10 Favorite Household Tips

 Happy Friday!

 Erin is hosting a 10 on the 10th link up today, and it's all about favorite household tips.  I thought I'd share a few of mine with you today as well.

Now, I don't claim to have it all together, in fact I usually stay away from writing, "How To" blog posts, because lets face it... some days I feel like a rock star with how smooth everything is going, and then the next day, I feel like a mess who can't get anything done.

Be that as it may, I'm sharing my tips for you this morning.  If I remember and follow all of these, my day goes so much smoother.

~ONE~

I try and start a load of laundry almost every single morning.  I do this before I even pour myself a cup of coffee.  Sometimes I'll put towels or whatever I'm planning to wash in the wash machine with the laundry soap the night before, and then in the morning all I have to do is close the door and push start.  I can then enjoy my coffee knowing that things are already off to a good start.  I've found for my family that if I can do one or two loads of laundry every day, I can usually stay on top of it.  If I don't, it takes over quickly.

~TWO~

Every night before bed, we start the dishwasher, that way in the morning during breakfast I can unload it and put the dishes away.  Breakfast dishes are ready to go in along with any other dishes from the day, that way nothing is getting stacked up in the sink.  Every once in a while we will forget to start it before bed, and it definitely throws my day off.  Nothing like having a dishwasher full of dirty dishes the next morning, along with any new dishes that need to go in, that there isn't room for.  It makes me crazy just thinking about it.

~THREE~

We have our kids shower at night verses in the morning.  I would prefer having them shower in the morning, but their bus comes fairly early, and my kids aren't natural early risers.  I wake them up around 6:00 and it's all they can do to just function before needing to be out the door by 7:20.  Getting dressed, brushing their hair and their teeth seems to take almost the full hour.  So to make it easier on all of us, showers at night seem to work best, because getting 3 kids up and ready in the morning can be almost as bad as herding cats. 

~FOUR~

Depending upon what we're having for dinner each night, I try and take meat out of the freezer in the morning so it has time to thaw.  I hate looking at the clock realizing that it's almost time to get the kids off the bus, and that I haven't taken anything out for dinner.  Nobody needs that kind of stress in their life.  ;)


~FIVE~
On the weeks where I meal plan, and we have a couple meals with chicken in them, I will cook all of the chicken in one day, and store it in the fridge.  I put around 8 frozen chicken breasts in the crock pot with a bit of water or chicken broth, cover it, and set it on low for 8 hours.  At the end of the day, I'll shred the chicken and put it away until I'm ready to use it.  It makes meal prep so much easier, when you only have the mess once.  You can easily put the chicken in a casserole, in a pot of soup, or add some BBQ sauce and throw it on a bun, and you're done!


~SIX~
Lists!!!  I am a list person through and through.  I have grocery lists, Costco lists, to do lists... Dan and the kids have their own lists as well.  This house runs off of lists.  There is way too many things going on with our family, that if I don't write it down, chances are, it's not going to happen.


~SEVEN~
I only use two things as far as stain remover on our clothes.  I use Dawn dishsoap for grease or oil stains, and I use Shout for anything else.  If those two things don't do it, then I consider it impossible.


~EIGHT~
We make our kids help out.  Now granted, they don't help out nearly as much as we should make them, but with me being home all day, I like to just get things done, instead of waiting for someone else to do it.


I have them bring their clothes to the laundry room for me to wash.  I wash them, and then they are in charge of putting their clothes away and hanging them up.  I have them clean their own bathroom, as well as their bedrooms and then I have them help with a couple basic things like folding towels or emptying the dishwasher from time to time.  Things like that, that help me out.  Again I know I don't give a long list of chores, but after they've spent a long day at school, I also want them to have time to just be a kid as well.  They'll have a lifetime of household chores ahead of them.


~NINE~
I diffuse my Thieves and Purification oils every day.  I know there are a lot of different oils out there, but I usually only use these two.  Lemon is also another one that I love, but I don't usually start using it, until Spring.  Through out most of the flu and cold season, it's all Thieves and Purification.


~TEN~
My biggest household tip, is to give yourself grace.  As much as we all want a clean house, sometimes you've got to just roll with it, and try not to sweat the small stuff.  Life happens.  If your floors need mopped, or your windows need cleaned, but you are doing the best you can, and you just can't get to it today... breathe.  At some point, you'll get a chance to get it done, but it just might not be right now.  Be okay with that, and try again tomorrow.

I would love to hear what your favorite household tips are.


Today I linked up with Andrea.

Christina, April & Natasha with Five On Friday.

And Erin.

 

Enjoy your weekend!

  

XO,

Things That Make Me Happy

Today I thought I'd play the "glad game" for a bit.

With crazy winter weather, politics, sickness, human disappointments, bills, etc... I think it's good for us to slow down a bit and recognize some of the good and simple things in life that we enjoy.  I think we need to recognize what they are and then maybe spend a bit more time savoring them each day.


Here's a quick list, that I've come up with...

My first cup of coffee for the day

Rain on a tin roof

A good book

Feeling the sun on my face

A babies laugh

A freshly sharpened pencil

A glass of wine after a long day

A front porch swing

A walk through the woods

When my favorite song comes on the radio

Fresh ice tea

A two hour bath

Laughing with friends and family

Traveling & exploring

A new planner for the year

Horseback riding

A good game of cards

Camping

Holding my husbands hand

Blogging

Watching a movie with my kids

A new cookbook

Brownies

A pair of jeans that fit just right

Listening to a good saxophone solo

Bookstores and libraries

Watching my favorite movie

A rainy thunderstorm

A jeep ride with my besties

Dining out


My list could go on and on, as I have so many things that I enjoy.

I would love to challenge each one of us to really soak up and enjoy all the big and little things in our lives this week.  It might not be a trip to the ocean, but maybe we'll find a few minutes to enjoy a glass of wine and a good book, or maybe we'll just really enjoy that first cup of coffee wrapped up in a blanket on our front porch.  Make time to treat yourself to a couple of things that make you happy each day and hopefully we'll all have a better week because of it.


After all...

What are some simple everyday things that make you happy?

XO,

Hello Friday!

Happy Friday!

I never get tired of seeing the week roll into the weekend!  I'm ready!

A friend of mine posted this shirt on Facebook the other day, and I had to laugh.  Life can definitely feel like this most days.

Between Jesse not smiling in pictures, and my crazy looking eyes because I was trying not to blink... we look a little rough.  Ha!

Jesse had an Orthodontist appointment on Wednesday, so we made a day out of it.  What else are you going to do when you have to drive 100 miles each way.  We ate at Buffalo Wild Wings, per his request.  Got him a haircut, and hit Costco.  We got back just in time to get the girls off the bus.  I love day dates with my kiddos, especially when it means some one on one time.

I picked up a bottle of this Moroccanoil dry shampoo, and so far I'm really liking it.  I've tried a couple different brands before, and this is one of my favorites so far.

I also thought I'd share this new to me, dressing that I came across.  I'm not a huge fan of plain vinaigrette, but I liked this one with basil pesto.  I refuse to eat a salad unless I'm going to enjoy it.  I want to get excited about what I'm eating... so if a salad is too blah, I'd rather find something else to use my calories on.  With all that said, I think this might be a new option for me.

Lastly, if you are looking for a book to read this month, whether for Spring break, or a vacation, be sure and check out this post to see what I've been reading.

Speaking of books... I need some recommendations on what to add to my reading list.  I'm on the hunt for a few good books.  Help a girl out!

Well, that's it for today...

Today I'm linking up with

April & Natasha with Five On Friday.

Enjoy your weekend!

XO,

February Book Review

We are welcoming March in with open arms and I'm hoping that it brings as much green to our area, as there is in this picture. 

 With everyone getting ready for family vacations & spring breaks, I thought today might be a good time to share what I read last month, in case you are needing a new book or two to read.

The Mistress, was the first book that I read this month, and I really liked it.  Honestly, I had never heard of Danielle Steel before, which surprised the heck out of my husband... because I guess everyone has heard of Danielle Steel?!  Anyway, I loved this story.  It was so different from any story I've ever read, which always makes it fun, and it ended up being one of my favorite books from the month.  She leads a life, that none of us have lived or ever will live, so it was interesting stepping into her world for a bit.

 Last month, tons of bloggers recommended, It Ends With Us, and I'm so glad they did.  It was good! It is so much more than I thought it would be.  This is one of those books that I can't even tell you what it's about, without giving it all away.  There are a couple of scenes in this book, but you can just skip over those.  It was such an intriguing book, and one that I'm sure most of you would enjoy.

 I had high hopes for The Second Season, as last month I had really good luck with books of this kind.  This book ended up being okay.  It wasn't what I would say was good or bad... just okay.

 After being a bit disappointed with the The Second Season, I decided to try another Danielle Steel book.  I ended up borrowing, Property Of A Noblewoman, which I thought was good.  I actually liked this one more than I thought I would.  It was another easy read, that also happened to make me want to travel to Europe for a few weeks.  ;)

 Mail Order Bride was another one that I really wanted to like, because mail order bride books are usually some of my favorites.  But sadly, this book was just okay...  I had higher hopes for it as well.

February was such a weird month for books.  I liked everything that wasn't what I would consider my usual reading material, and I was a bit disappointed in what I would normally pick to read.  Who knows what I'll like this month.

Have your read any of these books?  If so, what did you think?  Also, I need a few book suggestions myself, what do you recommend this month?

 

XO, 

Friday Favorites

 Happy Friday, Friends!

I love starting the weekend off by sharing our favorites from the week.

My kids don't have school this today, so we've been lounging around enjoying the start to our long weekend.  Jesse left this morning to go skiing for the day with a couple of his cousins.  And Dan is at work, so it's just us girls.


Yesterday, I shared a couple of my favorite new pieces that I ordered for Spring.

Like this cute shirt.

I held off as long as I could, but I'm always ready for a couple of new outfits this time of year.  Anyone else?


Gracie got her drivers permit a couple of weeks ago, and we've been cruising around.  I keep mentioning it, because it's a big deal in this house.  I'm sure it won't be by the time Jesse is driving, but with Gracie being our first kid... it's such a big change.

I promise, she's having fun.  This is just her concentrating face.. or maybe this is the face of an annoyed teenager whose Mom is taking her picture?!  Who knows.  ;)

One of my best friends is coming out to help me pick out paint colors.  Everyone has their thing, and this is hers.  She's so good at it, so I'm super excited for her to help me find just the right colors.  I'm wanting to repaint our bedroom, bathroom, and Gracie's room.  Sometimes it's the little things around the house, that can be so exciting... like a new color on the walls.


One of my favorites this week is that Dan said we could sign up for...

I have so many shows that I've been hearing about, that I really want to watch.  The top on my list is, Gilmore Girls, The Crown, & Downtown Abbey.  I'm so excited!  What else should I add to my list?


We have dinner plans tonight with friends, and the kids are planning sleepovers.  I'm excited to spend the weekend at home with my crew and hopefully sleep in a little tomorrow.

Let the weekend begin!

I've linked up today with Andrea, Erika & Narci.

Christina, April & Natasha with Five On Friday.

I hope you all have the best weekend!

XO,

Spring Shopping

With all the talk of Spring getting closer, and with everyone else having such nice weather, I'm getting antsy, and I'm ready to add in a few new pieces to my wardrobe.  I am far from a fashion blogger, but I thought I would share a couple of things that I've been eying and finally decided to splurge on, in case you are looking for a couple of new pieces as well. 

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I love the color of this dress.  It'll get me away from the traditional black that I tend to go with.  I love how basic it is still, so I can dress it up or down depending upon what jewelry and shoes I pair it with.  I'm just hoping it isn't too short for my long torso and legs, because lets face it, I'm not 21 anymore.

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 I don't consider myself a floral person necessarily, but something about this shirt is calling my name.  Maybe, it's because it looks so springy?! I love how it's paired with skinny jeans, and booties.

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I'm still loving the idea of this swim dress that I shared with you guys last week.  I'll let you know what I think, once it gets here.

With spring getting closer, there becomes the desire to wear something other than boots.  I ordered these black shoreline converse.  I wear a lot of black, so I think I will definitely get my money's worth out of these.  They have a few different colors to choose from, which makes it hard.  I also like the white and the navy.  How does a person choose just one color?  #hopingichosewell

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This shirt looks super comfy and you can get 2 for $39.  I ordered this blue one and a white one.


Okay, so has anyone else been fighting off the desire to do a little spring shopping?  And have you succeeded or are you like me and gave in to just a couple pieces?  If you are, what have you found lately that you're loving?

XO,

What's Up Wednesday

 I'm over here doing the happy dance that March is almost here.  We are still up to our knees in snow, but each month, is a month closer to nicer weather.  So bring on March.

Since it's the last Wednesday of the month, I'm sharing what we've been up to this month. and linking up with Mel, Shay, & Sheaffer.

What we're eating this week

Stir fry
Pizza
Breakfast

And, honestly I'm not sure what else.  Some weeks I just end up winging it.  This is one of them.

What I'm reminiscing about

I love looking back through old photos and reminiscing about how little my babies used to be.  This picture also reminds me that I need to make my kids sit still for more sibling photos.

What I'm loving

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 I'm loving this dress that I ordered last week.  I'm waiting for it to get here, and I'm really hoping I like it.

What we've been up to

Driving, driving, and more driving.

 I shared yesterday, how Gracie has her driving permit.  She needs 50 hours of driving time before she can get her license in August.  We already have over 7 hours in, but we still have a long ways to go.

What I'm dreading

We have a couple of orthodontist appointments this coming month, which means a couple trips out of town.  I don't always mind going in because it means I can stock up on Costco and swing by a Starbucks.  But in this weather, where we've been getting snow and then rain in the same day, driving 100 miles each way, isn't my favorite.  We'll just take our time though... so really I shouldn't dread it... but I do.  ;)

What I'm working on

I've been trying to work on blogging more consistently.  January, I did so much better than this month, but I'm going to keep on working at it.

What I'm excited about

Dan and I are looking at going to Jamaica!  My sister said she'll keep the kids, so we just have to book it.  Eeek!  I get so excited and nervous!  I love going and exploring with Dan, but at the same time, I hate leaving the kids at home.  I know they'll be fine, but we always end up missing them.

What I'm watching/reading

A couple of the books that I've read this month are:

The Mistress, by Danielle Steel

It Ends With Us, by Coleen Hoover

What I'm listening to

Nothing new.

What I'm wearing

 Check out this post, where I recently shared my favorite pieces from my closet.

This is vest that I bought, has been on constant rotation.

What I'm doing this weekend

 The kids don't have school on Friday, and as of yet, we have no plans!  Exactly how I want it!  I love a weekend that is open and free to do whatever we wish.  This doesn't happen too often, so Dan and I are excited.

What I'm looking forward to next month

I'm looking forward to it being a month closer to nicer weather.  We may still have snow until May, but I'm hoping to start seeing a bit more of the sun, with some warmer temperatures.  And by warmer temps I'm hoping in the 40's.  ;)

What else is new

Not much.



Enjoy your day!

 XO,