enough toilet roll tubes to make these:

• Find the cheapest rugs to make this:

 

• Find the perfect paper for this:

• Find the perfect fabrics to make all of these:

 

 

•  Get everything we brought home from the in-laws' old house packed away in the attic.

Here's hopin' I get at least some of these things done!

The Mice (and Weeds) Must Die

We have what I like to call a "critter problem" at our house. I'm cool with critters, not a fan, but we can coexist, just NOT. in. my. house. First it was the raccoons fighting (I hope) in the attic. The hubs fixed that by nailing the windows shut on each end of the room, and closing the "ventilation" gap between the roof and walls on our janky, super-old house. I do not care about ventilation, I do not want critters.

Now, we have a mouse. Which means we have MICE. This mouse is particularly brave, running around during the day. We have traps, baited with peanut butter. We bought the  fancy electronics that are supposed to emit high-pitched, mouse-repelling noise, and ones that are supposed to vibrate the walls so mice go away. This mouse must be deaf, and not in the wall.

So, as with all things that stump me, I have turned to the internet for inspiration. I was amazed that the most popular suggestion was to get a cat. I do not enjoy cats once they exit the cute kitten stage, they serve no purpose. Also, there is a fluffy, white cat that sits in our yard all day long (I have named him Satan), and yet, we still have mice. Therefore, I deemed that suggestion unhelpful, and kept looking.

Apparently, I have two options: kill the mice or repel them. My immediate response is obviously KILL KILL KILL, but I do not want dead mice in my walls, or wherever they have chosen to crawl into and die. That would require finding and then touching a dead mouse. Not happening. So repel them I shall. The hubs and I are heading to the nearest grocery store to try the mouse repellent this evening, so I will let you know tomorrow how it goes.

We also have a "weed problem" at our house. I say that because we now have a dandelion BUSH on our front yard that is taller than me. Once again, I found several options to make my own weed killer. My favorite was pouring boiling water on the weeds, to basically cook the weeds in the ground. But the hubs thought that would not work as well as just pulling the weeds. He does not enjoy the same killer instinct as me. But since he has volunteered to pull the weeds for me, I will go with his method. For now.