From My Hunny!

Flowers from my Sweetheart!

What girl doesn't like flowers from her man?

How Do I Get Motivated To Clean? Youtube!

We all have those days when it seems impossible to get motivated to clean. Sometimes it is like a tedious and thankless job that never seems to end. So, you want some help with motivation?

My favorite way to motivate myself to clean, other than the fact that I can't stand the chaos anymore or someone is coming over at the last minute, is to watch other people clean. No, I don't spy on my neighbors. I'm not a window peeper! For this and other important things there is YouTube! That's right, people actually like to record and display themselves on the internet while cleaning their homes.

Now I know it may sound a little voyeuristic to want to see others cleaning on YouTube, but try it. Often they have tips on how to clean things better, faster, and safer than you would normally be able to do. Take those pots and pans, for instance, that you just can't get clean. Or that greasy nasty stove top that you can't seem to get the burnt on grease off from, they can show you how to do it.

To get the whole house done, just type in "daily cleaning routine". You will see some very busy women, sometimes men, scrubbing away at their messy homes, sometimes in fast forward and while caring for their little ones, and telling you quick and easy tips they have picked up doing it.

No, I am not crazy. Try sitting in front of the computer for about 20 minutes, just watching others clean. Pretty soon, you are gonna want to get up and clean something. It works every time for me. I have learned a lot from watching other creators including new cleaning products and new ways of cleaning to make things faster, more efficient, and easier.

What have you got to lose? A messy house? Fifteen minutes? Give it a shot, you may be surprised how well it works

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Mini Ulta Haul

Ladies, if you get a chance, get to Ulta for their clearance deals. Here are some I was able to pick up.

1. Total Intensity Color Rush Eyeshadow in the color Pretty In Pink for $.97.
2. Sweet & Shimmer Gem Gloss for $.97.
3. Skin Radiance Aqua Mist with Quandong & Chamomile for $2.97.
4. CoverGirl + Olay Eye Rehab Concealer in 310 Fair for $1.97.

Check out he deals for yourself before they disappear!

Post Vertigo Mayhem

Anyone that has vertigo knows how difficult it can be to get things done during the time that they have it. Simple things that a person takes for granted become a major chore. Bending over, standing up, turning too fast, laying down, sitting upright, or even blinking, at times, causes the head to spin. Believe me when I tell you, this is no fun. I am currently having mild vertigo which is an improvement from last weekend when I had it so bad that any movement, including blinking, made my head feel like it was on the Silly Silo and nausea to make my stomach churn. It is very unnerving to stand up and immediately fall back down because your balance can't keep up.  

My wonderful boyfriend brought over pizza so that I wouldn't have to cook Saturday night. My son had his snack box which is always full of things like cereal bars, granola bars, peaches, apple sauce, spaghettios, chicken noodle soup, and fruit snacks. That and the pizza kept him fed. Needless to say, other than meals, nothing got done in my house.

The chaos of this scene is enough to cause nausea on its own. But wait! There's more.

Oh yeah, plenty of laundry.

 I always feel like a horrible mommy when I can't do the things that need to be done. It is frustrating. Fortunately, the vertigo has eased up to the point where things can be done if I don't move too quickly and don't bend over a lot.

As you can see, I recovered my kitchen. Yes, the laundry got done. It was a frustratingly slow process but the goal was achieved.  Hopefully, the vertigo will stay away for a while now so that life is easier to deal with and my kitchen can stay this way!

Letting Your Inner Child Out

I often look at my son with a sense of wonder and amazement. His smile, his laugh, and his sense of fun and adventure. He has a natural curiosity for life.

Then I sit and think, whatever happened to those traits in me? Has life really taken that much of a toll on me that I can't find it in myself to live like a child? This gives me a renewed spirit of  how I want to live my life as. I don't want to be able to say that I never had any fun in my life. Yes my idea of fun might be slightly different, at times, than when I was 9 years old. Still, taking the time out to show my child that I enjoy life too gives him hope for the future. 

In the world we live in, day to day life can seem like a total drag. As adults, we see things in ways that a child cannot. Unfortunately, we let ourselves be bogged down by the bad things in the world and we forget to enjoy the good and simple things that it has to offer. We seem to always be in a rush and we drag our children, kicking and screaming, into this lifestyle. We need to remember to show ourselves and our children that no matter how old they are, they can enjoy life. They can stop to smell flowers and enjoy the beauty of nature. They can continue to play as adults and do things that they enjoy. And yes, they can sometimes eat their dessert before the actual meal.

8 Tips To Keep Your Home Warm That Hardly Anyone Thinks Of

Here are 8 tips to conserve heat in your home.

1. Close your cupboards. Believe it or not, the cupboards underneath your sink may leak a lot of cold air. This is because they are not heated, usually up against outer walls, and may not be insulated very well. So keep them cupboards closed as much as possible.
2. Along with keeping your cupboards closed comes keeping unused areas in your home closed that don't have heating vents or have closed heating vents. Close your shower door. It is a space that does not need to be heated unless you are using it.
3. Open your curtains in the morning. Take advantage of the sun while it is up on those sunny days. Any amount of heat you can let in that is free is a good thing.
4. If you have an enclosed porch, don't forget to seal those windows as well. Lessening the amount of cold air that comes into the door when you open it saves a lot on your bills.
5. Plastic plugs for your outlets. Chances are that you have outlets in your home that you are not using. Plug them, especially true when your outlets are on walls that are on the outer frame of your home. Get the little plastic plug covers, they work great.
6. Finally, consider baking and when you are finished, turn off the oven but leave the door partially open. Let that heat out. (watch your little ones though). Also, consider using your Crock-Pot, it throws off quite a bit of heat and is on for a good portion of the day if you put it on low to cook a meal. It also takes up less electricity than your oven and furnace.
7. Put something at the bottom of your doors to stop drafts from coming in. Doors and windows are top cold air leak areas in your home. Even if it is just a rolled up rug or towel, after you close your doors tightly, overlap a rug on the bottom of the door. It can make a huge difference.
8. Use your deadbolts. A lot of times when you use the deadbolt locks on your outside doors, the door is pulled closer to the frame and seals better.

Try these tips out. I hope they save you some cash and keep you warmer in your home.

Coffee Chat: Ahh The Peacefulness Of The Morning

Don't you just love those mornings when there is nothing to do? There is no rush, no housework, no going to work, and the kids are sleeping late. It's just you, your cup of coffee, and quality time with your self to do whatever you like. Read a book. Space off and think about nothing (This is me!). If you have had a long hard work week or just a stressful week in general, it feels so good to just think about nothing but what you want. Just relax! 

Now that the hustle and the bustle of the Holidays is over take time out to just breathe. Enjoy your morning! Get back into the normal swing of things. Get your groove back. Turn on some music you enjoy and dance around the house if you like. In fact, if you made a New Year resolution to lose weight, feel free to dance around the house while you do your morning chores. It's a good cardio workout and you can get things done at the same time. 

Speaking of New Years resolutions, did you make any? I did not. I resolved to not make any resolutions at the beginning of the year. If I need a change, I will just make one. I do want to enjoy more mornings like this one. Yes it is 5:45 in the morning. If I have to wake before everyone else to enjoy my morning, then darn it all, I'm gonna do it.

Ohhh, the coffee is calling me! Have a great morning!!