Pick 3!

Hello! Where has everyone been?! I guess now that the holidays are over it's a good time to BLOG and CLEAN. I thought it would be interesting to see what products everyone likes to clean with best. Not that everyone likes to clean, but what do you use that makes the job easier and more efficient?
I want to hear from everyone...

Here are my 3:
Good old Comet
A spray bottle of Soapy Water
Don Aslett's 3pc. Toilet Cleaning Kit w/ Caddy - (www.qvc.com) This product is AMAZING! - watch the demo if you can. I was amazed at how well it cleans the toilet, which is never a fun job to do.

Your Turn!

Hey guys....

How about some potty traing tips --- I feel like this is the hardest thing to teach my kids for some reason!
Brayden is finally all the way done @ age 4 1/2 - it only took me 2 YEARS!!! and Kylie just does not care!
What should I do?! she is 3 1/2. I even have a whole bucket of princess presents and she still could care less?

Help - Chris Stokes

Sarah's Organizing

I have been working hard at getting my home squared away to move into. You should see the binder that I have created and recently I got my graph paper out! What a tool that is when you are preparing to organize. I drew out all the rooms with closets and drawers and penciled out where everything was going to go.

One day I was doing it and Hope (Trent's sister) was hanging out and she is preparing to move into a home herself and she couldn't believe how much time and work I was putting into this project. She then asked me to help her out with her house.

I love doing things like this its like my unforseen hobby or whatever that I didn't know I had. I love to put things into their proper order and place and make it feel usable. So here is some of my pictures of what I have been doing

Enjoy!

Please get a label maker it will work wonders on your home as well as your husbands so that they know where things go.

Immunization Debate

I've heard a lot lately about wether to immunize children or not. In the past, immunizing was always thought to be the best thing and necessary to protect children from many diseases. Lately, much has been argued that immunizing can cause disabilities such as autism and ADD. I wanted to get other mom's opinions on this matter. I know this may not necessarily be what this blog is intended for, but it does concern the running of our homes somewhat. Anyways, let me know what you think!

Help me please!

Okay, I am outnumbered and overrun by my kids' DVDs. It thought that I had a practical solution with baskets that fit in our entertainment center. Every day though, they end up strewn about the family room. Even when they are put away they overflow in their baskets. When they are out, the kids open them and pull out the DVDs and end up scratching them. Does anyone have a tried & true solution to my dilemma?
-Allison

Stink no more!

We found the solution for dirty towels in Martha Stewarts Handbook. You simply keep a container of it in your laundry room. I used a 5 gallon storage bin.

10 parts water to 1 part bleach

I tried it today and instantly got rid of the dirty towel smell! Love it!

Community Supported Agriculture

I was listening to Martha Stewart satelite radio and heard them talking about this program. Allie's sister has been doing this up in San Clemente and we have been trying to find a place down here. The program is found at this website:

http://www.localharvest.org/csa/

You can look up a farm in your area and you can go buy fresh produce, eggs, milk, etc. You pay a monthly fee and you can get it delievered to you or you can go pick it up. Its such a great thing to utilize here in California with our wonderful weather. I am still researching it out so I will keep you posted but I wanted you all to know.

Martha Stewart on bath towels

I was looking for the towel solution on Martha Stewarts website...No luck yet. But I did find this information that I found interesting.

For best results, launder bath towels every three to four days using the following guidelines:
- Non-chlorine bleach can be used safely on white towels when they start to look a bit dingy, but avoid chlorine bleach, which eats up towels.
- Do not use fabric softener, which actually stiffens towels.
- Wash white towels on the hottest setting.
- When drying towels, use one scent-free dryer sheet.

For the first time I wish I took a picture of my trash....

I am so proud of myself. Yesterday I emptied four moving boxes and condensed them into one storage bin. (I threw away a lot of stuff and gave away the rest.) Then today I emptied all of theses containers plus another big bin like the one on the bottom in the pic. I fit them all into the one bin. I think I need a dumpster. My trash was full on Monday and it doesn't come again until Friday. The sad thing... I have moved these boxes from house to house never even opening them. I found a skirt I had from when I was little and two bathing suits, really why would I want to keep these things? And papers like crazy. This is the first move in some time that I do not have a newborn so I get to dejunk as I pack. Thank you Daryle Hoole and "The Ultimate Career" I could not have found this book at a better time.

I have also been using my portable filing box for all of the cards and memorable stuff that has been shoved in boxes and never looked at. I separated each childs stash in piles on the floor. Then I put it in their folder. Now that each child has there own folder they are pumped to scrap there own pages.

By Susan

One step closer to organization!

After reading the book I got pumped about making a new chore chart. It seems to be working great and even Joseph (age 3) does it. He gets really excited to use his tickets. Very fun!

by Susan

Who's Who

I have invited quite a few people to join us in our quest to help eachother organize and so I wanted to introduce them to you all. Some of them I have posted their own personal blog sites on the right hand side for your viewing.

Sarah's Family:
Liz Peterson (sister-in-law), Erin Ropelato (sister), Aleece VanWagenen (sister), Leslie Peterson (sister), Tera Peterson (sister-in-law), Rachael Maloney (sister), Rebecca Cottongim (sister), and Shauna Peterson (mother)

Trent's Family:
Susan Chapman (sister-in-law), Hope Stoddard (sister-in-law), Amy Chapman (sister-in-law), Allie Chapman (sister-in-law), and Kelly Chapman (mother-in-law)

Sarah's Friends:
Leanna Hunt, Angie Matheson, Dianna Barton, Allison Browning, Carol Galloway, Kristie Arnold and Deanna Pennock

We are off to a great start!

I have feel in love with this new book by Daryle Hoole titled, "The Ultimate Career" and decided to make a blog so that we can all share information back and forth. I will be having a book club this evening but their is so much to talk about that a blog is another option for us instead of getting together. So I hope that you will use it and take advantage of all the great ideas and possiblities that this book offers and together we will make our homes like a little piece of heaven on earth!

Another great book is the "Martha Stewart Homekeeping Handbook" I bought mine at Barnes and Noble but I found it cheaper at Costco. I haven't been to Costco to see if they still have it but I would think it would still be there, it's Martha Stewart!

If you need help setting up your blog account let me know and I am working on getting it so you all can access the blog so just hold on until you here back from me.

Have fun blogging!

Sarah - Chapter 2

• It only takes 21 days to become a better me!
• In labeling your pantry if you wanted to get more visual I would suggest you get clear address labels and find food graphics and then label the shelf with the picture and name of food.
• Store Recipes in page protectors in a 3 ring binder so they are protected
• Dirty kitchen towels - put in an enclosed bucket with solution (Amy is going to find out?)
• Important Documents also need to be copied and put into your 72 hour kit
• Make 2 copies of all digital pictures and then place a copy at another home or else put them onto a zip drive
• Have a designated "family desk" for all to use and that could be the place to hold your children's files with their artwork, school papers, etc.
• Have a set of scriptures in your car along with another book to read as you wait
• Have a collapable cooler bag in the back of your car for those times that you need a place to cool items
• Have a nice basket placed in the back of your car for return items, movies or books
• Thank you cards - write them when impressed and then wait a couple of days to send it off to the person.
• Filing cabinets - Find wood filing cabinets so that you can repaint them to your decor
• "Pick it up don't pass it up!"
• 2 sheet sets per bed in the household