Scrapbook Saturday: It had to happen...the Bathroom!

I tackled the kitchen the other week and showed you the pics last Saturday.  If you missed it, you can check it out here.  This week as I was heading in to really scrub my bathroom, I decided I had to tackle the cabinet under the sink.  It makes me crazy with its collection of plastic drawers that I labelled long ago, in another house, for a children's bathroom.  Here's what I was dealing with:

The cabinet before I started.  Not the worst junkhole in the world, but not well functioning and too much junk we didn't need.

The stuff as I separated into piles of like items.

This was a simple fix, really.  I took everything out and sorted out the trash and dumped it; sorted out stuff nobody was using and dumped/moved it.  I washed out the drawers and got the missing drawer from the basement because I had taken it down there to dump tea lights into another container of tea lights...it's a long story.

Simple, basic organizing:  Group like items together, get rid of what you don't need or use, and make the most used items the most accessible.  Here's the end result:

I guess it doesn't look a whole heck of a lot different.  However, it is different.  It has the junk weeded out and the "stupid" drawers are gone.  For example, I still had a drawer labeled "Toys" even though I cannot remember the last time I actually owned a tub toy.  Maybe 2 years ago?  18 months ago?  I remember my brother, Zaneybro purchasing some cool frogs for NuggetizerB5 awhile back, but they are long gone now.  Those were the last tub toys we had.  I wonder where they went to?

Anyway, here are some close-ups of the drawer categories.  There are two that I have altered in my Paint program because they are labelled with my daughters' names, so I altered those labels in Paint to include the handles I use for them in my blog.

This is where my feminine hygiene products went.  Right on top of the toilet.  I had these containers already - bought them over 2 years ago in a set of 4 graduated sizes and have never used a single one until now.  Love this.  Accessible and nobody has to look at my boxes of pads and tampons.  I couldn't fit all the pads in, so I put one pad in each purse I own.  Great idea, if I do say so myself!

I also have a linen closet.  There are not a lot of linens in it.  I reduced my linens quite a bit when I moved to this smaller house.  I keep extra blankets in bedrooms to reduce the junk in this closet.

I re-did this closet awhile back, before blogging, and have no "before" picture.  I'm afraid it might come out looking junky in the pic, but oh well.  The bottom line here is that I can access everything I need to access easily.  I don't have the budget to have cute little matchy-matchy fabric containers and whatnot; I used what I had and it's working very well.



Top shelf containers: Hair color; hair cutting (including razors and clipper set); Extra hair products
Under the helper shelf: Travel toiletry bags; jewelry cleaner and thermometer sit here too so they are out of reach of tiny hands.
Second shelf contains: First aid supplies; cleaning supplies;
Under the helper shelf: heating pad; container of lotions and moisturizers
Third shelf contains: bins for washcloths; extra box of cotton swabs; extra dental care container; extra soap and big bag of cotton balls are tucked in behind the washcloth bins
Floor: Container for electric hair styling tools; container of extra sheets and pillowcases; plunger and trash bags; toilet paper

Hot tip:  I think this is genius, personally...I could never figure out what to do with my plunger.  Yes, you can buy cute little plungers with cases or whatever, but they don't really work.  Fortunately, a plunger has only been in use here a couple of times, but when you need it, you need it, right?  Mine was stored in the basement...2 long flights down from this bathroom.  Not smart. 

I had one of those big old coffee containers, the plastic red Folgers kind (I have no idea where it came from; I don't drink Folgers coffee...I think my kids brought it from their dad's house).  Anyway, it seemed to fit the circumference of the industrial plunger I have.  So after using it on the very day I did the under cabinet reorganize (my wonderful sons use way too much toilet paper), I washed it with bleach and put it in a used plastic shopping bag as per my usual habit.  I then slid it down into that red plastic coffee container.  Perfect!  Now I'm keeping it in the bathroom closet, accessible and not grossing anything up...and not sitting out next to my toilet. 

So there you have it.  A better functioning bathroom!  This is a great trend.  I keep thinking of things to improve and show pictures of...when I get my entire house completely revamped, the blog will die!  Ha!  I am constantly reorganizing and improving for use and efficiency, so I doubt I will ever be truly done.  I do have an offer from Neonatal Nurse Nancy which states that if I should ever find myself in such an awful predicament (having nothing left to organize), I may go to her house and organize it.  She won't let me take pictures though!!!!

So, what are you working on?  Tell me in the comments!



Fashionista Friday: Wardrobe Malfunctions

First I'd like to say, I <heart> coffee.  OOhwee, I am dragging this morning!

Second, I have a confession:  I wore my gray Old Navy sweatpants to WalMart yesterday.  Yes I did.

Photo courtesy of Stuart Miles; freedigitalphotos.net

Ok, now that I have that out of the way, I have to tell you what happened to me last night.  I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but I work a couple of nights a week at a retail store.  So, I'm beebopping around there last night, working on a project I was assigned to do.  I needed to use the ladies room, so I headed in and went to, well, undo my jeans, and thought, "Oh no!  My zipper was down!"  Upon further investigation, I realized that my zipper was actually broken.  Somehow it had slipped off the track and I could not get it back on.

Fortunately, I wear an apron at work so I didn't really have to worry too much, plus I just hiked my belt in super tight and it worked out...mostly.

I was really mad at myself because I have been slacking on one of my rules...always have a safety pin.  I usually keep it in the change section of my wallet, but my wallet has spilled so many times, my pin is long gone.

I was thinking this morning that maybe I'm not the only one to suffer wardrobe malfunctions or difficulties; I thought I'd share some of my favorite useful items to keep around. 





photo courtesy of Salvatore Vuono; freedigitalphotos.net


1. Double sided tape.  Not regular package wrapping tape, this product is called fashion tape.  Once I tried this, there was no going back for me.  I love it and use it the most for boob popping shirts.  If you have shirts that button down the front and kind of pop open at the chest, some of this tape along the facing of the closure, in between buttons, will hold you in all day.  It's also great for keeping the neck or shoulder in place on your bra strap, you could use it to emergency hem something, the uses go on and on.  It's sometimes difficult to find in stores, but it is available on Amazon.  Click here to grab it from them.
2. Safety pins.  Of course.  Would have helped me hugely the other night!  Get a package of them and pin one inside the lining of each purse you own, then you will always have one.  I do this, and it would have worked for me if I had not changed to a new purse (new to me anyway...I got it secondhand...and cute little fuchsia mini-hobo, love!) and forgotten to do it.  I'm getting my pins in order today.
3. A cosmetic bag with a couple of feminine hygiene products should always be in your purse or car.  There's nothing less fashionable than a big old red splotch following you around!  Roll up an extra pair of undies and some black stretch pants and tuck them into a corner in your glove box.  You never know.  Also, in a pinch maxi pads are great for cleaning up a spilled sippy cup....very absorbent!
4. Bra strap adjusters are another must-have.  You've seen these on television, bringing in the straps of bras to fit nicely under t-back tops, etc.  I use these frequently.  You can adjust your bra strap placement by sliding the clip up or down on the straps.
5. Witch hazel.  What?????  Yessireee.  I said witch hazel.  You need this for your hose...by the way, pack an extra pair of panty hose into your glove box if you are in them frequently....if it is infrequent, I would just take an extra pair along at the time you go somewhere.  Anyhoo, soaking your nylons in witch hazel and then hanging them to dry before wearing will prolong their life.  Yes.  I'm serious.  You're welcome.

I think that's about all my usuals.  These little things can sometimes make a big difference, right ladies?  So take a few minutes, gather some essentials, and figure out what you need to have around and what you need to make mobile.

What's your fashion must-have tool?



911 button; Stuart Miles; freedigitalphotos.net

Solution; Salvatore Vuono; freedigitalphotos.net

Thoughtful Thursday: The Value of Friendship

Hand in Hand photo courtesy of xedos4; freedigitalphotos.net

I've been thinking about the importance of friendship lately. Well, I always think about it when I think about Neonatal Nurse Nancy. She's a friend like no other. After, what is it now....9 years of friendship, I cannot imagine my life without her.

She is the friend I can call at 2 in the morning, the friend who will stay up to talk, the friend who will give her honest opinion in a way that does not insult, a friend that understands how to support without judgment, a friend that is a friend whether you are turning your life upside down or staying just exactly the same.

I love her dearly and thank God for her presence in my life.

I have friends in my siblings. They are important to me even through the hills and valleys life brings to our relationships.  We have history from childhood and that makes the dynamic of our friendship different...in good ways and bad.  I learn and grow in my patience and understanding from these friendships regularly. 

I think somewhere along the way I didn't realize we all grew up.  I expect people to act as they did in childhood and it sometimes shocks me when I realize new "people" characteristics about my siblings.  Kind of like when you realize your parents are people, not just parents...but I feel like it has taken me a lot of years and some deep hurt to realize that about my siblings.

My darling love is a most amazing friend.  He is my staunchest supporter and my biggest fan.  He is that rare person who always puts others before himself.  He consistently demonstrates this toward me in particular.  A simple thing such as meeting his buddies for a drink after work turns into him thinking of me.  He will not eat at the bar so that he can come and have dinner with me.  I guess I'm selfish.  If I was out with my friends and I was hungry, I'd eat without a second thought. 

I realize I have a lot of things to work on to be as good a friend to those around me as they deserve.  Here's what I'm working on:

• Listen actively and without distraction
• Be available even when it's inconvenient
• Reserve judgment
• Don't give advice unless asked

Sometimes a little self-evaluation is in order so that we can improve.  One of the things I want to consistently improve is my behavior toward those around me....it can always get better.

What are you working on?
Hand in Hand photos; xedos4; freedigitalphotos.net

What's Cooking Wednesday: My Comfort Food

I have always loved spaghetti.  As far back as I can remember, I have never gotten sick of it or felt that I could get enough.  I could eat spaghetti morning, noon and night if my thighs would put up with it.

Spaghetti just makes me feel comforted.  I don't know why.  If I am having exceptionally bad days or if I have not been eating well and just want a big meal, it's spaghetti I want.  It's like this one food is my friend.  It's not healthy, my relationship with spaghetti.

My darling friend and I have had to part ways...for the most part.  I find that the older I get, the less tolerant I have become to eating such things as pasta and bread.  Spaghetti and I must meet but once in awhile, and when we're apart I miss him like crazy!

I'm a picky eater...I don't like things that are super chunky, I don't like condiments, and I am picky about my sauce.  This sauce is as close as I can get to perfect for me.  It's also very kid friendly.

My friend, Neonatal Nurse Nancy, is the reason I've added bay leaves.  I love it!  At one time during my quest for the perfect sauce, she also suggested adding a can of tomato soup to my recipe.  The addition of tomato soup makes a yummy sauce; if you are not concerned about sugar intake, give it a try.  I did try it, but I don't use it regularly because it takes the sugar content of the sauce up way too high for me.

Spaghetti is what's cooking this Wednesday.  Here is my meat sauce recipe:

1 lb. ground beef
2/3 cup minced onion (fresh, not dried)
2 28 oz cans crushed tomatoes
2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 heaping tsp. oregano
2 1/2 tsp. basil
2 bay leaves

Brown ground beef and onion until beef is cooked.  You can also add fresh garlic toward the end of the ground beef cooking time.

Crockpot: combine cooked beef and onion with the rest of the ingredients.  Cook over low heat 4 to 6 hours.  If you are cooking longer than 6 hours, add some water to the mix.

Stovetop:  combine cooked beef and onion with the remaining ingredients.  Bring to a slight boil and reduce heat.  Simmer sauce at least 1 hour; the longer the simmer, the better the sauce.

Take out the bay leaves before serving.

Serve over pasta and enjoy!

What's in your favorite sauce?  Tell me in the comments!

Tightwad Tuesday: Birthdays on a Budget

Photo courtesy of kittisak; freedigitalphotos.net

Is anyone with me on the cost of birthday parties?  It can absolutely get out of control!  I can clearly remember having 16 kids and their parents over for my oldest daughter's 4th birthday.  The activities I planned were right out of Martha Stewart; the food was generous and cost me over $300.  I cannot even remember how much I spent on overflowing favor bags.

It's a darn good thing I wasn't serving drinks!

Has anyone else gotten caught up in this?  The feeling that you've got to entertain to the hilt...you've got to have this and that and the other thing just perfect?

Pish posh.

I remember the day I realized I was making a huge mistake.  It was probably 5 years ago or so, and I was at a birthday party with my oldest, BananaG13.  The kids played outdoor games and were having a fabulous time.  The parents picked up 2 pizzas and had cake and ice cream and the kids were thrilled. 

It seemed simple, but that just really knocked my socks off.  I thought, "Here they are, doing this simple thing, and the kids are having a great time!"  They had much more fun than they did at the party I had a few years ago, where I was trying to force them into a balloon tunnel that Martha made me create.

I recently had a birthday party for my son, BubbaB8.  I think I spent less than $30 out of pocket on the party; all of the children had a fabulous time, and so did I!

Printed these from a template in MS Word.  Cut the circles from orange paper, then had my darling love draw the lines on the circles.  I had paper and ink and a marker, so I don't have a cost for these included.

Let's break down my costs:

Sports themed paper goods - 2 packs each plates, cups, napkins, dessert plates, plus a banner and tablecloth...purchased at the dollar store:  $10

Sports themed favor bags, plus whistles and candy to go in them - bags, $1 for 20, whistles, 89 cents for 6 (bought 2), candy 1.99 for a big bag (bought 2 bags)...$6.76

2 Take-n-bake pizzas from the grocery store - $10.96

Fruit punch and lemonade - I buy sugar free packs...I probably used two pitchers, @ 33 cents per pitcher, 66 cents.

Cupcakes decorated to look like basketballs.  I made these from ingredients on hand; not sure how to estimate my costs.

It was a 3 hour party.  The boys played a ball game with my darling love for the first hour.  Then, pizza and cupcakes for some very hungry boys!  After eating, they settled down and BubbaB8 opened his gifts.  The final activity was rocket launching.  My darling love had purchased a model rocket for BubbaB8's birthday gift, and they had worked all week putting it together for a debut launch with BubbaB8's friends.

It was simple.  It was fun.  It was affordable.  It was perfect.



The rocket launch!

Balloon/Price photo; Kittisak; freedigitalphotos.net

Monday Motherhood Musings: Raising Boys?



Skateboarding boy courtesy of akarakingdom; freedigitalphotos.net

 Alright moms...do any of you understand boys?  I mean, I have figured out (pretty much) how to handle men in my old age, but I don't get boys.  I guess, then, that I really don't "get" men...but I do understand how to relate to them as pertains to an adult relationship.

I still don't get all the idiosyncrasies involved in their socialization with one another..like grunting, what is that?  How is that a response and how in the world do the other men understand what it means?  My oldest son is 8 and he is a big grunter.  I ask what he wants for breakfast, and he flickers his eyes or makes some indeterminable grunt and I am supposed to figure it out.

Some days I just want to scream, "I AM A GIRL.  I DON'T GET IT!!!!"

My sons are precious, loving, and yank at my heart strings with one look, but I don't get them.

Why do boys do things like hold up their palms, straight up and flat, and say "Punch it.  No!  Harder.  Didn't hurt.  Doesn't hurt."  I don't understand that.  I have watched this interesting behavior take place in my home over and over again.  It's not a fight, so I don't put a stop to it.  It's a guy thing.

My darling love is 50 years old and still participates in this "didn't hurt" activity...as related  to me by himself, a friend will punch another friend in the bicep, and the punchee with say, "Didn't hurt!" Of course, this requires the puncher to punch again in the exact same spot on the bicep, which I know from experience does, in fact, hurt...I remember my sister doing this to me when I was a child and I never figured out how she knew to do that.  Of course, the man with the throbbing arm will never be the wimp I was and will say, "Didn't hurt!"

The boys constantly compete for me.  If one is touching me in any way, shape, or form, then the other must come and touch me.  If I am on the couch, I am guaranteed to have them climbing on me, fighting about who sits where and who is getting to be in greater physical contact with mommy. 

If I am sitting straight up, it is a constant invasion into the other person's "territory"...one little hand wrapped around my waist will slither over past the halfway point and then....it's on!  "You're on my half."  "She's my mommy."  "I was born first."  You get the picture.

BubbaB8 and NuggetizerB5 are incredibly competitive for everything, and they are regularly rolling on the floor with one another in headlocks and whatnot.  I just don't understand it.  If they were fighting about who stole clothing from one another's closet, or who used someone's makeup, or even who had more friends or love interests...now that, I understand.  The boy thing, it's a mystery.

I understand why people would want to clone humans.  It had to be a mother's idea, and I swear she had boys.

Skateboarding Boy; akarakindgom; freedigitalphotos.net
Heart art; Idea go; freedigitalphotos.net
Fists; annankkml; freedigitalphotos.net

Soothe Your Spirit Sunday: Sleeping In

Good morning, my friends.

I slept in.  I slept a glorious, until-8 a.m.-slumber.  It was wonderful!  That leaves me with very little time to get a gaggle of children fed and off to church, and so the blog is the "something" that has to give.

I will try to get with you later today.

Thank you for stopping by this morning!

Chandra