Classy Chassis

So many people I know have small businesses either those that exist primarily online or whatnot. I have always wanted to try to do this sort of thing but just can’t seem to get started. I have tried developing a list of supplies I would need like a receipt printer, accounting system, and storage area. The simple process of organizing what I would need to go into business is so overwhelming that I never get past the list making aspect of it. I must confess I am so envious of a friend of mine who started a business making birth custom birth announcements. What started out as a sideline hobby is now her full-time job and she couldn’t be happier. I just need to find a good business idea and get moving on it!

Cook double of most meals and put one in the freezer for those days that are totally crazy. I’m also trying to be better about keeping on top of the little stuff throughout the day so it doesn’t pile up into huge chores that are overwhelming in the future.

Ladies, what are your best time saving tips? I am looking to gather strategies to help my household run smoothly and save us money!

If there is one thing I really don’t like in a house it is carpet. I supposed if I had new carpet I might feel differently but I doubt it. I hate worrying over the kids messing up the carpet and spending time cleaning spills. This week we ripped out most of the carpet in our house and revealed really lovely hardwood floors. My husband worked so hard I should treat him to a week in one of those fancy Vegas hotels! Hardwood floors are just so much easier to care for and to keep clean. I love not having to nag the kids constantly to watch how they eat or to only eat in the kitchen. It just makes our house a much happier place to be. I am also looking forward to an improvement in our allergies now that we are free of the old dirty carpet!

Just installed a second shelf in my laundry room and it looks awesome! It was part of our plans to improve this house over the summer. I’m hoping to use the shelf to store some fabric and craft supplies as well as overflow from the pantry. Isn’t it amazing how something so simple is such a great thing to us women. Over Spring break my DH put in some extra shelves in our linen closet. I love them. He was so happy and said, “Why did it take me so long to do that, it only took half an hour.” I don’t know why but I sure do appreciate them now. I’m off to fill it up and start some laundry!

I stepped on the scale for the first time in many days and saw the first glimmer of progress I have seen in a long time. I have been trying to make a concerted effort to eat better, take my diet pill, and get more exercise. It seems to be working because the numbers are edging downward. It is nice to see a bit of change even if it isn’t drastic. I will take every bit of progress I can get at this point after trying for so long and not seeing any results. Hopefully, my body is just slow to start off and this is the beginning of some real weight loss in the future.

Now that our carpeting is going away I can’t wait to get out my Swifter! I love the simplicity of cleaning with this type of sweeper and knowing that my floors are truly clean. I bought one a few years back that came with microfiber cloths that could be washed. It works very well if there are zero wet “drops” on the floor. It picks up everything. I use it after sweeping and mopping and it still picks up the micro particles. I noticed the floors look like furniture does after you dust, all shiny and new looking. I have heard people say they have used the microfiber cloths on the other sweepers instead of the refills they offer for sale.

This week I decided to get industrious and take a peek under our carpeting. To my intense delight I found pristine hardwood floors. If you know me and what I like in a home you can probably guess my level of excitement. I absolutely hate carpeting. I find it repulsive for the most part when I consider how much dirt and junk get trapped in the carpet fibers over time. Thankfully my husband feels the same way. His level of excitement is not quite on par with mine but I will take it nonetheless! I look at the floors as money we will not be spending down the road on laminate flooring. Instead we can spend our money on some great new discount furniture to make our home more comfortable. Our existing furniture wouldn’t fit through the doors of our new house which has left us with a hodgepodge of assorted chairs and such. I can’t wait to get all of this yucky carpet out and reveal the beautiful floors underneath!

I bought some yesterday (only because I had a buy one get one free coupon) and decided to use them this morning while doing the kitchen. Well, honestly, they aren’t worth the price ($2.97 for 12 pads @ Wal-mart) and they don’t do the job for me- I’m a clean freak as I’ve been told by DH multiple times. The only positive thing that I can say about them is that the clean is already in the pad and once you’re finished you can toss them (no germs left behind). I used one on the stove and I had to go back and wipe up all the suds that it left behind. And it didn’t really clean as good as it says- it wouldn’t get the spot up where DH had boiled some water over. I think I’ll just stick to my normal cleaner in the kitchen and may give it a shot in the bathroom.

It has been a really long time since I had to potty train anyone. I simply do not remember it being this difficult the last time I entered the realm of potty training. Our older son simply decided one morning that using the potty was a great idea. There was no peeing on the carpet or on the ceramic tile involved in training him. We just woke up one morning to the sound of tinkling in the toilet and that was the last time he used diapers. Our little son is an entirely different story. I believe that the carpet cleaner is going to be our new best friend.

Over the years I have grumbled here and there about serving on this committee or having to work this concession stand etc. and DH would always say to me… “Who had the gun to your head when you agreed to do it.?” We are SUCH a compassionate family. Well.. after being a grade mom and President of this ..and Secretary of that and chaperoning this I have really started to think about the life that is awaiting me after the kids graduate and I have been starting to say “No” to stuff. I have realized that if I don’t start to ween myself now I will have this mental breakdown when school is over. So last night was my last official duty as Secretary. I will still attend meetings but I will not have as much responsibility. The treasurer also resigned after this term because of the same way of thinking. It is time for some of the younger parents to start stepping up. The other day I unloaded a truck full of Krispy Creme donuts and filled orders for a fundraiser and before that it was a sandwich sale. Saying “No” is good enough. I don’t have to explain myself and I don’t have to justify my reason or think of an excuse. I just have to say that I am not available.

In terms of being a fan of Jon and Kate I have to admit I actually wasn’t watching them as carefully last season. Since the scandals have started, I wanted to see the show last night like everyone else in the USA. Which, in hence, is why the tabloids are after them.

They really need to get their priorities straight, even if it means selling that new big home and down grading, and NOT going on so many vacations (heaven forbid they’d have to pay for something). Kate aways said they do all those “trips” so her kids can grow up normally. What normal kids where all new matching clothes and go “EVERYWHERE” under the sun each week? If they don’t stop all this travel I hope they look into travel insurance because something is surely going to happen at some point. You can’t be in the center of a media storm and dragging 8 kids around without somebody getting hurt. I really hope somebody gets a bit of sense soon before they end up with 8 children with no clue how the world really works.
__________________travel insurance

I watched last night too. I typically liked the first couple seasons of the shows, as did both of my boys. We liked feeling like a fly on the wall of someone else’s home. If this season carries out the way last night’s episode did…I can’t allow my boys to continue to watch. There was nothing about the kids really…the story line just lead up to thier drama. I also find it very sad that they say they are doing this, not for personal gain, but to document their kids’ childhood. Even if the kids DON’T remember their 5th birthday party, what we all seen last night is what they WILL see later in life, and that’s how they’ll interpret their 5th birthday. I also found it utterly distubbing about how Kate when on and on about how much Maddy and Cara are now stepping up to help her. Do you really think they had a choice? I’m all for having kids help around the house, but the way Kate was discribing it, it sounded like they were in a parent’s role, not a big sisters role. I really think they could have salvaged a bigger fan base by taking a year or so off and trying to work on “them”…I think they just killed everything by pushing for more right now.

A few weeks ago I went to the doctor and it was a very weird experience. Aside from the doctor having a deplorable bedside manner I left the appointment feeling entirely confused. For one thing the doctor implied he thought I was about 10 years younger than I am. I would love to believe that that I really look that much younger but I seriously doubt it is true. Maybe if I used some fabulous wrinkle cream there would a possibility. The truth is my skin isn’t that great. I really believe the doctor was just an slacker who never bothered to read my chart and was just throwing stuff out there hoping it fit my situation. On one hand he implied I am too young to have the problem I was having and on the other attributed the problem to not taking the best care of myself over the years.

I’ve been seeing commercials for weeks now for that new Finish Quantum (used to be Electrosol) dishwasher detergent and been dying to find some and try it. To be honest I really only wanted to try it because it looked so cool, different and seemed pretty easy to use. Plus the commercials made it sound pretty powerful as far as being able to clean burnt-on food. which is a must in this house. My two teenage girls often don’t rinse their dishes before putting them in the dishwasher so sometimes I find myself having to do multiple loads.

Well I finally got some today. I LOVE this stuff! I have been trying different kinds of condensed detergent ever since I injured my back. I really hadn’t found one that could give me the same results as the liquid Ive always loved but picking up those big bottles of liquid detergent was just killing my back. I have finally found what Ive been looking for with Finish Quantum. I was seriously sold after just one wash! It even out shined my old liquid brand.

Its super easy to use. They come in a wrapper free capsule and its all pre-measured so no mess, no mistakes. It really is an innovative technology as they say because it knows exactly during the cycle when to release each of the 3 different chambers of ingredients. My dishes were unbelievably shiny and each load I have done since has had equally as brilliant results.

I would suggest you give it a try if your unsatisfied with your current detergent. Even if your not looking for a change, just give it a try. I think you will be pleasntly surprised at how clean and shiny you dishes will end up I realize its only dish washing but moms deserve perfect dishes the first time, every time. Id rather be hanging out with my girls than pre-scrubbing and double washing my dishes.

Finish is the #1 brand recommended by more dishwasher brands.Its out in retail stores nationwide now (March 2009). One pack of 12 ct Finish Quantum in $4.99.

I have found something to do with myself this week other than read Patentrim reviews! Last week we found a pop-up camper that was actually in our budget. The one thing about it is that it needs new screens. I have spent the last 2 days hand stitching one new screen in to replace the old one. It was the most tedious thing I have done to date. Now, I just have to get the other 3 screens done. I only hope I have some skin left on my hands when it is all said and done.

We officially started our gardening season last evening. We planted 10 lb. of potatoes. I’m so glad that they are in the ground and that part is over! It was such a big job to do and temperatures were in the 90s. All in all……with 3 of the 4 kids helping hubby and I….it went really fast.

I’ve got a few weeks until I can plants other things in fear of frost, but I really don’t think there is a problem with it. It’s so hot here right now….it won’t frost at all. Might plant some peas, onions, and my lettuce tonight.

Garden Season Has Officially Started Here!

Working out everyday and eating well is what the experts tells us we need to do to loose weight. But I am seriously open to taking any diet supplement with a glimmer of potential to help me loose weight. What are you suppose to do when eating right and working out daily don’t lead you anywhere? I am so tired of having hope and not seeing the scale move. If you know something that I am not doing please let me know!

I need some. My 12 yr old does not understand the importance of not putting your hands on others. Nothing major persay. He is just rough. Mainly when him and his brother are playing. It could be as simple as grabbing his brother’s arm. His brother, ds3, is crying (he is a last child and very whiny and overly dramatic about things) and ds2 is saying, “What? We were just playing.” I just want him not to put his hands on anyone else, period. Does that make sense? I’m having a hard time with this. He doesn’t realize his own strength and I can’t get him to see that either. Anyone got any advice?

I have been going to physical therapy for my back for a couple of weeks. For the most part the therapist and I don’t have much to say to each other which really is fine by me. The other day for some reason he was taken by my Beautifeel shoes and asked all sorts of questions about them. I don’t know why but I found this odd. I guess it is probably part of his work to recommend shoes but I really couldn’t tell him much about them aside from I liked the color and they were comfy. I am pretty picky about what I wear and they have to be comfy first and look good second. These shoes fit those two criteria.

Do many of you buy store-brand products? This is something I’ve started doing FANATICALLY lately. For the most part, I can’t tell a difference. Sometimes I”ll get a product that I don’t like as much (I tried a store-brand syrup recently and didn’t like it as much). But usually there’s no or not much difference, and it really helps save money! Some things though, just aren’t the same though like Caro syrup.