Cleaning Hardwood Floors (and really any floor!)

The fastest way to mop floors.  Any cleaning has to be done very quickly if I want to enjoy it before the kids destroy it.  Therefore, I've come up with the fastest way to do almost everything from cleaning the floors to cleaning the bathroom (that post is coming later!).

My full out cleaning days can be counted as my cardio.  I don't know if it's a good thing or not, but I definitely break a sweat.  First, I vacuum my floors and baseboards.  This is my vacuum; it lives up to its name...Titan!

Next, I mix up concoction of 1/2 cup of white vinegar with a gallon of warm water.  This is a natural, inexpensive way to clean your floors.  The vinegar is acidic enough to break down grime and dirt, but still gentle enough not to mess up the finish on your floors.

Since I speed clean, I have tried several different mops.  This is my favorite.  I like the wide surface area that the mop head covers.  

After every room, I just remove the microfiber cover and rinse it in the bucket.  After wringing it out, I put it back on the mop, and I'm ready to go!

Aldi

First off, if you are not shopping at Aldi, you're missing out!  I know that not all Aldis are created equal; we love ours in Tega Cay.  It's clean; the produce is fresh.  I don't have time to coupon, but I like to be thrifty when it comes to shopping for the household.  Aldi is the perfect solution.  Before you go, here are some tips to make your first trip a success.

1)  Bring a quarter.  We always have one in our console in the car, so we are always prepared.  You will use this quarter to unlock a buggy.  When you return your buggy, you will get your quarter back.  This is really a genius idea.  People will return their buggies just to get their quarter back!  Wal-Mart, are you listening???

2)  Keep your bags in the car.  In order to keep their costs low, they do not provide shopping bags.  You either have to buy them or bring your own.  This is totally fine with me.  Shopping bags get on my nerves and clutter my pantry.

I'm really in love with these.  They're on my list to make my life even more simple.  Shopping with two younguns is tough!

3)  Don't be afraid to try their brands.  We have tried it all...crackers, chips, baking products, dairy, everything.  

4)  The produce is always fresh and it's oh so cheap.  You really can't lose!

5)  They only take cash and debit cards.  Plan accordingly.

Be prepared to be shocked by your total.  You will have a buggy full and exit the store for well under $100.  I cannot say enough about this store.  Don't hate until you try it!

Cleaning the Microwave...No Scrubbing Needed

We all know how our microwave looks after someone reheats spaghetti without covering it (no names mentioned!). I have wasted many minutes scrubbing it down with some good old fashioned elbow grease. I'm happy to say that process is no longer needed!  This tip is a major time saver. It really works, so give it a try!

One piece of advice that I learned the hard way. Do not heat the mixture for more than 10 minutes, or you'll have a little science experiment in your kitchen. 

Beachin' It With Kids

A day at the beach has been totally transformed. I no longer park my chair at 10:00 to read until 5:00. Those days are long gone!  Now, we beach it in short spurts. 9:00-11:30 and again after naps. Below, you will find my favorite tips to make your day a LITTLE easier!

1.  Bring shade with you. With young kids, you have to have a place for them to escape the sun. These are my two favorite options.

Coleman Beach Tent

Wondershade
This is a game changer!  It's lightweight and so easy to set up. Even the breezier of days won't hinder this umbrella. Totally worth the money!

2.  Think about nap times.  So far (fingers crossed), Parker will sleep anywhere.  Hamilton was not as easy.  I saw someone doing this last summer.  It's genius!  It's the perfect solution for babies and toddlers that love to nap in their crib.

3.  Bring lots of toys!  My little man loves his bucket with the water spout.  WE have to refill it over and over after he dumps it.

4.  Use a mesh bag to haul all of those toys.  While you're walking back to the house/car/golf cart, most of the sand will fall off of the toys.  This streamlines the entire clean up process!

5.  I know everyone says to use baby powder to gently remove sand from the skin.  I have to admit; I'm not above a little old fashion naked baby in the driveway with the hose pipe.  My parents have a nice outdoor shower, but do you think we use it?  Heavens no!  We all go for a hose in the driveway!  I really think it's the only way to remove sand totally.  And you know, I cannot stand sand!  The beach house drives me nuts because no matter how often we vacuum, we can never enjoy a "clean" feeling floor for many than a few minutes!

6.  Most importantly, make memories with your family!  Get out of that chair and (gasp) get sandy!  Your kids will thank you for it!

Cooking for the Littlest One

I know it's tempting to take the easy route and just throw the jars of baby food in the cart at the grocery store.  However, this gadget has made cooking for a baby so, so simple.  In addition, you know exactly what is in the food you are spooning into your precious baby's mouth.  I'm going to show you some tips and tricks of how I cook and store food for my Park man.

First and foremost, run to BuyBuyBaby and pick up this product!  It will save you so much time and money that it will pay itself off.

While you're there, snag this accessory.  A cheaper version of this would be to use covered ice cube trays.  The reason I prefer the $20 BEABA version is because the nifty spatula that you see pictured above contours to the flexible silicone container.  Secondly, the portion size is larger (2 oz as opposed to 1/2-1 oz).  Have you seen my chunky monkey?  If I gave him an ice cube size of squash, he would start swatting at me.  True story.  He doesn't play with his portions.

Now that you are properly accessorized, let's get to "cooking."  Today I'm preparing squash and sweet potatoes.  Peel and chop your vegetables.  Place the chopped vegetables into the steamer basket.  Add water to the fill line of the BabyCook.  Turn the control on the front to cooking.  In less than 15 minutes the vegetables will be cooked, preserving the natural vitamins and flavors.

Take the basket of steamed veggies out, remove the water in the bottom of the cooking bowl, and dump the veggies back into the cooking bowl.  Turn the control to blending to puree the vegetable.  Add breastmilk or formula to get the right consistency.  Pour the puree into the freezer tray.  Cover and freeze overnight.  

In the morning, use your spatula to remove the frozen puree from the tray.  Do this by inserting the spatula into the tray and moving it around the outside edge to loosen.  Then, place the frozen portion into a freezer ziploc bag that is labeled with the date.  Frozen food will keep for 3 months.

When you are ready to use some of your frozen supply, just take the desired amount out of the freezer bag and place it into the Babycook steaming basket and add water to the top of the appliance.  Turn the control to the cooking setting.  After it has reheated, just puree it again to make sure there are no clumps.  If you're in a hurry, just microwave the frozen portion, stir, and serve.

It's that simple!  And as an added bonus, the bowl, basket, freezer tray, and spatula are dishwasher safe!

I'd say my little man loves it!  I couldn't resist adding a few pictures of him!  

Tips and Tricks Thursdays

I'm living a counterproductive life.  I love a clean, organized home.  Add 2 boys...wait, make that 3 boys and this is impossible.  I will post later about how I keep the toys at bay and other issues of organizing a small household.

Today I want to chat about my love affair with a cleaning product.  Yes, you read that right!  With little time on my hands to deep clean, this product does just what it says it will.  Scrubbing Bubbles:  "We work hard so you don't have to."  Combine this miracle in a can with a microfiber cleaning cloth and you are good to go!

I use it on my stainless steel sink in the kitchen and on everything in my bathrooms.  It works miracles on our tiled shower and glass door.  Living in the boondocks on a well does not give you the best quality of water in red clay country.  Scrubbing Bubbles takes care of these issues.  Since I've started using the product, the shower door and grout lines look like new. During my nesting phase of my last pregnancy, I sprayed every grout line in our tile floors and scrubbed with a brush.  I don't think the floors looked that good when we moved in!

Do yourself a favor and buy a bulk pack of this product at Costco.  You will thank me for it later!