Hey everyone! I’m slowly getting back to routines and really hope to start blogging on a more regular basis. This move has really been crazy but as things are settling down we are starting to get back to our routines, and changing them as needed.
Just wanted to give you all a peek into our morning routine today and share some of what we’ve been up to. Continue reading “Getting Back To My Morning Routine”
Today’s FlyLady mission was to check our stoves and ovens for things that shouldn’t be there. Once clearing off items that shouldn’t be there you should wipe down the stove.
Well, that kinda motivated me to give my stovetop (the oven will be a project for another day) a good cleaning. I’ve never had a smooth top stove so this is a new experience for me.
I did a little research on google and reading several posts and suggestions I decided on the following method. (I have another method linked below that I will try the next time around.) This is something you could get the kids involved in as this is one of those practical life skills that they will eventually need to know.
You will need:
First off, this stove is not new and it did have some prior scratches and plenty of stuck on stuff. I also forgot to take a picture prior to beginning the process but this is a google image of what it resembled:
My first step was to wipe the stove down with white vinegar. I then sprinkled baking soda on the stove and covered it with wet paper towels. I let this sit for 20 – 30 minutes. (You could also let this sit overnight and possibly not need to scrub as much as I did.)
During this time I filled my dishpan with hot soapy water and I took the knobs off of the stove. I let the knobs (and the spoons that were hanging above the stove) soak while the stovetop was being cleaned.
During the time everything was sitting and soaking I was back and forth between helping the kids with school work, cleaning the bathroom, laundry, and other household tasks.
Once this part was cleaned to my satisfaction (not to perfection) I wiped the knobs down and dried them well. (If you have to scrub them be careful not to scrub the lettering off.) I then placed them back on the stove. So shiny! (A little wipe down with vinegar will give you this shine.)
Now to the stovetop. I started by taking up the paper towels and wiping most of the baking soda off.
Next I took a purple rag with the grooved side down and used a bit of elbow grease to start scrubbing on the stuck on stuff.
Once it was cleaned to my satisfaction I got a clean rag and wiped it down again using the smooth side of the rag, making sure to get in the edges and cracks. You can use a little vinegar to get it nice and shiny too.
It’s not perfect but it is way better than it was before I started. Here is a pic of what the area looks like after I completed the FlyLady mission (I moved some aprons I had near the stove as they could be a fire hazard).
I think it is important to be a good steward of what we have been blessed with no matter how new or old it is. You don’t have to keep things spotless nor do you have to go on a frenzy and clean everything from top to bottom.
Don’t let yourself get overwhelmed! I know how easy it is to get that way and how easily being overwhelmed can cause you to just give up. Trust me, this recent move has almost had me ready to throw my hands up and cry a couple of times.
Just start on one thing at a time. Little by little you will get there. Today I just cleaned the stove top and I will do the oven on another day. Don’t stress over perfection either.
Each day you will make progress and if you get your routines set up you’ll be spending less and less time on cleaning. Ex: Get in the habit of clearing the stove of anything that doesn’t belong every night and give it a quick wipe. This will keep it clutter free so you can use it and will help to keep it cleaner.
Yesterday I cleaned out the trash can. Not that anyone really notices that I did it but I know I did and it made me feel that I had accomplished something. Regularly cleaning it out keeps it from getting stinky too.
I put it in the shower and sprayed it down with hot water. I did use a little bleach in it and let that sit while I cleaned the bathroom. I then rinsed it out well and let it dry before returning it to the kitchen.
Tomorrow will probably be the inside of the refrigerator. Here’s a peek of the before:
Happy housekeeping!
Here is the link to method I will try the next time I clean my stove top.
Do It Yourself Glass Stove Top Cleaner! Only THREE Ingredients!
I hope you all enjoyed the holidays as much as we did here. We’ve already taken down our tree and put away all the decorations. A little bit of a cleaning bug hit me and I decided we needed to declutter our playroom a bit more than we had before Christmas.
My kids, as you can read in Remember The Reason For The Season and So Much More Than A Basketball, were doubly blessed with gifts this year. That doesn’t include the gifts they received from their older siblings and their father. So when they were instructed to ‘put away’ their toys it became apparent that we had not gotten rid of enough things before Christmas. The following are some picks of what we had going on:
The book cases were overflowing, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but we couldn’t fit any more books on the shelves. The toys piling up in front of the chalkboard were a problem though. As well as the other toys and baskets being piled on top of things and hidden inside of cabinets. Then there was there problem of not being able to find their new favorite toys because of all the clutter.
It was stressful for me just to walk in there, not too mention trying to clean around everything. It was such a chore to pick up this to vacuum, then pick up something else and hope you didn’t knock something else down. Trying to dust was almost impossible and there were so many little things getting vacuumed up I was afraid I was going to kill the vacuum.
I grabbed a couple of trash bags, a laundry basket, and a tote. Big sister and I started in one corner of the room and went around it in a full circle. Every area was taken apart, dumped out, and sorted through. If there was an item that didn’t belong in that area it was placed into the laundry basket so it could be put away properly.
Some of the items that were seasonal, like some sensory bins and activities for Fall, were placed into the tote. Broken toys were thrown away and toys that they had outgrown or no longer played with were put into another bag to donate.
When we finished we had several small bags of books to donate and two trash bags of toys to bless others with. There was a bag of broken toys and other items to be thrown away. Then the seasonal items were put away for later in the upcoming year. Some of the toys and books were passed along to their little cousin. The TV that had been in the cabinet was passed along to big brother and the cabinet now holds the laptops and chargers plus a couple of items for younger kids to play with when we have visitors.
Below are some pictures of the results:
The kids are much happier now that they have the toys organized. There are also some empty bins for new things that Momma may pull out of the closets later on. We were able to set up some individual areas for magnet/dry erase play, dinosaurs and legos, and an area for the kitchen and food play. They have their dinosaur skeleton on display and they can easily look at it. There is also a space where they can play with the Spielgaben set and/or the light panel that we have.
The bookshelves are so much better looking now and they actually have an area where they can sit and read. The storage table now holds their dress up and the new race car sets that they got for Christmas. The top of the table turns over and has a flat surface that they can set the race tracks up on so it works out great.
So far the only downside was that I moved the storage bench out and now I can’t reach the calendar to change out the month or days. Sigh, the constant struggles of being short. Luckily I have a kitchen stool that works just fine and I did get the calendar switched out.
My kids were happy to pass along some blessings to other kids that may not have gotten quite as much for Christmas. There were actually a couple of new toys that I passed along as well as I knew the kids would not play with them. This is something that we do every couple of months and sometimes they will actually bring me something that they no longer play with and ask me to pass it along to someone else.
I am slowly trying to pare down our belongings as the more stuff you have, the more clutter you have, and ultimately the more stress you have from keeping up with it and cleaning it. In the end it frees up some of my time also by not having to clean it, move it, or take care of it. Do you have something that you aren’t using? Why don’t you pass it along to someone who can use it. You’ll feel so much better.
I came across this while reading the other day. This really is something that we need to think about. Our children are only little once and the time we have with them is so precious. They grow up so very quick.
I know how hard it is to juggle all the responsibilities of being a single parent. Some days it’s really hard to get to everything that we feel needs to get done. Sometimes we just feel so overwhelmed and maybe we get a little grouchy. Our kids can feel more like an annoyance or distraction at times.
We must remember that they should always be a priority. It is such an awesome gift and responsibility to be a Momma. It can also be so demanding at times, I know. Just take a minute and read this poem to get a little insight on life through a child’s eyes.
Only One Childhood
I stopped to watch my little girl busy playing in her room. In one hand was a plastic phone; in the other a toy broom. I listened as she was speaking to her make believe little friend And I’ll never forget the words she said, even though it was pretend.
She said, “Suzie’s in the corner cuz she’s not been very good. She didn’t listen to a word I said or do the things she should.” In the corner I saw her baby doll all dressed in lace and pink. It was obvious she’d been put there to sit alone and think.
My daughter continued her “conversation,” as I sat down on the floor. She said, “I’m all fed up, I just don’t know what to do with her anymore? She whines whenever I have to work and wants to play games, too. She never lets me do the things that I just have to do?
She tries to help me with the dishes, but her arms just cannot reach… And she doesn’t know how to fold towels. I don’t have the time to teach. I have a lot of work to do and a big house to keep clean. I don’t have the time to sit and play — don’t you know what I mean?”
And that day I thought a lot about making some changes in my life; As I listened to her innocent words that cut me like a knife. I hadn’t been paying enough attention to what I hold most dear. I’d been caught up in responsibilities that increased throughout the year.
But now my attitude has changed, because, in my heart, I realize… I’ve seen the world in a different light through my little darling’s eyes. So, let the cobwebs have the corners and the dustbunnies rule the floor, I’m not going to worry about keeping up with them anymore.
I’m going to fill the house with memories of a child and her mother… For we are granted only one childhood, and we will never get another.
Everything we do is being taken in by our little ones. Do we want them to have memories of us cleaning and running around like a mad woman all the time? Do we want them to remember all the times we got upset about spilt milk or chocolate handprints on the wall? Or do we want them to remember when we took the day off to go to the park and have a picnic lunch or the times we would pack up in the van and just drive? Maybe they will remember the time we spent showing them how to make a proper mud pie.
So please remember to take some time to create memories with your children. Find ways to spend time with them and take time to spend with them. Try to find a balance between the housework and the fun times. You will all appreciate and cherish these memories later on in the years.
You can also check out our Perpetual Meal Plans for special and unique holidays to help make the ordinary a little more special… we also have some fun ways to invite in friends and family to make special memories like Polar Express parties, Hobbit Day celebrations, Weenie Roasts, and Bethlehem Dinners.
It doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive to make memories… do the best you can with what you have 🙂
Good morning ya’ll! Today is a work in progress for me. I woke up with a bad case of vertigo and then both of my legs were asleep! This made it quite a difficult, and probably hilarious, trip to the bathroom as I really had to pee. Anyway I am feeling much better now, Thank you Jesus!, and our morning is going along quite smoothly. I am almost afraid to say that as I don’t want to jinx myself.
I have the Christmas music playing, the kids have had breakfast and are playing quietly in the play room, there has been no tattling, and the kitchen is clean. DS4 brought the hamper to the laundry room (without being asked), loaded the washer, and took the hamper back to his closet. What is happening here? Did I mention that DS21 was home and carried the trash out to the road? I really hate doing that task and I am so thankful he was here and that he took care of it.
Instead of questioning, I will just thank the good Lord for his blessings and enjoy this moment of blissful peace. These moments are few and far between but I am thankful for each and every one of them. What are you thankful for today? Take a few moments and think of at least five things to thank God right now for. You will feel so much better. Often times we remember Him when we need something but we forget to thank Him when things are going good.
Is there someone in your life that you are truly blessed to have? Let them know how much they mean to you. Do a little something special to show them how much you appreciate them. This will not only make you feel better but it will also encourage them and lift them up. The holidays can be really stressful for everyone for a variety of different reasons and you never know when your actions or words can be just what they need to go from having a bad day to having a great day!
In another note, I am also working with a couple of different companies to receive some products for our homeschool activities and for my special needs son. I will be reviewing these items and hopefully showing how we use them in our daily life here. I am so excited for these opportunities and pray the God will continue to bless our family and use our lives to bless others.
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