Cleaning Baseboards

My baseboards really need repainting. Eventually we are going to replace them with something different, but in the mean time, I still need to keep up with cleaning them. I can't avoid the black scuff marks on them without repainting (Mr Clean only does so much after all) but today I was cleaning up and noticed these are perfect for the task:

Lysol Dual Action Complete Clean Wipes

One side has fibers to scrub with and the other side is just for wiping up.  These are brilliant! They got even those dustier hard to clean spots right up!

Lysol didn't ask me to write about them, I just liked them that much!

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Closet Lock for Mirrored Doors

I love my boys, just not their messes. 

It was getting to be out of control. Especially when the 2 1/2 year old decided that each day he needed to dress himself about 6 times, resulting in clothes everywhere; hamper filling, on the floor,  in the closet, etc. The toys would all be taken out every day and tossed about. It was chaos. I was threatening to move everything out of the bedroom.

I kept saying "If only we could lock the closet!"

So my brilliant husband came up with a solution. All for 3 dollars at Lowe's.

Suction cup hook on the door! 

Brilliant. And plus, if they want a specific toy that may be in the closet, they can ask for it (like all the toys that involve a million pieces) and it has decreased my laundry by a lot.

Ah, the little things in life.

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One more..

And if you thought that was an interesting article, here is another for you:

Recession Proof Groceries Pin It

Cool Article on Yahoo

**Saw this article today and thought I would share. It's so hard dealing with the cost of food and gas these days, and it's always great to get new tips on how to help!


22 Ways To Fight Rising Food Prices
Thursday July 17, 3:26 pm ET

Lisa Smith Food, clothing and shelter generally top the list of basic human needs. While shopping at a discount store instead of the mall generally takes care of the clothing issue, and living in a small apartment instead of a McMansion can address your housing situation, rising world food prices can lead to some significant challenges in the food department. Everything from rising transportation costs to the development of biofuels, such as biodiesel, push up the cost of food and put a pinch on consumers' wallets. While the need to eat isn't something you can avoid, there are some steps you can take to keep the costs in check.

1.Eat at Home
Dining out is an expensive proposition. Just about any nutritious meal that you buy in a formal restaurant can be made at home for a fraction of the price. Even good coffee is cheaper to make if you do it yourself. Fast food is excluded from the category, as high-calorie, low-quality food can be had a bargain price, but the impact on your long-term health overrides the benefit of short-term savings.

2. Shop With a Plan
If you stumble around the grocery store and fill your cart with everything that catches your eye, chances are you will spend a lot more money that you needed to spend. To minimize your cash outlay, prepare a shopping list before you leave home. Plan your meals for the week ahead, and make careful note of what you need to buy in order to prepare those meals. Once the list is made, purchase only the items on the list, and avoid impulse buys.

3. Put on Blinders
Grocery stores are designed to make you go through a maze to get to the most basic items you need in the hope that you will make a few impulse buys along the way. If you keep to your planned list of needed foods, you won't be tempted when you get forced down the junk food aisle to get at the milk. Because most necessities and basic cooking items are found along the outside perimeter of the store, start there and work your way around the edge of the store, only stepping into the maze to grab any leftover items on your list.

4. Eat Before You Shop
When you are hungry and you walk into a building full of food, there's a high likelihood that you are going to fill you cart with unnecessary and expensive purchases that appeal to your taste buds. To keep your costs down, eat first and shop on a full stomach.

5. Avoid Prepared Foods
Our fast-paced society encourages convenience, and the grocery store has capitalized on this trend. Ready-made meals are easy to buy, but come with a premium price tag. Instead of putting that rotisserie chicken and macaroni salad in you cart, buy the ingredients and prepare the meal yourself. The same concept applies to frozen entrées, baked goods and any other food that has been prepared in some way for added convenience.

6. Skip the Bottled Water
If you don't like the water that comes out of the tap, buy a water filter. The per-gallon cost is significantly less than the cost of bottled water - and without all the plastic bottles to discard, it's a lot easier on the environment.

7. Shop Without the Kids
Hungry, tired, cranky kids increase the amount of time it takes to get your shopping done. Every extra minute that you spend in the grocery store increases the likelihood of extra items finding their way into your cart, including toys and snacks designed to keep the kids quiet while you try to focus on finding a few bargains.

8. Buy in Bulk
Bulk buying can save you a significant amount of money. Pay attention to the prices and pick up the family size package if the per-unit cost is lower and you have a place to store it. Shopping at big-box bulk retailers like Sam's Club and Costco can also save on your bill if you shop there frequently enough to cover the cost of membership, but pay careful attention to your spending habits. The big boxes are often no bargain at all when compared to sales prices and coupon savings at other stores. In addition, they may encourage you to buy more than you need, driving up your grocery bill.

9. Use Store Reward Cards
If the store that you visit most frequently has a reward card, be sure to sign up. In some cases, stores raise their prices when they offer reward cards, and without the card your bill will certainly be higher. If the reward card offers other benefits, such as a ham for the holidays or a discount on gasoline, be sure to maximize your benefits by paying attention to the cutoff dates and cashing in your points before they expire.

10. Use Coupons
Coupons provide an easy way to save money. Clip them and cash them in, paying particular attention to stores that double the value of manufacturers' coupons. A number of websites also offer coupons exclusively, and they are a great place to search for discounts on the items you have on your list. If you frequent a website of your favorite brands, they will often offer discounts to their faithful public. A few minutes of surfing online can make a difference at the till.

11. Buy Locally
Locally grown or produced food is often available at a cheaper price because you don't pay for long transportation costs. Farmer's markets, fairs, and the local aisle at your grocery store are all game for deals on tasty and fresh food.

12. Look Down
Stores often place the most expensive items at eye-level. To find less expensive items, look down. Also, looking around your brand-name food can find you a cheaper generic alternative. Generic label products are often nearly identical to name-brand goods (in fact, they're often produced in the same factory), so don't pay for packaging when what you really want is the food inside.

13. Avoid the End Caps and Checkout Temptations
Those displays placed at the end of each aisle often feature premium brands. Rather than grabbing those high-priced batteries or that extra box of cereal, walk down the aisle. Chances are good that walking a few extra feet will reward you with a less expensive option.

Many grocery stores now offer checkout lines that don't feature candy. Using these lanes not only helps you avoid the temptation to spend your money on sweets, but it also encourages a healthier lifestyle.

14. Compare Prices and Stores
Some consumers have trouble calculating the cost per unit in their heads, but it's something that gets a lot easier with practice. You can even carry a calculator. Looking at the brands and comparing prices is an easy way to shave a few cents off most purchases.

The store that features the lowest average prices in your area is often the best place for routine shopping, but the higher-priced competitor may run sales on specific items that undercut the cost at your most frequented venue. Watch for these sales and take advantage of them when possible.

15. Shop for Sales
As mentioned above, sales can be a great incentive to switch stores – but only if you need the items on sale. Pay attention to sales on necessity items and stock up on non-perishables and freezer goods. Keep an eye on the prices so that you know when a sale price is merely a small savings or when it is a significant discount to the normal price.

16. Watch "Best Before" or "Sell By" Dates
As the "sell by" or "best before" date approaches, you are virtually guaranteed a discount. For example, grocery stores lower prices as meat ages. Ask the butcher when the meats get marked down. Most stores have a fairly regular schedule that you can learn and follow. When you get a good deal, stock your freezer so you can avoid buying when the price is high. And if you plan on freezing the food, "best before" dates shouldn't worry you; the product will stay fresh until you thaw and cook it.

17. Substitute Recipe Items
If you have a higher-priced item that reoccurs in your favorite recipes, it may be time to shake up your taste buds. Often a lower-priced alternative can be found. For instance, if you consistently bake with olive oil and you see that the price has skyrocketed, a simple switch to applesauce (something that you might even be able to make if you have an apple tree) is a great cheap and low-fat substitution for many recipes. To help decide on a cheaper substitution, see The Cooking Thesaurus.
18. Keep Your Kitchen Stocked
A well-stocked kitchen means that you won't run out of staple items and need to buy them on the spur or the moment. Knowing what you have in the cabinet means that you can wait to make your purchases until items are on sale.

19. Shop Infrequently
Reducing the number of trips that you make to the store each week or month reduces the odds of unnecessary purchases, and minimizes the amount of gasoline spent getting there.

20. Pay Attention To Time
Weekly sales often run from mid-week to mid-week. Hold off on your shopping until after you've had a chance to clip coupons from the Sunday paper and you'll not only enjoy the sales prices but you might also get a coupon. Shopping during the evening or early morning also helps you avoid the crowds and spend less time in the store.

21. Pay In Cash
When you put groceries on your credit card and don't pay off the card in full each month, you pay interest on the purchase. To avoid this extra cost, pay in cash when you shop and keep necessities off your credit cards.

22. Check Your Bill
Electronic scanners make the shopping experience faster and more convenient, but scanners aren't perfect. Be sure to take a look at the receipt to make sure your coupons and discounts were taken into account.

Shop Smart
Food is one of those purchases that you just can't avoid, but careful shoppers can minimize the amount spent on this necessary purchase. All it takes is a little time, patience and effort.

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Now you see it, now ya dont!

Thanks again to Melissa and Shannon for this way awesome tip. Now because of their expertise, my ocdness can relax (for now anyway!) Woo hoo!

Before, yuck! 5 years of hard water rings.



Good bye hard water stainage! Completely gone. Totally.



It took me like 5 minutes tops for both bathrooms. Thanks to the awesome earth friendly pumice stone found in the cleaning section at walmart.

And yes, I know I am weird for posting toilet pictures, but its THAT exciting! Pin It

Essential Oils

Last summer, I had told my sister in law, Shannon that I needed a mood booster after having Jackson and just having a bit of baby blues. Being the fabulous person she is, she introduced me to the world of essential oils. I started with Lavender and Lemon grass and bought a warmer and went to town!

I would eventually like to only use candles with lead free wicks, but for now am using up what I have here in the house. I bought these bottles from her last summer and am still using them.

Here is some info on warming essential oils I found from a website:
http://www.essentialoils.co.za/dilutions-burners.htm

• The type of burner, vaporizer or diffuser used, size of room, age of the inhabitants of the room as well as the type of oil used will help determine the amount of essential oil to be used.
• 
  A whole range of pottery and electric burners are available but it should be kept in mind that the oil should be floated on water to prevent it from burning.
• 
  On porcelain light-bulb rings, you may not need to dilute the oil at all, but you might want to float it on water when using a metal light-bulb ring to prevent burning. In this case you will first add a small amount of water to the metal ring and then drop the essential oils on top of the water.
• 
  When using these porcelain or metal rings, you may also need to look at the strength of the globe on which you rest it, since a very strong light will be far warmer than a weaker one.
• 
  Should you be using these rings, ensure that the light-bulb is cool when placing the ring on it, and make sure never to drop any essential oil directly onto the light bulb.
• 
  If you are using a bowl of water on a heated surface, you would add approximately 6 drops of essential oil to the water - depending on the size of the room, as well as the type of oil used. this is how i do mine
• 
  Diffusers using tea candles underneath are generally not too hot, and most of the time the oil is placed on crystals to help diffuse the fragrance, or can also have top sections that can hold water into which the oil is dropped.
• 
  Diffusers using candles must be used with due care to prevent fires - and remember - essential oils are volatile and flammable.
• 
  Most modern humidifiers have a place in which to pour some essential oils - but remember that it can not be added to the water in the reservoir of the humidifier, as it would stop the humidifier working, and can also create a hazard.
• 
  If you wish to use essential oils in a nebulizer please contact the manufacturer for the instructions, since some essential oils should not be used in these medical instruments.
  

I would also like to add that Essential Oils have so many other uses besides aromatherapy. You can use them in handmade soaps, cleaning, bath, massage, compresses, room fresheners and odor eliminators, etc. So many uses!

I also want to point something else out that I found in my researches. Lavendar, Tea Tree and Chamomile are harmless with children. Lemongrass (like what I have) is too strong to use on children's skin but is ok to warm. But always keep all essential oils out of reach.

There is so much to know about essentials oils, and I will be doing a lot more research on this great subject as I learn and try new things. I'll keep things updated!

My sister in law, Melissa gave me this link after I was talking to her about essential oils today and they have quite a selection of essential oils. Check it out! http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/aroma/ess.html

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