Tips from Cheryl

Great ideas from Cheryl's blog:

So, I've been meaning to post some tips I've gotten from others that I thought might be useful to some of you reading this. I always like reading everyone else's tips and stuff.

1) Use baby powder to 'spruce' up your hair on those non-shower mommy days. It actually works really good, and I'm one that seems to have especially greasy hair. For darker hair color, just rub it in really good so it doesn't look gray.

2) To clean your windows, instead of using Windex or other glass cleaning products, dilute about 1 TB Dawn Dish Soap to a half gallon to a gallon of water and wash with a cloth or glass cleaner tool for outside windows. Then use a squeege (spelling? sorry). It works great and doesn't leave a residue like Windex does. I also use it on my glass coffee table and on my mirrors.

3)To avoid getting floaties in your drinks from your ice cubes, rinse off the tray of ice cubes before using.

4)To peel egg shells from a hard boiled egg, use a spoon to go underneath the shell.

5)And I just found this website that is fun for planning birthday parties. It's from Toys R Us, http://www.birthdaysrus.com/
There's fun party ideas, theme ideas, activities, printable cards, and coloring pages. And it's free to join their birthday club. Whitney got $3 to spend in the store and also got a balloon and birthday crown when we went to the store last week to pick out a present.

Countertop protection

Tip from Aimee:

One little tip I read about in some magazine that I absolutely love? Go to the Dollar Tree and pick up some small sticky felt pads. You know the ones, right? You can put them on the bottom of your chair legs to protect your floor? Well pick some small ones up and put them on the bottom of all your countertop appliances, spice rack, knife block, etc. Then when wiping down, you can just slide the item around and it also protects your counters.
SO NICE!

Stuck at home on Friday nights with sleeping children?

Then you should watch this! Whale Wars is our favorite show by far. We can't wait to put the kids to bed on Friday nights so we can cuddle and watch the show together. It's on Animal Planet on Friday nights at 9pm. Watch it and you too will love it!

Want unbiased information on politics?

I recently learned about this website and it has been very enlightening to me. Project vote smart is a group of Americans that have begun a battle. A battle to provide us with access to abundant, accurate, and relevant information when it comes to those in elected office and those who are running.The information is honest and they receive no money from special interest groups. Watch the video to learn more. This place has seriously become my new dream vacation spot!

Did you forget to thaw?

We've all done it. You go to make dinner only to realize the only meat you have in your house is all frozen! Well I recently learned you can put frozen meat in your crockpot and it cooks just fine. I tried this a few days ago and everything turned out really well. I also use my steamer and it will cook/steam a frozen chicken breast in about 30 mins. This tip comes in handy when you forget to thaw!

The Steam Mop . . .

is my new best friend! It cleans & sanitizes so well. Dirt comes right up. My floors have never looked cleaner. It is super easy to use. I love it so much. I just might have to buy stock in this company!

Going to a parade for the 4th?

1. Compliments of my brother-in-law, Ryan: Be sure to bring extra blankets and a big tarp to every parade you attend. Use the tarp to block off the shoulder of the road in front of you so mean ladies don't block your kid's view of the parade. (Marc and I discovered this after a "nice old lady" decided to block our view of the parade, but it's okay because "She was so sorry but there was nothing she could do about it." She had no other choice because her other spot wasn't in the shade so she "had" to move. Of course, her new spot is not in the shade either. Our discussion was like arguing with a drunk.)

Marc and the mean old lady