Keeping Up With My Bathroom

What is the one room that is used the most in your house?  In mine, it's the bathroom.  You can sleep on the couch and not use your bedroom, you can eat dinner in the living room and not use the dining room, and you can order takeout and not use the kitchen. But guess what you CAN'T do?....avoid using the bathroom!!!  It's impossible.  Because of this, it's probably the room that gets the grimiest the quickest.  But who has time to deep clean their bathroom as often as it needs it?  And because it doesn't get cleaned as often as it should, it takes even LONGER to clean when you do get around to it.  It's a vicious cycle!!
Solution: Lysol spray and disinfecting wipes.

Everyday, when I come home from work, I wipe down my bathroom counters with disinfecting wipes and spray down my shower and commode with Lysol spray.  I do this after work because I honestly don't want to do it in the morning.  Cleaning the bathroom right after you get ready is not a great idea. This simple daily (or every other day) routine keeps my bathroom smelling fresh and looking pretty.  It takes me all of about five minutes to accomplish. It isn't a substitute for a deep clean, but it sure helps the in-between days.  I HATE a dirty bathroom, and this is the one method that I've found helps me at least feel like I'm winning the bathroom battle.  Then when I have to really super clean my bathroom, I find it's much easier to handle. Now I know disinfecting wipes and spray ain't cheap (pardon my grammar).  Sunday newspapers often have Lysol coupons that I put to use when stocking up on cleaning supplies.  Couponing is an entirely different subject.  I won't open that can of worms, but I will tell you that you can get great deals using this method.
I'm always looking for ways to be smart about cleaning my house.  When you have 2,800 sq. ft. to clean and don't want to spend every spare moment cleaning, you have to get creative.

Posh Crosswords

I am NOT good at crossword puzzles.  In fact, I stink!  My dad on the other hand is a crossword puzzle king.  Well, at least I think so.  He says that the best way to get better at doing them is to do them.  Makes sense, right? Over the years, I, along with my loving family members, have purchased "easy" crossword puzzle books for me to work through.  I begin with high hopes but in the end, I'm stumped.  What kind of clue is "Words with the chase"?!!  I want clues like "Is yellow and shines brightly in the sky" or "Has four wheels and you can drive in it".  I finally concluded that I just wasn't cut out to be a crossword puzzler.
UNTIL last weekend.  My husband and I were out perusing a discount store, picking up items and putting them back after realizing we didn't really need them, when I spotted this Posh Crossword book.

 At first I thought it was just another cute journal. But when I realized it was a crossword puzzle book (and it was only $4.oo), the interest in conquering my crossword handicap was immediately renewed, and I had to take it home with me (after purchasing it, of course!).  I've been steadily working on puzzle number two.  No helps from my husband or the answers in the back.  So I'll let you know how it goes.  I'm determined.
Other than the fact that I'm challenging myself with something I'm not good at, I also have a totally adorable little book to set on my end table.  If you're looking for a unique gift, here it is! These pocket-sized puzzle books by The Puzzle Society make you feel chic while they stimulate your mind. There are books for games from sudoku to hangman. So much fun!! Check them out at Barnes and Noble or check out this website Andrews McMeel Publishing. There's something about grabbing a book covered in a pattern that you'd actually wallpaper a room in that helps keep you interested in something you're not so great at.  Try it!

A Room for Balloons

My Valentine's gift to my husband.  He loved it.  I love falling asleep with love notes floating all around us! It's the first thing we see when we go to sleep and the first thing we see when we wake up.   : )

Best of Discovery Collection DVD Set: Only $2.95 shipped!!!

If any of you have a Discovery Channel fan living in your home like I do, check out this DiscoveryStore.com.  Currently, you can snatch up the Best of Discovery Collection Volume 5 (4 Disc Set) for ONLY $2.95 shipped! It’s on sale for only $4.97… plus, once you start the checkout process, you can use coupon code SAVE5 which will make this set FREE and leave you to just pay $2.95 for shipping! When I saw this, I went straight to the site and ordered mine.  I'm thinking birthday present. (Shhhh!)

Valued at over $75 (if purchased separately), this fifth edition of the Best of Discovery series includes 4 DVDs featuring four of Discovery Channel’s recently acclaimed programs.

(Thanks, Hip2save)

Little Bits of Love All over the Place

Over the last five years, I've slowly collected a few Valentine decoration.  I don't go crazy like I do for Christmas, but I've picked up some cutsie items here and there.  I like to call them little bits of love.

Valentine Treats: Chocolate Covered Marshmallows

 I'm drawn toward snack that are easy to make, pretty, and delicious. This fits chocolate covered marshmallows to a T.  I made these for my English students and piano students this year.  

                                

Simple. Popsicle sticks as handles. 

 Put the heat on the LOWEST setting. Very important.  The second picture is how your chocolate should look when it's melted.  If it begins to clump, you've burnt it.  Throw it away because you've passed the point of no return.                       

 I had the great idea of melting white chocolate in my mini crock pot.  Don't try this! It begins well but then gets too hot. Perhaps if I had watched it a little more carefully and used it when it was at just the right temperature it might have worked, but I didn't.  Oh well. 

 Final product.  Yumminess!! Put them in adorable little bags and you've got a wonderful Valentine treat.  In the past, I've used sprinkles but all I had this time were sugar sprinkles.  They just melted when I sprinkled them on the still hot chocolate (which you must do or else the sprinkles won't stick). So note to self, use the heavy duty sprinkles next time.  Besides, they are more colorful. 

Very Perfectly Happy

Have you ever been very perfectly happy? Maybe Valentine's Day is spilling backwards into my weekend.  I don't know, but yesterday my Darling Love took me on one of his famous I'm-not-going-to-tell-you-where-we're-going-until-we-get-there dates. I suppose these dates are his favorite because I can't complain if I don't know where it is that we are going.(not that I would : ) Half the time I suspect that HE doesn't even know our destination until we get there.  I think he sometimes just points the car in a direction and drives.  I brag about the fact that I love to be organized and always have a plan, but deep down inside I love my husband's spontaneity. He insists that I relax, enjoy, and let him take care of the rest.
So we hopped in the car and off we went on our way to seemingly nowhere. After about fifteen minutes of driving and chatting, he took a left off the main road, and we pulled into a park that neither of us had been to before.  "This should be fun," I thought, still not ecstatically excited but just enjoying being with my husband.  We walked down a rocky path that lead to the Cape Fear River.  Because of the chill in the air, only we had ventured out to the park that day, so the river bank was empty....all to ourselves.  We spotted a large flat rock and stretched out on a blanket that we keep in the car for just such "emergencies."  With the sun keeping us warm and the water rushing by all around us, I was very perfectly happy.  The type of happy where you don't even have to try.  It just bubbles up inside and makes you smile.  I am so thankful for the precious moments shared with my Love.  I don't think a shopping spree, a Caribbean cruise, or a new car has anything on that rock on the riverbank.