One Extra

With Spring comes Spring Cleaning! Yay! And I really do mean "yay!" Of course in my mind I think of organizing and cleaning out closets vs. the actual cleaning. I feel like we are generally pretty good about cleaning when it comes to vacuuming, bathrooms, and the surface stuff, but I admit, I am not good about the nitty gritty (window washing, moving furniture to clean, dusting, cleaning shutters, light fixtures, ceiling fans...well, you get the picture.) When we moved into our house last May, we did a good cleaning of all the cabinets, shelves, and drawers before unpacking, but that is pretty much where it ended. We had only lived here three months before Steve left for his deployment, so we did not get everything done as far as a good deep cleaning and also project-wise. I mostly did the obvious cleaning while he was away in attempt to keep my head above water and still have a little time to myself. So, in addition to our long "to do" list of outdoor projects before spring and summer really hit, we have a nice long list of indoor projects and "to do's" as well. To help us get our home clean and in order, Steve had this idea that in addition to our normal, every day/weekly cleaning tasks (such as laundry, dishes, wiping the counters, bathrooms, vacuuming, etc...) we should each tackle one extra task each day. Something that might be forgotten or go without being cleaned for a long period of time. For example, that might mean cleaning the shutters and windows in a room, the shelves in the refrigerator, or the baseboards or switch plates. Just those little things that get lost in the big picture. Lately I have been working on our windows and plantation shutters room by room. I haven't cleaned them the entire time we have lived here, and quite honestly I am not sure if the former owner ever cleaned them either. Yikes! So...it does feel good to have those cleaned instead of procrastinating and thinking, "I really should clean those one of these days soon." It is the little stuff. And though I was a little insulted at first by Steve's idea ("So you're saying I'm not a good housekeeper?") I am beginning to see how easy it is and how it will definitely pay off in the long run (especially since Steve is helping and doing "one extra" everyday too.)

I promise to post some pictures of the inside of our home sometime soon. It is about time! (Maybe once more cleaning is accomplished *wink.*) How do you keep up with all the housework, dust bunnies, and those little forgotten things?

[This is our home from last summer. Not sure if you can tell in the photo, but all the plants were crazy, out-of-control...so much so that it was a little hard to tell what was weed vs. perennial, shrub, etc. In addition to Spring Cleaning we have been working on a list of outdoor projects and yard work now before everything has a chance to take over at lightning speed. Cannot wait for that lush green though!]

Weekend Links 3/11

Some weekend reading (as if you didn't have other things to do.)

Small Notebook:: Loosen the Grip of "More Stuff"

Passionate Homemaking:: Simple Steps to Declutter Your Home

Small Notebook:: The Man/T-shirt Connection: Why Guys Still Love Their Worn-Out Tees

Small Notebook:: Waiting to Upgrade: How an Ugly Couch Made Our Marriage Better

Daily Audio Bible

So maybe I am out of the loop and you all already know about this website, but while waiting at our local car care center over a month ago (Boo! My car had been there twice in 2 weeks. Cha-ching!) there were these cards for a website called "Daily Audio Bible." A very cool website that allows you to listen to readings of the Word straight from your computer or in Podcast form so that you can listen to them from your iPod. They even have a Kid version, as well as a Spanish, Hindi, and Japanese! Now there is no excuse- you can listen while commuting to work, cleaning the house, or even while eating breakfast with your baby (we like to listen to the kids' version.) It is easily broken down over 365 days and best of all its free! Simply click on the "Resources" tab at the top of the homepage for all the various feeds or if you want to listen from your computer, click on "Listen Now" on the right hand column.

Praying for Our Husbands

"Praying for Your Husband" is a simple 31 day guide to help us bless our husbands in our daily prayer lives. It's in PDF format, so it is easy to print out and keep close.

I remember a very similar guide provided in a women's Bible study that I attended while at CSU, before I was married. We decided to use this handy guide to pray for our future and unknown husbands. (Isn't it such a blessing that even though we didn't know who that might be, God knew all along and was preparing us for our future husband?)

At this time in our lives, I am finding it even more important to pray for Steve while he is deployed and away from all the comforts of home.

How can you bless the man in your life today?

Flying Solo

Remember when I asked on the blog a little while back about your advice about lengthy separations from a spouse and daddy? I thoroughly appreciated all of your comments! One of the blogs that I read regularly, Simple Mom, just recently did a post about "flying solo" as a single mommy during military deployments or other separations, even if just for a few days. I don't know if it will help any of my fellow military wives or anyone else, but I thought I might share.

Flying With an *almost* 1 Year Old

Come September, Christian and I will be flying home to Colorado to visit with our wonderful families/friends and to celebrate the big FIRST birthday of our little man. What? How did that come so quickly? Anyway, I was hoping for some helpful suggestions on how to keep a one year old busy and happy on our flights out and back (we have a layover both times in Atlanta.) I know snacks and toys will help, but specifically are there certain toys/activities that you know of that might make the time go faster? This will not be Christian's first time flying (we flew to Florida from Colorado when C was almost 5 months to visit with Steve while he was at a training at Hurlburt Field) but I was able to coax him into taking a nap on my shoulder after nursing on those flights. This time it will be a lot different, and I don't expect him to want to sit in my lap for such long periods of time. Thankfully, my wonderful mother-in-law will be flying into SC a few days prior to help me fly with Christian out to Colorado. The extra set of hands and another lap will be SO helpful. The trip back will be just C and I. So...what advice do you have?

Weekend Links 7/30

Below are some links that I especially enjoyed this week:

Small Notebook:: Drop Off Old Computer Parts at Goodwill

Passionate Homemaking:: Babies Don't Keep

Small Notebook:: Are You Making Your To Do List Too Hard? Find Out Why.

Keeper of the Home:: Enjoying the Blessings of Today

Small Notebook:: The No Spend Month

Kiva "Loans that Change Lives"

You may have noticed the little banner/icon on the bottom right after my blogroll, pictures, etc. titled "Kiva." My brother and sister-in-law first introduced Kiva to us a couple of years ago when they were purchasing a "gift certificate" for my grandparents for Christmas. Kiva is a really cool organization that gives loans to individual entrepreneurs and small businesses around the world...people just needing a little help to live a dream and support their families. It is quite simple- you can browse the website and choose specifically who you would like to lend money to- for example, Oksana in the Ukraine hoping to further develop her grocery store, or Edilberto in Honduras who wants to use a loan to buy merchandise for a small retail store in his home. The money from several lenders goes to a field partner that handles the interaction. The cool thing is, once they repay the loan, you can either re-lend it to another business, withdrawal the money, or donate to Kiva (for operational expenses.) Loans that keep on giving....So far we have been able to help 3 various entrepreneurs all with just a starting $25. Pretty cool huh? Such a simple and easy way to give back after all that God has blessed us with.

Fresh, Fun New Blog

Our friend from college, Emily, just recently started a fun blog with recipes, do-it-yourself ideas, and other creative and cute themes. Please stop by:

(click here or picture above)

My Favorite Baby Products...So Far

Here are a few favorite baby items that I don't think I could live without. (Or at least I don't think I could live without.)

1. CleanWell Alcohol Free Hand Sanitizer Spray A fabulous alcohol-free hand sanitizer. I was using alcohol-based sanitizers for the first 3.5 months and it started to kill my hands, especially with the dry and cold Colorado winter weather. I also like that this is a spray versus a gel, safe for children's little hands too. Nice herbal scent.

2. The Moms on Call Guide to Basic Baby Care: The First 6 Months Reading by topic. No extra wordy chapters when you just want a straight-up answer. I received this book from my brother and sister-in-law and love it!

3. Boppy Nursing Pillow with Slipcover, Lots of Dots Super helpful for nursing mommies, especially for the middle-of-the-night feedings when your baby's head becomes so heavy and you just need a little support.

4. Graco Element Pack 'n Play Playard

(No, Christian's is not girly like the picture above. His is gender neutral.)

So Christian has yet to sleep in a real crib, and will not get the chance to until we find a place to live in South Carolina, settle down, and finally build it. In the meantime, his pack n' play has been wonderful. They are made so neat these days and you can get all sorts of different features ($$) but I just wanted one with a changing table and raised "bassinet." He has slept in it since day 3 (when we were able to bring him home) and doesn't know the difference.

Here is a helpful post from Simple Mom about things you probably don't need to have for a new baby. However, we are guilty of owning a few of these things which have actually been a convenience - (thank you Susan!)

New Parent Thoughts

My SIL, Kimberly, is doing a helpful series on her blog called "Reflections on Being a New Parent." She recently did her second post in the series, and I would recommend any parent, new, established, or expecting to check it out.

Hooray for Organizing!

I love to organize! Clean...not so much (especially when it comes to cleaning bathrooms. I also despise ironing!) But I really enjoy going through items, finding proper homes, and simply just getting rid of clutter. My mom can testify to this, as I often organize a random drawer or area whenever I am visiting back home. I just like order and for everything to be put away. We will see how this may drastically change once our baby comes along...I will have to relax some and go with the flow. :)

I think that as the weather becomes cooler (at least in some areas...grr) garage sales will be picking up a little. I am not a huge garage sale customer myself, but I have enjoyed having garage sales with my family in the past. I found this blog article today at "Money Saving Mom" with great tips on having a successful garage sale (click here.) Check out the readers' comments as well. We personally do not have a huge load of things to sell at this point in time as I am always trying to get rid of things via the thrift store on base (who takes consignments), eBay, and goodwill. In the future, especially with baby items and toys, I will totally be up for it. I especially like the idea of having a neighborhood garage sale. My sister-in-law, Kristi, takes part in an annual neighborhood garage sale in their community and they receive a ton of customers, plus what better way to advertise- people will totally go out of their way if they know there will be several sales in one place. The article also mentioned keeping a "yard sale box or boxes" throughout the year. I like to keep a box for donations so that whenever I find an item that we don't use or no longer fits (boo) I can start collecting for donation or for thrift.

Anyway, if you cannot wait until Spring for that "Spring Cleaning" consider some of the great ideas listed in this article for a "Fall Cleaning." I am sure holiday items would sell great right now!

Free Nursing Cover

"Udder Covers" is once again offering a free nursing cover with promotional code: "backorder1" Applies to both solids and patterned nursing covers. All you have to do is pay shipping. Great for any nursing or soon-to-be mama. Click here for website.

Thanks Kim for the original tip. :)

Baby Gear 101

When Steve arrived back home he had a few baby gear projects waiting for him. You would think these things would be simple- it's just baby stuff right? While Steve was in NC (before my 2nd trip to CO) I had ordered a stroller online and because there was only a 30-day money back guarantee (and Steve would still be gone longer than those 30 days) I decided I would open the box, make sure everything was there, etc. I looked at the instruction booklet and thought "how hard could this be?" Everything was pretty much pre-assembled, but I literally only made it to Step 2 and fidgeted with the thing the entire evening before giving up in frustration and deciding the stroller would have to wait 7+ weeks for Steve's return. I called my brother that night because they have a similar stroller and hoped that he could give me some pointers. He told me to plan on any baby gear assembly project to take a couple of hours. The truth is, they make these manuals with extremely unclear black and white illustrations and arrows pointing to places that may not even exist on your model. If you're lucky there will be a phrase of actual text telling you what to do. They should have classes on this stuff. I seriously went to youtube.com hoping that there would be someone else who had posted an instructional video on how to put together this particular stroller. So annoying...but one thing is for sure, Steve will be heading up all future baby gear and toy assembly projects.

My hero!