cleaning house

If you are like me, right about now you are tearing down the decorations and scrubbing everything.  I always get that spring cleaning itch right after Christmas. I scrapped my tree yesterday.  A nice clean slate! Clean countertops and clutter free rooms- bliss.

This year, as gifts for my friends, I went a little crunchy. I put together little cleaning kits for my friends.

 

The Dollar Tree was so helpful.  I found the empty spray bottles, scrub brushes, microfiber sponges and cute green baskets there.  I also tucked in an organic cotton dish towel.  The cleaners I made for them: All-Purpose Cleaner, Window Cleaner, and Lavender Scouring Scrub. 

 

Here's how I made them.

All Purpose Cleaner:

In an large glass measuring cup I mixed together 1 tsp Baking Soda, 2 tsp Borax, a few drops of Lliquid Dish Soap. (I used this because it was dye and fragrance free), and 2 cups of very Hot Water.  Stir, stir, stir.  Then I added a splash of Lemon Juice and several drops of Lemon Essential Oil.  Then, use a funnel to pour cleaner into an empty spray bottle. 

Window Cleaner:

Again, in a large glass measuring cup mix together 2 Tbl Vinegar, a few drops of Liquid Dish Soap, and 2 cups Hot Water.  Using a funnel, pour into empty squirt bottle.  This one is so easy! If you are just staring to use natural glass cleaner you may find this to be somewhat smeary as it cleans off all the residue of commercial cleaners.

Lavender Scouring Scrub:

In a large bowl measure 2 cups of Baking Soda.  Add 10-15 drops of Lavender Essential oil into the bowl along with the baking soda.  Then, pour this mixture into a sifter and work all the little clumps out.  I put finished mixture into a wide mouth pint jar.  This smells so good and can also be used in the laundry along with to your soap.

Easy huh?  Happy Scrubbing.

**With all the tidying up around here, I haven't neglected myself. There's been some "cleaning house" going on inside of me too.  I've been doing this program for sometime now and am beginning to see real and lasting changes in my heart and in my weight too.  Just thought I would throw that out there as many of you may be contemplating your New Year's Resolutions.

Baby its cold outside

 

I know this sounds weird...but I really enjoy manual labor.  Isn't it great to get out there and really work?  I'm always up for a little outside work as long as it is not mowing the lawn (I learned how this summer) in 90+degree temperatures, or weeding the dusty garden in gale force winds, or anything else that causes me to break much of a sweat or swear.  Okay, so maybe I don't really love manual labor.  But I do love the satisfaction that comes when you stand back and see what you have accomplished.  A job well done. Invigorating.  My husband does not share the same opinion.  He opted to watch football this morning while I shoveled.    No matter, it is I who reaped the cardiovascular benefits.

 

Between all that piling up of snow, I snuck in some smooches too.  The kids didn't last long.  It really was freezing cold out this morning.  About 10 degrees with some blowing and drifting snow.  I kept thinking about how fluffy and wonderful the snow was.  Perfect for skiing.  It won't be long now.

 

I'll admit that there was plenty of lounging around this weekend as well.  Watched this and this.  Both pretty good. 

 

Oh yes, a bit of organizing and making as well.  Trying to keep up with my mitten advent calender that I started last year. I am ready to be done with it.  I think that I lost my enthusiasm for it on mitten #4.  

   

But alas, I am only on #14. 

We are headed over to our friend's house for a bar-b-que.  Yep, that's right-- with potato salad and all.  We decided on a throw back to summer.  Hope you are warm wherever you are!!

**For anyone intersted, the pattern I used for the crochet mittens can be found here.

A friendly game...

...of tennis. Emma was aptly dressed and comes from a long line of those who like to look good and have the best gear when playing sports (hi dad :).

Of course, between Carl and I- sports are never that friendly.  Always a bit of competition heating up.

Okay, maybe there wasn't much competition. Carl played in high school and college...he pretty much smoked me.

However, I can talk trash with the best of them (under my breath of course).

 

The girls were only slightly disillusioned with the fact that "real tennis" is much harder than tennis on the Wii.  They both proved to be pretty good.  Look at Hannah's hops!  At least a 10" vertical don't you think?

 

Laurel gave up on us collectively and set off to pursue other forms of athleticism. 

Teaching kids a sport that we can all play together for a really long time is so much more appealing to me than driving everyone around to a different practice for a different sport that they won't play past the age of 18. Tennis (along with golf) is one of those sports that you can enjoy your entire life.  I'm into that you know?