Easter pretties

I wish it was sunny here.. all these pastel things don't look nearly as cute in overcast!

I got the cute SPRING blocks at a little place in Redmond when they were closing I got a total deal on them, $6 for all of em! Been storing them since Halloween though. I hadn't put the curtains up yet when I took pictures.. oops!

The mantel has a really light pink boa on it and only a couple little things on it, I don't have much Easter or spring stuff yet. The Leaf looking place mats I have had forever and am finally getting some use out of them!

I never use these floating candle holders for candles anymore.. Just some jelly beans and a little feather pick.

The basket really doesn't have anything to do with Easter other than I used one of the leaf place mats in the bottom, the basket is just full of old pics ( I didn't want to use our real family ones yet, due to little grubby hands ) I got 150+ pics on ebay and they are all 1910-1950 I LOVE the clothes they are all wearing.. Something fun to look at once in a while. Now that I look at this picture I really don't like how close in color our walls are to our furniture.. hmmm.. maybe I can figure out a new paint color.

I am still working on Spring Cleaning. Been trying to do 1 room every other day and not on the weekends. Hope every ones first week of Spring has been sunnier than it has been here!

Spring Cleaning Those Bedrooms

We spend so much time in our rooms, even if it's just sleeping, so it needs to be clean and peacefull!

Alrighy with the kitchen just about done, I am ready
to move on to Bedrooms.. Yikes!

The first thing I do in ALL the bedrooms is go
through the clothes in the closets (we don't have dressers).
Anything that won't fit the wee ones anymore or has holes or rips that I wont fix goes in the donate or sell bags. For my clothes if it is from winter or fall and I didnt wear it I probably won't and it goes too. I think it is so much easier to get things organized and cleaned up if you know there is not stuff in the way you won't be using.

If any of the winter or fall stuff needs cleaning or repairs I take them to the cleaners.
With much more space available in my closet I move all the sweaters and stuff to the back and the tank tops to the front.

Then I get to actual cleaning!

Starting with the highest stuff, I dust, cealing fans, bookshleves, all the way down to baseboards.
I take everything off the bookshelves and make sure there are not any books I can donate to the library (there usually is) and clean all the shelves with the method wood cleaner and polish.
There is always of ton of stuff that needs laundered when I do the bedrooms. Curtains, all the pillows and winter bedding that is to be stored. We use electric bed warmers and they NEED to come off now, doesn't get that cold at night anymore.

With all the beds stripped I vacuum the box springs, mattresses, flip em and vacuum again.
I empty our nightstands of the hundreds of pennies, hairties, pens and notebooks that have collected along with who knows how many candy land cards and barbie shoes. Usually I keep only a couple things in the nightstands and by this time they are FULL!

While the curtians are off I wash the windows and the sliding part.. I get serious with that! Q tips and all! Still just vinegar and water though, and usually a toothbrush (which I buy in the 5 packs for $1 at Dollar Tree and look nothing like any we would
actually use)!

I vacuum the area rugs and carpet and by then everything is clean.. just not put back together
because of all the laundry. So I also change things a bit, Change the pictures in the frames, replace any candles for a more summery/spring smell, and the bedding that goes back on the bed is usually much lighterweight.

The kids rooms usually need a bit more attention though, we sort through toys, tons of them, and help them make good choices about what to keep and what to donate.
I do the same bedding and curtain washing, dusting, window cleaning, mattress vacuuming and flipping in their rooms as ours.
I try to keep the kids toys organized.. a lot of work! But it's worth it, so we make sure everything is in it's designated bin, box or drawer.
I like to move the kids furniture around so it is a little new for them also!

With today being the first day of spring we will be done before spring really gets into full swing! Hope everyone is having a lovley Friday.. Yay for weekends with our families!

Getting ready for Spring!

Kitchen Spring Cleaning
I used to hate Spring cleaning, now I kind of like it.. just kind of though. It's nice to have a fresh start just before it's time to open the windows!

This is my personal kitchen spring cleaning checklist.. I know I go a little overboard sometimes and I don't have any small appliances other than a mixer ( can't stand stuff on the counters ) so if you have 'em, don't forget to clean 'em.

When I clean I always start with the things that need a long time to do their job, other than that I always start at the top, all that dust just goes to the ground to be swept up later!

~Dust or Vacuum top of cabinets
~Dust the corners I can't reach every week for cobwebs, and the lights. I love Swiffer dusters for all my dusting.
~Once I am done with the ladder I start the oven, either it's self cleaning cycle or just spray if there are a couple bad spots.
~Then I take everything out of the cabinets, one section at a time, I do all the dishes at one time, or all the special stuff that gets used once in a while ( like seasonal stuff ) If I haven't used it in 2 years I SHOULD get rid of it.. But I probably won't!
~Wipe the cabinets out, I use a white vinegar/warm water mix in a spray bottle. It's cheap and the smell goes away quickly. I don't use shelf liner, I am short and it's easier for me to get the high stuff out without shelf liner.
~After all my cabinets are cleaned up I clean the outside ( which I do a couple times a month anyway, but can't get to the super high cabinets that easily) I use Method brand wood polish/cleaner for this, decent priced and seems to work great!
~I do the microwave every week, but the underneath part and filter usually need a little attention, I just clean em up if they need it.
~I try to get the fridge pulled out and the sides cleaned and the coils dusted. The fridge runs more efficiently that way and will last longer. As far as the inside goes I wipe it down every week but I do check all the condiments and stuff now and empty the freezer of anything that has been there since the fall.. obviously if its been in there 6 months we aren't gonna eat it!
~Then the oven.. who knows what all has been dripped down the sides, but they need a good scrubbin! I use the Target brand Magic Erasers, much cheaper and works just as well.
~If I have been really good, under the sink is fine, but chances are it has stuff that doesn't belong. I try to organize it, make sure we are stocked up on garbage bags, dish soap, and dishwasher detergent. Maybe not this time, going to attempt to make my own once we run out!
~I run the dishwasher with a few bowls of white vinegar in the top rack, and I put some baking soda in the soap holders, run it one cycle and should be good!
~I also wash the curtains and replace the felt pads on the table and chairs.
~I keep the pantry pretty clean but I do take everything out and wipe it clean and toss stuff that we won't use.
~When I am all done I vacuum and steam the floors. I LOVE the shark steamer, it really does a great job!

So I think that's it! Usually I try to do it in 1 day so the kitchen doesn't look like a small tornado visited. I also added this list to my home journal so I remember it all next time!
I plan on doing the kitchen this weekend, then getting Easter stuff set out! I am SO ready for some sunshine, hope everyone is having fun with their Spring Cleaning!

I will try to post my next Spring Cleaning project in a couple days! I am making a HUGE list for Ryan, I am sure he will be so pleased!

St.Patrick's day goodness

Sorry it has been so long since a new post.. Morning sickness has kept me down. I am finally starting to feel a little better, not much, but enough to drag a few decorations out!

I don't have a bunch of St.Patrick's Day stuff but I LOVE the stuff I have!

These cute glittered shamrocks are just floral picks from Joanne's last year on clearance for 30 cents! I just pulled the picks out and put them in the apothecary jar.

Got these little clovers in bags at Joanne's in the 1$ section. Found some of this stuff in the last couple years at Big Lots.

Curtains are just clearance fabric from the year before!

I do like to do a cute little thing for the kids on St. Patricks day though! I have a couple of baby food jars ( emptied and washed ) that I decorated with some scrap booking stickers. I have some little clover confetti and I make a trail from the front door to the hiding spot ( where the jars are filled with little chocolate coins ) Carsyn was too little last year but Ramsey had fun following the trail the leprechaun left for him!

I haven't done this one but I thought it was a cute idea too. The night before St. Patricks day put a white carnation ( with a fresh cut ) in a little vase and add 1 or 2 drops of green food coloring to the water, by the morning it is supposed to have turned the white carnation green. Hoping to try it this year!

We don't do the corned beef and hash here. But I will make the kids oatmeal with whipped cream and clover sprinkles for breakfast and something green or clover shaped for lunch and loaded green potatoes for dinner!

I thought these Brownies Sounded so good.. not really Ryan's thing but thought some of you might want to try them. The picture at the top.. doesn't it look SO good!

Here is the link for the recipe... They are done in the SLOW COOKER.. even easier!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/semi-homemade-cooking-with-sandra-lee/creme-de-menthe-brownies-recipe/index.html