tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44910576660783009632024-03-13T06:24:47.027-04:00A Spot for MomKristinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05703808100842392985noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4491057666078300963.post-59725539495333109582012-07-04T16:12:00.000-04:002012-07-04T16:12:44.257-04:00Happy 4th of July!Take a moment today and remember all those who serve (past and present) who protect our freedom every day!<br />
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<br />Kristinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05703808100842392985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4491057666078300963.post-43489916352071658162012-06-20T16:05:00.001-04:002012-06-20T16:05:06.428-04:00Shy's SurgeryI feel like I am so far behind in blogging, I don't even know where to begin. I hate that feeling...<br />
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Shy is doing well with her surgery. As well as can be expected I guess. Both of her back legs are a lot worse than the vet initially thought. He started off doing a <a href="http://dogs.about.com/od/caninediseases/p/cruciate.htm" style="color: red;" target="_blank">cruciate repair</a> to her back right leg, and ended up having to remove the majority of her meniscus as well. The vet is also concerned about her back left leg, since she is showing signs of this same injury in that leg, as well as having problems supporting her weight on it without the use of her right leg. <br />
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She is pitiful, I know. This picture was taken the day after her surgery when we brought her home. They kept her overnight, and since she is terrified of absolutely everything, I think the whole experience pretty much traumatized her.<br />
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The incision, with her staples. Staples that she has managed to rip out, get replaced and then rip out again. I don't think she's doing it on purpose, by chewing them or anything. I just don't think that her jumping up on the beds (which she isn't allowed to do) the day after surgery helped.<br />
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Her surgery was Tuesday, she came home Wednesday and by Friday she had lost a staple. I took her back Saturday to have it replaced, she went Monday for a check up and her K Laser therapy, and today that same staple is out as well as the one below it. I guess tomorrow I will call to see if they want to replace it again or wait until she goes back again next Monday for her check up.<br />
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It's going to be a slow recovery process for her. It will be up to 3 weeks before she starts to lower her leg to the ground, 3-6 weeks before she bears any weight on it, and up to 12 weeks before she is completely healed. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that her other leg holds up, although I'm already hearing the "popping" sound coming from it as well. <br />
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<br />Kristinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05703808100842392985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4491057666078300963.post-91939594675480127862012-06-11T14:33:00.000-04:002012-06-11T14:33:50.043-04:00A Day of Pier FishingThis past week, my brother, sister-in-law and nephew were in town. My brother loves to go fishing here, but it can be pricey to go deep sea fishing. We decided to head to the state park with the boys to do some fishing from the pier. That way my nephew and stepson (both 9) could fish, while the two younger ones could shark watch from the pier and play on the beach.<br />
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You can see in this picture my nephew lost one of his shoes.... off the
pier.... 5 minutes after we arrived.... and 30 seconds after my brother
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We ended up seeing a decent amount of sharks. Three at a time, each probably about 4 feet long. I wish I had been able to get some pictures of them, but I was too busy pointing them out. My degree is in Marine Science, so the highlight of the day for me was most definitely the sharks.<br />
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Of course, after while the little ones got antsy, so I took them down to play by the water. We were right by the pier so we could wave to Daddy. I can't even tell you the number of people who came to tell us we should move because of the sharks. We were in ankle deep water. Really? By no means will I EVER put my children in harms way, but I think I am fairly shark savvy and I'm preeeeety sure we were safe where we were.<br />
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Now I know sharks LOVE to frequent piers. Duh, they're getting fed. The fishermen are baiting the fish, and the fish in turn are bait for the sharks. Obviously the sharks go where the food supply is. But in my 4 1/2 years as a marine science student, I can assure you, if you have ever been in the ocean, at least knee deep, you have had a shark near you. You just didn't know it. I can't count the number of times I have been in the water, both shallow and deep, not a pier in sight, and had a shark so close to me I could reach out and touch it. It happens, you are in their turf. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying go and swim with them, that nothing will happen. Obviously it can. And I know people meant well, but looking at me like I'm insane for letting me kids play by the pier in ankle deep water was a little much. But anyway....<br />
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My husband and stepson.</div>
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Andrew wanted to fish too.</div>
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My nephew caught a blow fish.</div>
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Jaxson was hungry....</div>
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and Andrew was ready to go home and take a nap....</div>
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but not until he got one last peek at the water.</div>
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<br />Kristinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05703808100842392985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4491057666078300963.post-79695886685981056872012-06-08T11:18:00.000-04:002012-06-08T11:18:41.800-04:00Our Happy New EditionThe other day I posted about the loss of two of our pets. The original post can be found <a href="http://aspotformom.blogspot.com/2012/06/sad-goodbyes.html" style="color: red;" target="_blank">here</a>. It was a very hard thing for our family, especially Jaxson. That's why we decided to rescue another cat from the shelter.<br />
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When we first walked up to the cats, Jaxson immediately went to a small, gray cat named Shadow. My husband and I observed for a few minutes, and it really seemed like the cat was just as drawn to Jaxson as he was to it. I wanted to make sure we took home the pet that was right for us, meaning it had to get along well with small children as well as large dogs. I asked the gentlemen who was working to rule out some cats that would not do well in a home with the dogs and kids. He narrowed it down to 4 cats for us, one of them was Shadow. We asked Jaxson to choose a cat, and Shadow it was. We were able to take the cat into a room to see how they interacted. All seemed well so Shadow came home with us.<br />
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To be honest, I was hesitant. Shadow had been adopted previously, and the family brought her back saying they couldn't afford her. I was afraid maybe the cat had been a problem in some way, maybe scratching furniture or something. She definitely proved me wrong, she has been amazing. She wasn't fazed by the dogs at all, does well with the children, and is very loving (which was important to my husband). She has very quickly fit right in to the family. <br />
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Jaxson has renamed her "Happy" and so far, the name definitely fits.<br />
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<br />Kristinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05703808100842392985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4491057666078300963.post-44023369993130068152012-06-06T15:36:00.000-04:002012-06-06T15:36:47.480-04:00Sad Goodbyes<div style="color: #666666;">
This is a very bittersweet post for me. On the down side, we said sad goodbyes to beloved pets, but welcomed a new shelter rescue. I will write about the new edition in a separate post. </div>
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One of our cats, Hershey, has been missing for about 3-4 weeks now. I don't like to think about the endless number of possibilities that could have happened. Granted, he definitely wasn't the friendliest cat. For awhile we weren't even sure if he was male or female. Still, he was a member of the family and we definitely miss him. </div>
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<br style="color: #666666;" /><span style="color: #666666;">We sad a sad goodbye to our other cat Gabby, on April 3rd. We found out on March 22 that she had</span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_898456458" style="color: red;"> </a><span class="Header1"><a href="http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=2722&S=2" style="color: red;" target="_blank">Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma</a><span style="color: black;"> .<span style="color: #999999;"> <span style="color: #666666;">It was very hard for me, as I had rescued her from the shelter in 2002 while I was in college. </span></span></span></span><br />
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(Here she is after one (or both) of the boys decorated her with popcorn.)</div>
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<span class="Header1">It all started when my husband and I noticed a foul odor in her mouth. It was awful. We had changed her food, and I assumed it had something to do with that. I purchased some treats that help with tartar and bad breath but it didn't help. Then one morning, I woke up and she was drooling uncontrollably and her tongue was protruding from her mouth. I took her to the vet, and they noticed a sore in her mouth under her tongue. The vet seemed pretty sure it was the oral cancer, but did say there was a possibility it was an infection from a scratch, cut, etc. She put her on an antibiotic to see if it cleared up. It didn't. So on March 20th, I took her for a biopsy. The vet called with the results on the 22nd, and it was cancer. She was already on pain medication from the biopsy and we had to continue that and try to feed her soft food for as long as she could comfortably eat. </span></div>
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<span class="Header1">After about a week, she completely stopped eating. Then she completely stopped drinking. She wanted to, bless her heart. The tumor was under her tongue, causing it to swell and stick out of her mouth, so the only way she was able to drink water was in the bath tub. She was able to "bite" at a small, steady stream of water, but was unable to lap any water up, the way cats normally do. She eventually was unable to drink at all, she would just sit and stare at the running water. Her tongue had also turned white, I thought from dehydration, but the vet said it was just dead tissue.</span><span class="Header1">We knew then it was time to euthanize her, I couldn't bear to think she was going to die of hunger or thirst.</span></div>
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<span class="Header1">This is the picture my husband took at the vet's office when he took her to put her to sleep. I obviously didn't want to be the one to take her. I know she looks awful in the picture, but this was after I had brushed her and cut the mated fur off of her. Her mouth bled, pretty much non stop, so she had a constant clump of bloody fur on her chest. Gross, I know. </span></div>
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<span class="Header1">Jaxson asks where Gabby is, every. single. day. He's too young to have any concept of death, so all he understands is that she is sick and at the doctor. We decided for his birthday in July we would get him a cat since he misses Gabby so much. I wanted to wait until closer to his birthday, but last weekend we went to "just look", as my husband said, and ended up bringing home a new family member. I will post about that tomorrow.</span></div>
<span class="Header1"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span>Kristinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05703808100842392985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4491057666078300963.post-28306647255219298472012-06-05T17:19:00.000-04:002012-06-05T17:20:33.571-04:00In our house, it seems like anytime we get a little (and I do mean a little) bit of money in the bank, something happens and drains our account once more. Does this happen to anyone else, or just us??<br />
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I graduated college in December of 2005 and even though I had a full time job, it seemed like I had an endless amount of time on my hands. I was used to attending classes every day from 8:30 am until 2:30 pm, then working 3-9 and full shifts on weekends. So I started volunteering at the local animal shelter. And ended up bringing home this:<br />
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An adorable pit bull puppy, about 3-4 months old, named Shysie. And don't judge her just because she is a pit bull. She has the most gentle soul of any dog that I have ever met. And that is despite her past abuse. When I rescued her, she had burns on her back and tail. The pads of her feet were blistered and bleeding to the point that she couldn't put her full weight on her front legs. She still has some places where the fur never grew back. And she was TERRIFIED. I have never seen a dog so scared of EVERYTHING. <br />
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I couldn't take her for walks because she was terrified of parked cars. She would lie down in the road and refuse to go past them. I couldn't take her to the dog park because she was afraid of small dogs and the people. She would run and hide under the picnic tables if a small dog approached her or a human being tried to touch her.<br />
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It took several years for her to warm up to people she saw on a regular basis. And by warm up to them, I mean not pee all over the floor when they walked in the door. She even learned to not be afraid of small dogs. Here she is taking a nap on the couch with my friend's chihuahua.<br />
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Now, almost 7 years later, I am happy to say she has overcome the majority of her fears and is a loving well-balanced dog.<br />
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Anyway, back to the original point of my post, money. I have noticed over the past few years that when Shy plays hard or runs a lot, she limps slightly the next day. Well that limp got worse and worse, until she has limped almost constantly over the past week or so. I took her to the vet, and she has a torn cruciate ligament in her knee. The vet explained that pit bulls, bull dogs and mastiffs are prone to these injuries. In fact, his pit bull currently has the same injury and he will be performing surgery on his dog soon as well. He also explained that these surgeries are not cheap. In fact, they are about $1,500 not cheap. And the even better news? The ligament in her left leg is doing the same thing, and will eventually require surgery as well. *Sigh*<br />
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Her surgery is scheduled for next Tuesday and she is on anti-inflammatory and pain medication until then. I will post updates on the surgery and recovery process as well. Wish us luck!Kristinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05703808100842392985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4491057666078300963.post-64012387465483548102012-06-01T15:59:00.000-04:002012-06-01T15:59:38.542-04:00Jaxson's First DayToday was Jaxson's first day at his Tot's Morning Out program at a local church. He was super excited to go. <br />
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Don't let this picture fool you. While he was excited to go, he is cheesing because his father was falling over backwards as he was taking the picture. How he still managed to get a good picture was just luck, although I'm sure my husband will call it skill. <br />
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Jaxson has never been in any sort of daycare setting so I wasn't sure how he would feel about being "left". I walked him into the classroom, then stood out in the hallway for a few seconds. He wasn't even concerned with where I was, he was just watching the other kids, taking everything in. I didn't want to say bye since I was afraid that would upset him. When I returned 3 hours later, the teacher said he did really well. He was sitting at a table with 3 other children working puzzles. He also did NOT want to leave. I literally had to drag him, well carry him actually, kicking and screaming out of the classroom and into the car. At least I know it won't be an issue on Monday when it's time for him to go back to "school".Kristinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05703808100842392985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4491057666078300963.post-50858570109519544332012-05-31T07:00:00.000-04:002012-05-31T07:00:08.467-04:00Little ArtistWhile I was cooking dinner last night, I gave Andrew some crayons and a picture to color to occupy him. (Jaxson had the iPod Touch and was watching Sponge Bob movies.) For awhile, they were both perfectly content. Then, as dinner was ALMOST finished, I heard something scraping against the wall. I asked Jaxson, "Are you coloring on the wall?!?!"..... "Yes!" was the immediate answer. I ran around the corner and found......<br />
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Poor Andrew was still where I left him, as happy as can be, completely oblivious to his brother's antics. As usual. <br />
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Thank god, the markers were washable.Kristinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05703808100842392985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4491057666078300963.post-8471511246373591172012-05-30T06:00:00.000-04:002012-05-30T06:00:08.776-04:00Recipe Review: Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime ChickenI absolutely adore my slow cooker. What else is easier than dumping in some ingredients, turning it on, and then a few hours later.... dinner is done! This recipe seriously couldn't be easier. And it's SO GOOD! I found the recipe on Pinterest, and the original source can be found <a href="http://www.pipandebby.com/pip-ebby/2011/11/18/slow-cooker-cilantro-lime-chicken.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+PipEbby+%28Pip+%26+Ebby%29&utm_content=Yahoo%21+Mail" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">here</span></a>.<br />
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I modified my recipe slightly, but the original recipe calls for:<br />
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<ul>
<li>24 oz jar salsa</li>
<li>juice from 1 lime</li>
<li>1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro</li>
<li>1.25 oz package of taco seasoning</li>
<li>2 jalapeno peppers chopped (optional)</li>
<li>6 chicken breasts</li>
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I only had an 18 oz jar of salsa, so I mixed that with a can of crushed tomatoes and added an extra half packet (that I already had opened) of taco seasoning. Stir this together with the lime juice, cilantro and jalapenos. I omitted the cilantro, since my husband doesn't like it. I also did not add the jalapeno so the kids would be able to eat it as well.<br />
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Once mixed, I layered the salsa mixture and the chicken into the slow cooker. <br />
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I covered and cooked the chicken on low for about 5 1/2 hours. The last hour I uncovered and turned on high. The salsa mixture was a little watery so I wanted some of the liquid to cook out. It turned out great. The chicken was so tender it literally fell apart as I was removing it from the slow cooker.<br />
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As a side dish, I prepared some rice with taco seasoning. I chopped and sauteed some green, yellow and red bell peppers to add in.<br />
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I served mine with some sliced avocado and sour cream. It was delicious!<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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<br />Kristinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05703808100842392985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4491057666078300963.post-18568026503437216792012-05-25T07:00:00.000-04:002012-05-25T07:00:01.986-04:00Picasso's in TrainingI was at Target the other day looking for craft ideas for the boys. I found some washable finger paint from Crayola and decided to give it a try. <br />
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I was a little nervous, I wasn't sure just how "washable" it would actually be. I removed the boys clothing just in case and laid down a towel.<br />
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Jaxson was very careful not to get it anywhere other than on the paper. <br />
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Andrew on the other hand, was more interested in painting his belly. <br />
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I was pleasantly surprised at how neat Jaxson was with the paint. I figured he would want to paint the walls and furniture. <br />
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Once they were finished we headed into the bathroom to wash hands. Or in Andrew's case, his whole body. But the paint came off so easily! The boys loved it, and I love that it wiped right off of Andrew's highchair, and his arms, and his belly and his legs.... you get the idea. It was such a hit, that Jaxson wanted to paint again first thing this morning.Kristinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05703808100842392985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4491057666078300963.post-85725635514670229382012-05-24T09:00:00.000-04:002012-05-24T09:00:09.739-04:00Never Ending...Is it just me, or does one remodeling/redecorating project turn into at least 7? We have done so much work to our home over the past 2 years or so, and I thought we were in the homestretch. I suppose we are, in the sense that several of the big projects are completed, but now my attention is being drawn to all of the little projects that I never even thought about before. I think I am going to have to go room by room and make a list of projects that still need completed. In the meantime, here are the major projects that we have managed to cross off our list, along with a few that still remain:<br />
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<ul>
<li><strike>Convert Sun Room into new Master Bedroom</strike></li>
<li><strike>Convert Old Master into Devin's room</strike></li>
<li><strike>Replace Hardwood Floors through out house</strike></li>
<li><strike>Remove existing Hardwood floors in bedrooms and replace with carpet</strike></li>
<li><strike>Replace Roof</strike></li>
<li><strike>Paint each bedroom</strike></li>
<li><strike>Remove weird partition above kitchen cabinets and open up the wall above the cabinets</strike></li>
<li>Paint Kitchen Cabinets</li>
<li>Install Wainscoting around Kitchen Island</li>
<li>Install crown molding through out house</li>
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I could keep going, but maybe I should just list it room by room in separate posts. I wish I had known I would be starting a blog, I would have taken before and after pictures. But I do have some "during" pictures of the bedrooms that I can share. <br />
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Old Master now Devin's room.</div>
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This wall was added, to close off the room from the new hallway extension. We added the closet to this wall as well.</div>
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Jaxson checking out the new carpet.</div>
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Andrew's room, painted yellow. Not much was done to this room, just a new wall color, painted the trim white, installed a new ceiling fan, door and closet doors. </div>
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After the carpet installation. I promise the room isn't bright yellow, I took these pictures with my camera phone, so they aren't the best quality. Again, Jaxson had to check out the new carpet. </div>
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Playing on the carpet while Mommy and Daddy put the new furniture together.</div>
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Andrew's crib bedding</div>
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Jaxson's room, painted bright green. </div>
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I love the color of his room, it's so vibrant without being blindingly bright. </div>
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It took me FOREVER to find dinosaur bedding that would still fit a crib mattress. We have since converted his crib into a toddler bed, but still use the same mattress. I literally found ONE dinosaur crib set, but didn't like the colors. It was dark brown, dark red and yellow. Very dull. I bought it, hoping it would be better in person and it wasn't. Luckily I never opened it and was able to return it once I found this set. </div>
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Since this is rather long, I will show the picture of our master bedroom in a separate post.</div>Kristinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05703808100842392985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4491057666078300963.post-81831725498656711612012-05-21T09:00:00.000-04:002012-05-21T09:00:03.874-04:00Friday was my stepson's field day so all of us piled into the car for the 3 hour trip to cheer him on. As luck would have it, I had to take Jaxson to the doctor that morning. (His feet have been peeling and he says they hurt.) We got some ointment, came home to get Daddy and Andrew and took off. Traffic was horrible, should have known since it's Bike Week here. We ended up getting to Devin's school about an hour after field day ended. Awesome. <br />
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I felt bad dragging Jaxson and Andrew on a 6 hour trip for nothing, so we stopped at Chuck E Cheese on the way home. Just FYI, it takes FOREVER for 4 kids to spend 100 tokens. (Yes, I included Manny in that count.) Poor Andrew (who refuses to sleep anywhere except his own bed) was beyond exhausted. He and I ended up sitting in the car, watching The Wiggles, and waiting on the other boys to finish up and pick their prizes. <br />
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This car was by far, Andrew's favorite <strike>ride </strike>seat. He loved it, as long as I didn't insert a token and make it move. Even though he was STARVING, he refused to leave this, even for food. For him, that's a big deal. He's an eater. <br />
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He tolerated the movement when Devin and Jaxson joined him. But just once.<br />
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At least the other two thoroughly enjoyed themselves:<br />
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Another tip: Join Chuck E Cheese's email club to receive coupons. I did this in the parking lot before we went inside and ended up saving $10 off of our package PLUS 20 free tokens. They also send coupons around your child's birthday.Kristinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05703808100842392985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4491057666078300963.post-5216350875199596692012-05-15T13:09:00.000-04:002012-05-15T13:09:09.061-04:00I don't think there are many things that are worse than having a sick child. Poor Andrew has <a href="http://children.webmd.com/tc/croup-topic-overview" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">croup</span></a>, at least according to the doctor, although I'm not 100% convinced. His cough is only slightly barking, he's more just stuffy, congested, snotty... that sort of fun stuff. Whatever it is, he's miserable, and when he's miserable he wants nothing but held 24/7. Which normally I don't mind, but when he's waking up once an hour all during the night, wanting me to hold him so he can sleep, then I sort of have a problem with it. Add in to the mix Jaxson who has been having bad dreams at night, waking up scared and crying, and it means I am getting very little sleep at all. Last night going from room to room, consoling them both I seriously was a zombie. And I'm even more of a zombie today. Tuesday's are my bathroom cleaning days, and they seriously need cleaned, but my eye lids are getting heavier and heavier and I'm going to have a hard time getting up out of this chair. Let's just hope Andrew's steroid kicks in soon and get rid of whatever this sickness is. Let's also hope no one else in the house catches it. Fingers crossed!<br />
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At least he's not too sick to torment the dog. </div>
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<br /></div>Kristinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05703808100842392985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4491057666078300963.post-42214887364744341922012-05-07T13:26:00.000-04:002012-05-07T13:26:34.524-04:00Giveaway via 4 Men 1 Lady BlogHead on over to<span style="color: red;"> </span><a href="http://www.4men1lady.com/2012/05/amplifi-review-and-giveaway.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">4 Men 1 Lady</span></a> and enter for your chance to win an AMPLIFI Hose Powering System. <br />
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Click on the above picture or <a href="http://www.4men1lady.com/2012/05/amplifi-review-and-giveaway.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">here</span></a> to take you to the giveaway page. There are several ways you can earn an entry so make sure to do them all! Also, be sure to check out the rest of<span style="color: red;"> </span><a href="http://www.4men1lady.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">4 Men 1 Lady</span></a>, it's an amazing blog! </div>
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</div>Kristinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05703808100842392985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4491057666078300963.post-31300372650021249972012-05-07T09:00:00.000-04:002012-05-07T09:00:07.279-04:00Bikini Time<br />
The second worst thing about living at the beach (the first being tourist traffic) is that "bikini season" lasts about 6 months out of the year. For the past 3 years I was either pregnant, or very post -pregnant during the summers. However, this summer I don't have any excuses..... unless you can count an 18 month old as a "newborn". So I went in the closet and dug out my all time FAVORITE workout DVDs EVER!!! <br />
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<a href="http://thehollywoodtrainer.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=008&Category_Code=hwdtrainer&Product_Count=15" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-90Gv0aFwY7s/T6cD8Bp3jYI/AAAAAAAAACo/NQqv8nbRgDM/s1600/03.jpg" /></a></div>
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The trainer is Jeanette Jenkins, aka <a href="http://thehollywoodtrainer.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">"The Hollywood Trainer"</span></a> and this is her complete system that I brought, probably back in 2005. It includes 7 videos: cardio, pilates, cross training, yoga, kickboxing, butt and thighs, and an ab blast. THEY ARE AMAZING! Each one of them provides a great workout, perfect for any fitness level. My personal favorite is the kickboxing one, which of course I couldn't find so I had to order another one. While I was at it I also bought:</div>
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<a href="http://thehollywoodtrainer.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=018&Category_Code=hwdtrainer&Product_Count=4" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cWQ_sTJPeVU/T6cFC7XJUBI/AAAAAAAAACw/tfiGBqrxUpk/s1600/3DImageBikiniBootcamp29_2KBDVDCoverFinal.jpg" /></a></div>
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I can't wait until they arrive. I'm so excited to try out these two new ones and add them in to the mix of my older ones. I figured I would try the bikini boot camp, since, well the whole point of this is to look good in a bikini. I also really enjoy core workouts and LOVE stretches so the second one seemed like a no brainer as well. </div>
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I seriously cannot say enough good things about the DVDs that I currently own and I'm sure the new ones will be just as fun and effective. They are perfect for beginners, but if you are looking to add something new to your workout routine I highly suggest trying one of the Hollywood Trainer videos, I don't think you will be disappointed. </div>
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</div>Kristinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05703808100842392985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4491057666078300963.post-33951579439374244172012-05-04T20:09:00.000-04:002012-05-04T22:43:01.795-04:00In The News: Baby Monitors Allowing Video Access To Your KidsI was laying in bed last night reading the news on the mobile app of my iPhone and came across a story by a local station that made me sit straight up in bed. It was about the dangers of using video baby monitors. Apparently, the monitors can pick up the feed of another monitor in close proximity, essentially allowing other people to see your child in your home! The original news story can be found <a href="http://www.wmbfnews.com/story/18108396/baby-monitors-allow-video-access-to-your-home">here .</a> <br />
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One woman reported how she saw two arms reaching into (what she thought was) her child's crib and panicked, ran into the room, thinking that someone was abducting her baby. Turns out she had picked up another household's feed and was seeing THEM picking up THEIR child. Can you imagine the terror she must have experienced??!! I can't imagine thinking that you are watching, on your baby video monitor, someone trying to abduct your child. <br />
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Like the news reporter asks, what can happen in this falls into the wrong hands? Is this just now an easier way for "baby-snatchers" to stake out your home??? Hospitals now warn of placing lawn ornaments in your yard, announcing the arrival of your precious little one. Will they now have to warn against having video monitors too?? <br />
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I personally never used a video monitor, although at times it would have been extremely useful. However I just can't imagine someone else being able to see my sleeping child, or the confusion/panic of seeing a different child, in a different room, in a different house. Wondering how far the signal could carry, they tested the range of the monitors and they were able to pick up the feed inside a house at a range of 352 feet!! <br />
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There is good news though. Some brands of monitors are labelled as "video encrypted". This means no one can pick up your video feed (whether on purpose or by accident) without having a set code that they would have to enter. Also, since video monitors are a fairly new thing, this security should only get better, right? Let's hope so!Kristinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05703808100842392985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4491057666078300963.post-1643745994695340042012-05-03T13:39:00.002-04:002012-05-03T23:04:22.388-04:00Balls and a WeddingLast Tuesday I took Chubby to what I thought was just his regular 18 month checkup. I figured he would get the last of this shots and that was it. Wrong. While the doctor was performing his exam he couldn't find either of the poor kids testicles. I sort of chuckled about it, didn't think it was a big deal. Apparently, it's a very big deal. The doctor said he thought he could feel one but wasn't positive and that we would need to take him to a specialist to have it checked out. Um, ok. So off to the Medical University of South Carolina we went, a 2 1/2 hour trip, one way. The condition is called <a href="http://kidshealth.org/parent/pregnancy_center/newborn_care/crypto.html">cryptorchidism</a> or basically undescended testicles. We were facing the possibility of him having both, one or NONE. Oh my goodness. If he had at least one and they/it were still in the abdomen (where they form) then he would have to have at least one surgery, possibly two in order to place them. The possibility of him having neither was terrifying, he would have to have testosterone shots and could face serious medical issues.<br />
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We made the trip, saw the pediatric urologist and luckily everything was fine! (Insert big sigh of relief here.) Of course Chubs screamed the entire time, he's terrified of strangers. But the specialists were able to find BOTH testicles (after some awful poking and pushing) and no follow up is needed as of now. WHOO HOO!<br />
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On a less stressful note, my husband's sister got married over the weekend! Yay! It was super simple and cute, loved it! The kids had a blast. With the exception of taking pictures...<br />
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This was the best picture we could get, the little ones quickly tired of standing still and saying "cheese"!</div>
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This was the limo ride on the way to the wedding.</div>
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And this is what the professional family pictures will look like. Chubs (the 18 month old) at least wasn't pulling Devin's hair in this one. And poor Monkey was so tired and hungry, he just couldn't take it anymore.</div>
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It's been a long couple of weeks for us. Now I'm keeping my fingers crossed that everything will go back to normal, at least for a little while. </div>
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</div>Kristinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05703808100842392985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4491057666078300963.post-475006615033760822012-05-02T15:00:00.000-04:002012-05-02T15:00:52.074-04:00Fun in the SunIt's so HOT outside, I think summer is officially here. At least here in the south. We had a hectic weekend and the boys have been so off schedule. I decided to get a blow up pool from Walmart and let the sun zap some energy out of them. They still went down for a nap later than usual but maybe if I let them go for a "swim" later this afternoon too, it will help. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.<br />
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</div>Kristinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05703808100842392985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4491057666078300963.post-18840151781713641802012-05-02T00:33:00.000-04:002012-05-02T00:33:16.969-04:00Recipe Review: Buffalo Popcorn Chicken BitesThe original recipe is by Rachael Ray and it can be found <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/buffalo-popcorn-chicken-bites-recipe/index.html" target="_blank">here.</a> I love her 30 minute meal recipes. They are super simple, quick and delicious. I try to make a new and different recipe at least once a week. My husband would be perfectly content having the same meals over and over again. (He's super picky and sticks with what he likes.) I, on the other hand, need variety. I love food and I love trying out new recipes. I needed something quick and easy that I could make before we headed out food shopping this evening. I also needed something that our 2 small children could eat too, with a simple modification. <br />
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After chopping my chicken into bite sized pieces I tossed them with a few teaspoons of hot sauce, according to the recipe. Then, still following the recipe, dredged them in the dry pancake mix, then dipped them in the batter made of pancake mix, water and hot sauce. I typically don't measure things, I simply mixed the 2 1/2 cups of pancake mix with enough water to make a slightly thicker pancake batter, then added hot sauce to taste. I added the coated chicken in batches to canola oil over medium low heat and cooked until dark golden brown. (For the kiddos I simply made some extra batter on the side without the hot sauce.) These weren't spicy for me or the hubs at all, so after cooking and letting them cool I tossed them in some additional hot sauce. Much better. <br />
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What I love most about cooking is being able to tweak things to your personal preferences. This recipe is a perfect example. I will definitely make these again, probably when having guests over for a birthday party, super bowl party, holiday, etc. It would be easy to make a large batch and keep them warm in the oven until ready to serve.Kristinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05703808100842392985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4491057666078300963.post-8321351027758823092012-05-01T00:00:00.000-04:002012-05-01T00:00:05.066-04:00Giveaway: Delightful Order BlogOne of the blogs that I follow is <a href="http://delightfulorder.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Delightful Order.</a> It's a wonderful blog by DaNita, full of organizing and decorating ideas. She also has an <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/DelightfulOrder" target="_blank">Etsy Shop</a> and is giving away one of her shop items on her blog. It's this amazing customized message center.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vahZUSAJhBg/T59d6fD8arI/AAAAAAAAABs/zrMfYpWVNdY/s1600/DO+Message+Center.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vahZUSAJhBg/T59d6fD8arI/AAAAAAAAABs/zrMfYpWVNdY/s320/DO+Message+Center.jpg" width="319" /></a></div>
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You can pick from several colors (I think the yellow is too cute!) and she will customize it for your family. </div>
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Head on over to her blog and put your name in the hat to win this adorable message center. There are several ways to enter so make sure you complete them all. Also, be sure to leave her a comment for each separate way that you enter! GOOD LUCK! (But not too much luck, because I would love to hang one of these little guys in my kitchen.)</div>
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<a href="http://delightfulorder.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="290" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MeqsgvU62ak/T59e69aZYHI/AAAAAAAAAB0/wXzhvBJFK8M/s320/NEW+Button.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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</div>Kristinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05703808100842392985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4491057666078300963.post-73910718584686979162012-04-18T15:38:00.001-04:002012-04-18T15:39:00.974-04:00Sweepstakes: BHG Room RefreshEnter the Better Homes & Gardens $5,000 Room Refresh Sweepstakes!! Hurry, the deadline to enter is April 30th!<br />
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<a href="http://www.bhg.com/bhg/file.jsp?item=/contests/BHG_FAPdec2011/bhg_splashsweeps_win5000_faprefresh11&temp=yes&psrc=S1112BEO5549S234" target="_blank">ENTER SWEEPSTAKES HERE</a></div>
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<br /></div>Kristinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05703808100842392985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4491057666078300963.post-90190187295108598212012-04-13T12:38:00.000-04:002012-04-13T12:38:33.654-04:00Recipe Review: Slow-Cooker Barbecue Chicken<ul>
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<a href="http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/slow-cooker-barbecue-chicken-50400000112435/" target="_blank">{source}</a></div>
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This was my first attempt at a slow-cooker meal by myself. I consider myself to be a pretty good cook, but was wanting to branch out and try new recipes. I had a brand new slow-cooker that I received as a wedding gift a few years ago and decided to pick a simple recipe for my first attempt with it. My husband is a very picky eater and neither one of us particularly likes meat, with the exception of chicken. I figured this was a good recipe to try since it's not a typical chicken recipe, but more mimics a pulled pork sandwich (which neither one of us would ever eat). I have to say both my husband and I were very pleased with this one. It was SUPER easy to make and came out great. The original recipe can be found above but I modified mine slightly:</div>
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<li>3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (I cut mine in half to fit better into the bottom of the slow cooker)</li>
<li>1 cup Kraft Original Barbecue Sauce</li>
<li>1/4 cup Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing & Marinade</li>
<li>2 tablespoons packed brown sugar</li>
<li>1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce</li>
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<li>In a small mixing bowl, combine barbecue sauce, Italian dressing, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce. </li>
<li>Arrange chicken in bottom of slow cooker, cover with sauce.</li>
<li>Cook on low for approximately 5 hours or until done.</li>
<li>Remove chicken to cutting board or plate. Shred with forks.</li>
<li>Return Chicken to slow-cooker and combine with sauce. </li>
<li>Serve on bread of your choice.</li>
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I served mine on toasted Kaiser rolls. The recipe calls for the chicken to be cooked for 5 hours, however mine was done after about 3 1/2. This was probably because my slow-cooker was brand new. I also did not add the cornstarch and chicken broth at the end that the original recipe called for. Mine turned out fine without it but I would assume the cornstarch would simply thicken up the sauce. Super easy, super quick and super delicious!<br />
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</div>Kristinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05703808100842392985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4491057666078300963.post-89155400755367566852012-04-12T13:48:00.000-04:002012-04-18T15:39:43.057-04:00Product Review: Swiffer Sweeper VacI have a slight obsession with cleaning products and an even bigger obsession with vacuums. The vacuum thing started during my first pregnancy, I suppose during the "nesting" phase, and it just never went away. My husband still steers my away from the vacuum aisle when we go to Walmart. He refuses to return any more that I have bought, tried, disliked and then sent him back to the store to exchange. We just recently had new wood flooring from Home Depot installed and I wanted something for every day use without having to drag out a bulky vacuum. Once I saw the commercial for the Swiffer Sweeper Vac, that was it, I had to have it. So I spent the $40 for it and was so excited to get it home to try it. It was super simple to put together, but had to be charged for at least 12 hours until the light turned from red to green. So I plugged it in that evening and let it charge overnight. The next afternoon I went to try it out.... and the light was still red. Talk about disappointing. But I couldn't resist, so I tried it out. It only lasted about 5 minutes but seemed to work well enough so I plugged it back in to let it finish charging. By this time it was Sunday evening. By Tuesday morning the stupid light STILL hadn't turned green so I called Swiffer. Apparently I received one of the few models that has a light that never turns green. Awesome. After about a week of charging though, it did eventually turn green but the battery life is horrible. At most it lasts about 10-15 minutes, which for me is barely enough time to vacuum all of the hardwood and tile areas of our house (about 1500 square feet). For my 9 year old stepson, it's nowhere near enough time when it's his turn to vacuum (mostly because he dawdles and vacuums in circles or figure 8's or whatever his heart desires that day). I like that it's lightweight and compact and easy for kids to use, but I should have listened to the reviews that complained about the battery life. To pay $40 for a product that takes 24 hours to charge and lasts about 10 minutes MAX is just ridiculous to me. Now I just use it for every day use of traffic areas (kitchen floor and entry way) and spot cleaning the rest of the floors. It's great for picking up pet hair and dirt but not so great at picking up larger items like pieces of cat food. I typically love Swiffer products but I am pretty disappointed in this particular one. If they found a way to improve the battery life I would be MUCH happier. Needless to say, if this one breaks I definitely won't be rushing out to pay $40 for another one.Kristinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05703808100842392985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4491057666078300963.post-86453519160144552392012-04-06T06:00:00.000-04:002012-04-06T06:00:06.998-04:00My Cleaning ScheduleHere is a closer look at my cleaning schedule:<br />
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<strong>Daily Chores:</strong><br />
-Make Beds<br />
-Empty Dishwasher<br />
-Laundry (I try to aim for at least 1 load per day)<br />
-Wipe Off Counters/Kitchen Table<br />
-Sweep Floors (At least the Kitchen and Traffic Areas)<br />
-Empty Trash<br />
-Plan for Next Day<br />
-Quick Pick Up/Straighten<br />
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<strong>Weekly Chores:</strong><br />
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*Monday: I use this day as a "catch-up" day from my slacking over the weekend. I try to get chores finished during the week so that I have the weekend free for family time. I go from room to room putting items back in their place and getting the house in order so that it is easier to clean the rest of the week. I also use this day as my main laundry day. I try to do at least one load per day during the week, but somehow it still manages to pile up on me.<br />
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*Tuesday: Clean the Bathrooms. I wipe down the mirrors, counters, bathtubs/showers, toilets and sweep and mop the floors. My bathrooms, kitchen and laundry room floors are all ceramic tile so I mop these floors this day as well while I already have my wet jet mop out.<br />
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*Wednesday: Dust living areas, sweep and mop hardwood floors. It makes sense to me to dust a room and then clean the floor in that same room. I dust both living rooms and both dining rooms and then sweep and mop the hardwood floors in these same rooms along with the hallway and entry way.<br />
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*Thursday: Dust bedrooms, vacuum carpets. We have four bedrooms and they are the only rooms with carpet. I dust each bedroom, then go back and vacuum all of them. While I have the vacuum out, I vacuum the two area rugs in the living rooms. <br />
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*Friday: Since Friday is pay day for my husband, this is the day I use to pay bills. I also balance our bank accounts and file any papers, receipts etc. This is also usually my menu planning day.<br />
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*Saturday: FAMILY DAY! No chores unless something become messy. And with 2 young boys, something is bound to be messy. But if I can live with it for a few days then I try to let it go.<br />
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*Sunday: Another family day with the exception of clipping coupons. <br />
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<strong>Monthly/As Needed Chores:</strong><br />
-Clean Windows<br />
-Dust Baseboards<br />
-Dust Blinds<br />
-Vacuum Along Edges of Bedrooms<br />
-Move & Sweep Under Furniture<br />
-Organize/Straighten Closets<br />
-Organize Kids Toys/Donate or Toss Unneeded Items<br />
-Change A/C Filter<br />
-Bathe dogs/Give Flea Meds<br />
-Wash Dog Beds<br />
-Organize Kitchen Cabinets/Pantry<br />
-Steam Mop Tile Floors<br />
-Clean Upholstery<br />
-Spot Clean Carpets<br />
-Dust A/C Vents<br />
-Dust Ceiling Fans<br />
-Clean Out Freezers<br />
-Vacuum Mattresses<br />
-Wash Area Rugs<br />Kristinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05703808100842392985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4491057666078300963.post-23764147497206999832012-03-27T16:50:00.000-04:002012-04-18T15:40:17.720-04:00How To Create A Cleaning Schedule That Works For YouOne of the first things on my journey to a cleaner, more organized home, was to create a cleaning schedule. This way, not only do I stay on track each day, but I no longer have to try and remember when I last cleaned the bathroom, mopped the floors, etc. It also gave me another excuse to make a list. I LOVE to make lists, just so I can check things off. It gives me a bigger sense of accomplishment. Plus it allows me to focus more on things that I have actually finished (positive), instead of just the things that I still need to do (negative).<br />
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First, I made a list of all cleaning tasks that need to be done on a <strong>daily</strong> basis. For me this is loading/unloading the dishwasher, sweeping the floors, wiping off counters, etc. <br />
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I next listed those chores I wanted to complete on a <strong>weekly</strong> basis: Cleaning the bathrooms, mopping the floors, etc. My last list were chores that need done on a <strong>monthly</strong> or as needed basis, such as cleaning baseboards, cleaning carpets/upholstery or dusting ceiling fans and blinds. I then compiled these lists into checklists and printed them. <br />
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I keep these in my Household Management Binder and check off the tasks as I complete them. The Monthly Cleaning Checklist I only need to print once per year. I check off each task as I complete it each month and I have space at the bottom to add additional tasks if needed. The Weekly Cleaning Checklist has my daily tasks for the week at the top (broken down by morning, afternoon and evening) and my once per week tasks are at the bottom. It's simple and it's specific to my needs and keeps me focused on a routine. </div>Kristinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05703808100842392985noreply@blogger.com0