Daily Mish Mash

Jenny at Absolutely Bananas has asked for some advice about ways people keep their houses clean. She asks this like there is some sort of secret to doing it.  You know what?  I think there is.

I believe that there is an Ancient Society of Neat People that holds the key to how to properly keep your home tidy.  It is an exclusive club that you are born into.  Sometimes I think that the members of this society keep this a secret because it makes them feel superior to those of us who are in the Messy Club. 

I’m in the Messy Club.

Surprisingly, all of my friends are neat.  Every single one of them.  And I’ve watched them.  Oh yes, when they weren’t looking I’ve picked up on some of their housekeeping ways.

(I also keep thinking that maybe if I hang around with them long enough that some of their neatness will actually rub off on me, but unfortunately this hasn’t happened yet.  Yes, it seems only the yucky things like lice, pink eye and the flu are contagious.  You can’t catch the cleaning bug.)

I’ve also watched countless hours of Clean House, Clean Sweep, Mission Organization, and Neat (which, by the way, is my third favorite thing to come from Canada after Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams) hoping that maybe they will accidentally leak some of the society’s ancient secrets.

I’ve struggled with this all my life and over the years I have learned a few things from all this observing.  These five things have really worked for me when I do them.  The key is finding the motivation to actually doing them on a consistent basis.  I think that is the real secret.   The secret that the members will never give away and the shows will never reveal. 

Hopefully these tips will be helpful to Jenny and any other “domestically-challenged” individuals out there:

1.  Go on a Cleaning Blitz:  I set my timer for as much time as I have or feel like dedicating to a given room.  It is usually about 30 minutes.  Then I work like a maniac to straighten, dust, vacuum, etc…

2.  Make The Job Fun to Get It Done:  This could be just putting on some music or maybe listening to a book on cd or a podcast while you clean.  (My mom swears by having the tv on, but that has never worked for me.  I get too sidetracked and end up sitting down with my feet on the couch. I do better with just listening to something fun or interesting.)

3.  Reward Yourself:  It is important to reward your efforts.  There are many different kinds of treats, but you have to find out what is most motivating to you.  Maybe it’s a bubble bath or an hour with a good book after your cleaning blitz.  (I’d love to say my treat didn’t involve chocolate, but who am I kidding.)  I’ve even set long term goals with bigger and better treats in the past.  For example, if I vacuum every day for a week, I might treat myself to going to see a movie or a bottle of red wine.  I’ve even thought of trying to reward myself for a month’s worth of progress with something really awesome like a massage, but sadly I haven’t been able to stay focused enough to do that..

4.  When In Doubt, Throw it Out:  If you haven’t used something in the past year, get rid of it.  If you aren’t sure whether you may need it or not, I always lean toward just letting it go.  If it’s not something that is used on a regular basis, it is probably a good chance that you don’t need it.  It is so much easier to clean if you have less clutter sitting around.

5.  There Is No Perfect Time To Clean:  Look for small bits of time to do mini-jobs.   See a finger print on the wall, grab that Magic Eraser and wipe it off.  Crumbs on the floor?  How long would it really take to sweep it up?  Probably not even five minutes.  It’s these little things that really start adding up and keep the house looking great.

Now, if I could only follow my own advice.  See I know what to do, but just have trouble actually doing it.       

For more great tips, visit Works for Me Wednesday at Rocks in My Dryer.

Edited to add that this post is also part of Jenny’s Housekeeping Tips Carnival. 

I am so looking forward to reading all the good tips everyone has to share! 

I’m such a lazy person cook.  If the dish involves too many steps or too many ingredients, I’m not inclined to try it.

That is why I was so excited to see the theme of this week’s Works for me Wednesday is Five Ingredients or Less Cooking. 

The first recipe that came to mind for me was My Famous Easy Fish Dish.  (It isn’t actually famous in the being followed by paparazzi sense, but it sure is a favorite in our house.)

This is so simple to make and very yummy!

Here are the ingredients:

• 1 lb Fish of your choice (Flounder, salmon, tilapia, mahi-mahi, rockfish, -whatever you like)
• Italian Dressing (enough to cover fish in bowl)
• 1/2 cup Mushrooms (sliced)
• 1/2-1 cup Cheddar Jack Cheese 

Directions:

1.  Clean fish and put in a bowl.  Pour enough italian dressing over fish to cover.  Place in refrigerator for 30 minutes to marinate.

2.  In the meantime, slice mushrooms and grate cheese (if necessary).

3.  Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

4.  Place fish on foil. (You may want to use some sort of non-stick spray.)  Top with mushrooms.  (See photo)

5. Grill for 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily with fork.

6.  Top with cheese and grill until melted (usuallly about another minute or so).

That’s it.  We usually serve  wild rice,peas and salad with this. 

Now I’m not saying this is the healthiest option, but it does beat fast food.  Plus, if you buy organic salad dressing, fat-free organic cheese, etc.. it would help to make it a bit more healthy. 

Click here to see more great, simple recipes.

If you haven’t yet entered the Movie Madness giveaway or taken part in the Movie Madness Carnival there is still time.  If you love movies, you’ll definitely want to head on over.

Anyone who knows me or reads this blog knows that I love movies.  I just don’t like to spend what seems like our entire life savings on a ticket.  And don’t even get me started on the snacks.  They are so out of control with their prices.

This is why I have mastered the art of scoring free passes.  It is actually easier than you may think. I’ll share some of my secrets with you.

First, check out the following local (to you) websites:

• Radio Stations
• Newspapers (large and small publications)
• Local TV stations

This is how I get most of my passes.  These sites are the best resource because for whatever reason, they are constantly giving them away.

Next it is time to check out some other more national websites:

• Volition
• Film Metro
• Miramax
• Entertainment Weekly
• Fox Searchlight

In addition to the above sites, there are a couple of blogs and forums with great info on screenings:

• Wild About Movies
• Brevity is…Wit
• Fat Wallet
• Movie Jungle
• Slick Deals

Of course if you live near a big city (especially NY or LA) you’re more likely to have more screening opportunities.  You really don’t have to check the sites daily.  I have them bookmarked in a folder and I look to see if there are any interesting screenings that I might want to see about once a week or so. 

Good luck!  If you score any free passes, let me know.  You could maybe even review the movie you saw for my Movie Madness Carnival on July 1st.  Click here to learn more about this and leave me a comment on this post to let me know if you will be participating.

For more Works for Me Wednesday, visit Rocks in My Dryer.

Here are a few things I’ve learned while on vacation this week that I thought would be worth passing along:

1.  If at all possible, stay at a hotel/motel that provides a free breakfast.  This has been wonderful.  All they offered was cereal and bagels, but it saved us a lot of money from having to go out to a restaurant each day. 

(A backup plan for a hotel without the free breakfast would be to purchase cereal bars and juice boxes for a very light breakfast in the room.  Now if only we would have packed a lunch today and ate at the car instead of spending $45 on lunch at Busch Gardens.  Holy Cow!!)

2. If you are going to an area attraction, check the local supermarkets, fast food places, etc.. for coupons. We scored $12 off Busch Gardens and Water Country USA tickets at the local McDonald’s for a single day admission.  That saved our family of four almost $100 on the two theme parks. 

(Just remember to actually put them in your backpack so that you don’t have to take the stupid tram back to the parking lot to get them out of the car because you got all the way up to the stupid ticket booth and realized you forgot them.)

3.  If you are taking a road trip, visit Momsminivan.com before your go and print off a variety of really fun games and activities for the drive.  My kids are having a blast trying to find all fifty states with the license plate game.  The site also has songs, some Bingo games and a neat printable Battleship game.  It is definitely worth the visit. 

(We do have a portable dvd player but the kids haven’t asked to put it on once since this trip began because of all the fun they are having with the printables.  This has been great but I do think it is time to break out the movies because all the interacting and creating lifelong memories is getting kind of old.  I’ve only managed to read about one chapter of my book and that just isn’t right.  I never knew there were so many different kinds of license plates for each state.  I seriously don’t care that there are so many different kinds of license plates for each state.  I’m beginning to go a little crazy from looking at so many different license plates.)

For more Works For Me Wednesday tips, visit Rocks in My Dryer.

The Movie Madness Carnival is still going on.  If you haven’t already entered my movie gift basket giveaway, go here now.   The deadline to leave a comment and be eligible to win is Wed, June 4th at 11pm EST. 

The theme of today’s Works for Me Wednesday is the “Mom, I’m bored..” edition.  I hear these words way more than I would like and it drives me CRAZY!!!  I am so looking forward to reading everyone else’s ideas this week!  My sanity depends on it!

Although I’m no parenting guru, I do have a couple of ideas that may be helpful to you. 

The first one is actually one that my son’s behavioral therapist (he is on the autistic spectrum)  had us do for him, but it really works well for both kids and would probably be helpful for any family. 

We post a schedule up on the refridgerator with the day’s activities.  Instead of having something that is set in stone, I came up with little magnetic cards that have pictures and words to reflect the things we do daily.  Here is a picture (Don’t look too close at my dirty fridge.):

So, how does this keep them from getting bored?

Kids thrive on structure and I think they are less likely to be bored when they know what is expected of them them during the day.  They are no longer wandering around aimlessly trying to figure out what they should do next.   We stick to the same general routine for the most part, but I like the idea that the cards can be moved around if needed.

Basically, I put the chart up the night before or in the morning after we get up.  And let me tell you, if I forget they are totally upset. They really do enjoy having the schedule up on the fridge.  The kids love removing the cards after they finish doing something.  It is almost like a checklist for them.

My kids are reading now, but this would work for younger children if you had pictures.    I do recommend laminating the cards because they will last longer.  I just used peel and stick stuff that you can get at your local Office supply store. 

My other idea is something that I haven’t tried yet so I’m hesitant to recommend it, but I’ll just throw it out there in case you may not have thought to do it.  I’m going to help the kids to work on creating their own blog this summer.  They can type a few sentences about their day or special events (ie Vacation, 4th of July, etc..). 

They are 6 and 8 so I think this will be a lot of fun for them, as well as be great writing practice.  It could turn out to be a complete disaster but we’re going to give it a try.

For more boredom busters, visit Rocks in my Dryer. 

Last week I talked about how to make your manicure last longer.  Well, I wasn’t thinking that I’d be talking about manicures again this week because I didn’t want to give the impression that all I do is think about my nails.  Let me assure you, this is not the case.  I’m lucky if they get filed regularly.

I did, however, run across a deal that was too great to keep to myself.  Basically, all you have to do is buy some shampoo and conditioner or hair color and you get a free Manicure or Pedicure.  Here are the details:

1. Purchase two (2) bottles of specially marked participating Herbal Essence Shampoo and/or Conditioner product.
2. Visit this website and enter your two qualifying UPC codes.
3. Print your redemption form.
4. Mail your completed redemption form listing two (2) valid UPC codes along with original receipt(s) (no copies accepted) of the Herbal Essences participating qualifying products* to:
   Herbal Essences
   c/o TLC Marketing
   1 Faneuil Hall Marketplace 4th Floor
   Boston, MA 02109

You should receive your voucher within 4-6 weeks of receipt and verification. Please allow one week for verification.

*Please make sure to include your original receipt(s) and completed redemption form listing two (2) valid UPC codes. If any of this information is not included, your submission will not be accepted. All materials must be postmarked by 12/31/08.

There is a ton of fine print, so if you are up for reading it you can go here.  To find out the location of participating salons in your area, go here.   Just enter this inactive code: TLCHE5029

To make this deal even sweeter, go to this website to print off a $2 off of 2 coupon for Target only to use toward  Herbal Essences shampoo or conditioner. 

To see more great tips, visit Rocks In My Dryer.

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Just a Reminder…The Movie Madness Carnival is less than a week away on Tuesday, June 3rd.  You can learn more about it by reading this post.

Here’s a quick tip for making your manicures and pedicures last longer.  Before getting into the shower, put some Vaseline on the nails.  This will keep the polish from coming off in the hot water.  I’ve tried it and it really works! 

For more tips, head on over to Rocks in My Dryer.

Just for fun…What color polish should I buy for my next pedicure? 

#1                                                     #2                                                 #3

I’m looking at this new line of polish called Nicole by OPI.  There are a couple of things that I really like about this brand.  First of all, it doesn’t contain DBP, Toluene or Formaldehyde. All of these ingredients are linked to cancer, developmental/reproductive toxicity and allergies.  Each time a bottle is purchased, OPI’s Colors with a Conscience program makes a donation to one of four charities including the Starbright Foundation, Rock The Vote, Gilda’s Club and American Oceans Campaign.

Painting your nails never felt so good! 

Before having kids, my husband and I foolishly made a list of rules we would follow when we became parents. The fact that we had time to sit down and make such an absurd list tells you that we had way too much time on our hands, but that is completely beside the point.

I have since lost this paper because it was a complete joke we’ve been a little busy with actually raising our real children.   The precious children that try to pluck every, single, solitary last nerve until we are ready to explode.  I don’t remember all the rules we had once thought we would follow, but I believe “No Yelling” was pretty high up on the list.

Sadly, I must admit that rule has been broken just about every day in our house.  Multiple times an hour.

At least it was before remembering something that I had used in my previous life as a classroom teacher. 

I like to call it The Family Fun Prize Board.   Here is what ours looks like:

                                                                                                                 (Please Note: This is not an endorsement for Sponge Bob.  Although, it has been known to keep me from yelling at the kids for at least a full half hour.)

I made mine here, but you could just as easily make one with a piece of paper or poster board and a marker.  It is a simple chart with blocks big enough for your kids to write their names or initials.  Across the top you write the letters A-G and across the bottom you write the numbers 1-7.  So each block is represented by a letter number combination.

Whenever you see your kids doing something nice or following a direction the first time you give it, or whatever other great accomplishment you deem worthy, they get to sign the prize board.  As soon as the board is full, pick a letter and number from a hat to determine the winner of the prize.

What is the prize you may be wondering?

I decided it had to be relatively inexpensive.  I also didn’t want to cause any unnecessary sibling rivalry, so I decided to change the reward to a family reward.  The winner of the drawing gets to plan a family fun day of their choice (bowling, movies, skating, out for ice cream, etc..).  They get to plan the whole thing, but we all get to enjoy the reward.

The faster the chart gets filled in the faster we will get to have our family reward.  So everyone has to work together to get it filled in.   Here are just a few examples of how we use it:

If you guys can clean up your rooms before 7 o’clock, then both of you will get to sign…

If you guys have your homework and chores done by 5 o’clock, then both of you will get to sign…

If you are well-behaved at the grocery store, you get to sign…

 The possibilities are endless.  This is really working for us, so I thought I would share it with you all just in case you aren’t the “perfect” parents you thought you’d be.  It’s bribery and it works.  And I’m not ashamed to admit it.

To see other tips, head on over to Rocks In My Dryer.

This week for Work’s for Me Wednesday we are supposed to write about something that doesn’t work for us.  Oh, this should be simple.  There are so many things that aren’t working for me in my life. 

Finances, check.  Weight gain, check.  Messy house, check.  Oh the list could go on and on.

However, the first thing that comes to mind right now that really isn’t working for me is PMS.  Every month it blows into town like a tornado and wreaks havoc on my life.  Not only am I incredibly crazy moody during this time,  I’m also exhausted and can’t seem to think straight. 

I know I’m not alone and that this is probably just something that goes along with being a woman.  Just deal with it, right?  I guess I’m wondering if any of you have found a way to do this.  Even if it isn’t a cure, have you found something to lessen the symptoms a bit?   I’m just so sick of feeling miserable for a week (sometimes 2) before my period.  

Even if you don’t have any advice for me about PMS, I’d still love to hear from you.  Just some words of assurance that I’m not alone would be great.   Unless of course you are a guy, then I don’t want to hear anything from you because you are the enemy.  At least for today’s post.  After this, feel free to comment all you wish.  ;-) 

To see more of these What doesn’t WFMW posts, visit Rocks In My Dryer. 

If you haven’t heard this song by Dolly Parton, check out the PMS Blues:

With Mother’s Day quickly approaching I’ve been trying to come up with some unique gift ideas for my mom and mother in law.  The main qualifications for the gift is that it must be inexpensive and shows them how much we love and appreciate them.   Any homemade gifts have to be simple and not too time-consuming because the big day is only a few weeks away.  

Here are few ideas I found online and thought I’d share to help others: 

1. Mother’s Charm Bracelet-  I found this cute mother’s bracelet at Things Remembered for only $19.99 with $3 shipping.  I’m guessing it isn’t made from real sterling silver or precious gemstones for that price, so if your mom has higher standards when it comes to jewelry, you may want to avoid this one. 

Price:  $19.99  ($3 Shipping)

For an additional cost, it can be engraved. 

2.  Photo Storybook  There are two ways to go about doing this.  You could scrapbook with actual paper, photos and embellishments or you could upload your pictures to a website and create one online.  Photo websites such as Kodak, Shutterfly, or even Walmart do this. 

Sample prices:  Walmart has soft cover books starting at $3.88 and hard cover books starting at $17.96

3. Flower Pot Pens–My mom doesn’t like a lot of clutter in her kitchen, but does a lot of writing there, so I thought this might be a fun way to disguise her pens. This looks like an easy enough craft.  

To personalize this even further, you could give her a gratitude journal to go along with it and start it by writing out a few pages on why you are grateful for her. 

 You can find the materials necessary and directions to make them here. 

4.  Make her a mix cd–Head on over to iTunes and download 10-20 of your mom’s favorite songs.  Then you could put them on a cd. 

If she is a hip mom and has an iPod, you could get her an iTunes gift card, but that isn’t as thoughtful.  She’d probably appreciate the cd more. 

5.  Hobby Themed Gift Basket–The possibilities are endless here.  Think about what your mom is most passionate about and put together a few things in a basket that goes along with her special hobby.  This one could get expensive, so it is important to hunt down the good deals and try to add some homemade items.  For example, if your mom enjoys cooking as mine does, you could put together a basket with a cookbook, some pre-made mixes, and a couple of new kitchen gadgets.  You could even get a personalized apron from the craft store and personalize it in some way for your mom.  Other ideas for gift basket themes include wine, scrapbooking, chocolate, relaxation, and so many more. 

If you have any other suggestions, please leave me a comment.  I’d love to hear what other ideas you may have!

 Don’t forget to head on over to Rocks in My Dryer for some more great Works for Me Wednesday tips.  Btw, Shannon is giving away an awesome dvd box set of Pride and Prejudice (with sexy Colin Firth’s Mr. Darcy) and Jane Eyre.