I Swear I Clean My House. Sometimes.

I do not like to clean. I know, *shocker*, right? But, I do clean. Promise. And since I refuse to spend the hubs' hard-earned cash on expensive, super-toxic cleaners, I have scoured the internet for cleaners that:
1) are cheap, and
2) won't make my kid sick when he licks the floor.

And since I heart sharing, here are my favorite cleaning recipes:

**If not diluted properly, vinegar can etch certain surfaces, including glass. If unsure, test misture on small, inconspicuous surface.**

All-Purpose Cleaner

• 1 Cup Vinegar (Distilled White, not Apple Cider Vinegar)
• 1 Cup Water
• Spray Bottle

Pour ingredients into spray bottle. Spray mixture on surface, wipe off with towel or sponge.

Bathroom Cleaner - Perfect for Water/Soap Stains in Showers

• 1/2 Cup Vinegar (Distilled White, not Apple Cider Vinegar)
• 1/4 Cup Baking Soda
• 1/2 Gallon Water

*You can also substitute 2 Teaspoons Borax for the Baking Soda.

For bathroom mold, try:

• 1 Part Hydrogen Peroxide (3%)
• 2 Parts Water
• Spray Bottle

Combine ingredients in spray bottle. Spray on surfaces with mold, wait 1 hour, rinse off.

Surface/Counter Scrub - Clean surfaces that require a little "elbow grease"

• 1 1/2 Cup Baking Soda
• 1/2 Cup Water
• Bowl/Jar/Container

 Mix ingredients in container to create a paste. Spread over stained/dirty surface, wipe off with sponge/towel.

*For tough stains/dirt, leave paste on surface for 5-15 minutes before wiping off.

Powder Laundry Detergent

• 1 Bar Fels-Naptha Laundry Soap
• 1 Cup Borax
• 1 Cup Washing Soda
• Bowl/Jar/Container

 Finely grate bar soap into container. Add Borax and Washing Soda and store in covered container. Use 1 Tbsp. of mixture per regular load of laundry, 2 Tbsp. for large or nasty loads. Makes approximately 40 loads.

*Shake mixture gently before each load, as Borax and Washing Soda can settle to bottom of container between uses.

Liquid Fabric Softener

• 1 Cup Vinegar (Distilled White, not Apple Cider vinegar)

Pour into washing machine during rinse cycle, or pour into fabric softener dispenser if you have one of those fancy machines.

Carpet Stain Remover

• 1 Cup Vinegar (Distilled White, not Apple Cider vinegar)
• 1 Cup Water
• Spray Bottle

Combine ingredients in spray bottle. Spray directly on stained carpet. Wait at least 10 minutes, depending on stain, then clean with sponge/brush and warm soapy water.

For Heavy-Duty Stains, try:

• 1/4 Cup Vinegar (Distilled White, not Apple Cider vinegar)
• 1/4 Cup Salt
• 1/4 Cup Borax
• Bowl/Jar/Container

Combine ingredients in container to form a paste. Rub paste directly onto stained carpet, wait several hours until dry, then vacuum.

Dishwasher Soap

• 1 Part Borax
• 1 Part Washing Soda

Combine ingredients in dishwasher's soap dispenser.

*If you have hard water, increase washing soda as needed to prevent film on dishes.

Window Cleaner

• 2 Teaspoons Vinegar (Distilled White, not Apple Cider vinegar)
• 1 Quart Warm Water
• Spray Bottle

Combine ingredients in spray bottle. Spray mixture on window surface, wipe off using cotton towel or crumpled newspaper.

*Avoid cleaning windows during times of direct sunlight, or when windows are warm, as streaks will form upon drying.

 

So there ya go. Feel free to tweak the amounts according to your needs. Happy cleaning!

Stuff I Made - S'mores Croissants

I needed a quick and yummy dish for a marriage class we're attending tonight, so I turned to my my new favorite source of inspiration, Pinterest. After spending hours pinning everything I saw, I decided to combine my two fave snacks: S'mores and Crescent Rolls. Here's how to make these yummies:

Gather your mini marshmallows, chocolate chips, and crescent rolls. Also a baking sheet. Preheat your oven according to the instructions on your rolls.

Unwrap roll containers until they POP. This is probably my favorite part!

Do you see anything wrong with these directions? Who proofread these before they were printed on millions of packages?

Anyway....unroll and separate your rolls onto your baking sheet.

Add chips and mallows.

Roll dough into standard crescent shape. Or you can be creative, whatevs. 

Bake accoring to roll directions, allow to cool, and enjoy! I also brush each roll with a butter and brown sugar mixture before baking, but it is not necessary.

Let me know how you like them!

13 Months

He:

• is running everywhere, but has not mastered the art of watching where he's going.
• loves swimming, but not underwater.
• loves giving kisses, but only the open-mouthed kind.
• can show you where his belly button is, and tell you what a doggie says.
• likes to dance along with the Silly Songs on VeggieTales.
• is a true explorer
• hasn't had a bottle in 3 weeks. Gave it up cold turkey.
• will bring you a book when he's sleepy.
• can point at what he wants, if he knows what he wants.
• can throw an epic tantrum.
• still has no teeth.
• survived two 2-day car trips to and from PA without throwing a fit once.

I:

• have to follow Cade around everywhere, since he can reach objects on tables/shelves, the oven knobs, and in cabinets.
• am on the receiving end of most of the above-mentioned open-mouth kisses.
• try to take at least 1 picture of Caden per day.
• would love a float trip, haircut, and date night.
• have been scouring the internet for ideas.

We:

• have not spent a single weekend at home all summer.
• are being overrun by weeds in our front yard.
• are amazingly blessed, as always.

What's In My Bag? - 1 Year Old

Now that Caden is one, I have finally been able to thin out my diaper bag (Hallelujah!). However, many things that were in my bag when Cade was 2 months old has been replaced with others.

I'm still using my big shiny diaper bag, but only until I can convince myself that $300 is not too much to pay for a bag to carry poop in. Since that's the bag I want, there shall be no other.

Since Caden turned 1, we have been super busy, so I have had to carry an extra bag full of toys/clothes, in case we have to spend the night. Here's what I carry every day:

For Baby Toddler:

1. BumGenius diapers, 2
2. Wet Bag
3. Wipes
4. Diaper Cream/Medicine - Kid gets wierdo yeast infections, so gotta be prepared, no?
5. Teething Tablets - Cade's gonna get teeth someday...I hope.
6. Extra clothes - In case of spills/excessive drool/dirt romping
7. Toys
8. Sippy Cups, at least 2 filled with water/juice and milk, and 1 spare
9. Shoes

For Mama:

1. Wallet
2. Keys
3. Phone
4. Lip gloss
5. Sunglasses
6. Digital Camera
7. Flip Video Camera

Unfortunately, the bag is not really any lighter than it was before, but I don't have to carry it around everywhere, I can just leave it in the car, and get things as needed.
What's in your bag?

Cade's First Birthday

Wow! How I have missed you, blog! What I crazy busy summer it has been! I promise to catch you up on all the haps, so here we go...

My sweet angel boy is ONE! To answer everyone's favorite question, no it doesn't feel like a year has passed. It's been a long adventure so far, and the hardest year of my life, but I loved every minute of it.

This kid got TWO parties. One at GG's house with family and friends where we live, and another at my home with my family. Here are some of my favorites:



Super sweet cake made by Aunt Suzie





It took Cade a minute to decide he wanted to try the cake, but once he did, he LOVED it!

   



Pool time with Daddy!



Booger Face, Your mama and daddy love you SOOO much. You are the best, smartest boy in the whole wide world (ask anybody), and don't you ever let anyone tell you otherwise. We can't wait to see who you are next year. Hopefully by your next birthday you'll have some teeth! We promise to love you till your eyes pop out, no matter how stinky, loud or messy you are.
Hugs and kisses,
      Daddy and Mama

Baby Love

Just had to revel in the awesome cuteness of my sweet angel.

Best. Baby. Ever.

Hubby Love ;)

Look at this man (or, just his nose). He has done lots of crazy things for me in the 6 years I've known him, like driving 2 hours one-way just to sleep on a lumpy futon in my dorm every weekend for a year. He drove 3 hours and got a flat tire, just to ask my dad if he could marry me.

Then he made me hike across across the Trail of Tears State Park in flip flops, just so he could propose to me in front of the most beautiful view.

He married me, with tears in his eyes. He wiped my tears when our "friends" didn't show, and put on his best fake smile, even when he just wanted to take off his tie and play some frisbee.

He bought me Flamin' Hot Cheetos in Hawaii. Pretty much every day.

He sat through weddings and funerals where I had to sing. He protected me from getting trampled on at a Rascal Flatts concert, stood in the mud at AgapeFest, and sits patiently with a book while I get my hair done. He gets me chocolate covered strawberries every year for my birthday.

He gave me this sweet angel. He got up every night to give him a bottle, so I could sleep. He emptied the Diaper Genie. He tells me I'm beautiful and not fat.

He wears his son. In public.

He works hard, every day, so that I can stay home with our little. He catches mice with his bare hands (or feet). He lets me watch Ugly Betty and PS I Love You. He holds my hand and loves me. He's my penguin.

The Book Or The Movie?

 

I LOVE old novels. I have 8 copies of Pride & Prejudice, because I love it so much. The beauty and danger of this is that now these lovely books are being made into movies. As with Pride & Prejudice, it could be done in the spirit intended by the story, or it could be chopped up and rewritten to better fit a 2-hour movie.

Most of the time, I am content to skip the movie and stay within my perfect novel fantasy. Books are far better than movies, simply because they develop the story better than it is possible to do in the constraints of a movie. The author of a novel can take as many pages as necessary to create the characters and tension to complete the story. A movie has constraints: time, budget, and the attension span of the audience. But the new Jane Eyre movie has basically been screaming "Watch Me, Erin!", and after reading the book again, I think I'll cave to the pressure and watch it.

I think the best way to watch a movie of this type is to first read the novel. But what about you? Do you like to let the movie spark your interest in reading the book?