Family Command Center

So, the Bear has been taking an interest in doing chores and earning money lately.  I don't mind paying good money for the housework to actually get done (since I rarely get a chance with Bitty Bear still nursing 'round the clock at almost 13 months). But it was hard to keep track if I didn't want to go help him fill his piggy banks after every chore.  So...

The Family Command Center was born.  At first, I was just trying to find a chore chart...but then I remembered that I needed to replace the wall calendar...and that Hubby is always losing my keys because he forgets that I commandeered the hat hook he had before we were married...and that Hubby and I had never remembered to put the diaper bag in the same place twice...and that we all constantly forget to take our vitamins...and that the Bear frequently misplaces library books (we've only been late once, but I don't want to become that homeschool mom).

I'm just going to be real with you.  This got way more expensive than I planned.  I told Hubby that I'd seen other bloggers do stuff like this for about $50.  Those other bloggers obviously weren't at the end of their rope, needing to get organized yesterday, and had time to wait for everything to go on deep clearance.  But even though Hubs is usually the frugal one, and I was in tears over the price tags, he said we needed to do it right the first time, since we are planning to use it at least until we have an empty nest.  I love that I have finally gotten through to him that it is cheaper to buy quality the first time than to constantly replace.

Here is the Command Center in all it's glory.  No, we can't open the pantry door/back door all the way anymore.  What of it?

I got the big chalkboard at my local teacher supply store.  The parts that I wanted to have on there permanently (calendar grid, menu grid, family "established" sign, Bible verses) were done with oil based paint pens (black, white, silver, gold).  "Funny" story about the days of the week being black on white.  I had written them all in white, but I decided to decorate around the ones on the calendar with silver, and it ended up looking kinda stupid.  Then I put Monday first on the menu and basically had a meltdown. So I used Po-leesh Remover of Nai-eel to get some of the paint off, then painted over the damaged area white (because acetone does damage chalkboard). Then I re-wrote the days of the week in black. #problemsolving  Each member of the family has his/her own chalk color, so that we know if an event/shopping list item/memo is specific to someone (and so we know who is responsible for feeding us on any given night).

I got the hooks at my fave craft store Hobby Lobby.  They were closed when I came up with the bag idea, so I got the canvas bags, fabric markers, and stencils at Michaels.  "Apothecary" holds our daily vitamins, "Bon Appetit" has things like bibs, and "Al Fresco" contains reusable snack containers and other things we need for eating outside of our home.

I got these babies at Hobby Lobby, also.  I couldn't bear to use the oil based paint on them, in case I ever wanted to do something like this. I made those nice, straight grid lines with masking tape. All of the chores the Bear can earn money for are listed, and we can check them off as he does them each day of the week.  That way, we can wait until Saturday night to pay him.  His check marks are blue...presumably someday Bitty Bear will add pink check marks.  We had extra room on the second board, so Hubby came up with the idea of checking off if we remembered our vitamins.  We have spaces to mark for who gets to take what day as a Sabbath each week, and plenty of room leftover for prayer requests.

We keep our chalk markers in this little tin bucket (yay for no chalk dust in the kitchen, plus wet erase means the kids can't accidentally rub out important info), along with an envelope sponge and a scat and snot wipe for erasers.

I can pretty much guarantee that Hubs won't put his hat here, knocking my keys into his snow boots or behind the shoe bench.  Bonus, enough room for the far-off day when the kids need keys.  Command Picture Clips hold important mail that we need to see again (like this postcard from Sherlock's vet...although I *still* haven't remembered to call). I'm thinking about sticking the wedding invitations we have lying around up there, too.

Hubs has always kept his lunch box in this area.  It is now also the designated diaper bag spot (no more searching an entire floor--or 2--when running late) and I've added the basket I used to use for Bitty Bear's photoshoots as a place to keep library materials (and outgoing Mary Kay products that I need to remember to bring to my clients).  Sherlock seems to approve of the new arrangement.

Keep it Kute!

Stubborn Sticker Removal!

If you're like me, you loathe those stubborn brand label stickers on plastic totes, etc. I've never found a good way to get them off without leaving a residue--until now! Saturate the sticker with regular baby oil, then peel it off.  Wash off the baby oil with whatever soap and water you would normally use to clean such an item.  Done!

Keep it Klean and Kute!

Quick and Dirty: Scat and Snot Swipes Tutorial (and Simple Scat Swipe Solution)

I've been promising some folks on Facebook this tutorial for a while.  This is an easy way to make your own cloth wipes at home.  We use these in the wipe warmer for diaper changes, and keep some dry ones on the Bear's nightstand, since he can't be trusted not to rip up a whole box of facial tissue.  They are so soft for little bums and noses, plus they can be any fun color you or your kids like.

I start with soft flannel in fun prints.  I like to buy 1 yd of each print.  Then, I cut each yard into ~8 inch strips.

Next, I cut each strip into ~8 inch squares.

 After that, I pair the squares and match them up corner-to-corner, wrong sides facing.  Some of them I mixed and matched fabric; others I did the same fabric on both sides.

 I sew them together on the machine.  I use a ziggy-zaggy, over-lappy stitch (like my technical terms?).  Here's a picture of the settings I used on my machine, but of course, ever machine is different.  I think if you have a serger, that would work really well.

 Finally, I trim any loose threads and ragged edges.  This time around, I decided to use pinking shears.

And that's all, folks!

The solution I use in my wipe warmer is easy to make, too.  Just a ratio of 1 c tap water, to 2 tbsp baby shampoo and 2 tbsp baby oil.  Shake it in an old bottle or jar and pour over wipes in your warmer.  This solution doesn't work very well for moistening dry wipes on the go, so we keep disposable wipes in the diaper bag, but it really gets the job done at home.

Happy wiping, and Keep it Kute!

Flu Season

First of all, let me apologize for neglecting y'all.  Life is hectic when you're raising a toddler...even more so when you are raising a toddler and are building a whole new human being inside your belly...yes, if you didn't know, I'm pregnant again!  Someday we'll talk more about that, I hope.

I'm lazy. I got motivated to make this blog entry because doing so enters me in a contest for $1,000.  Let's just be honest about that from the start.  I probably won't win, but I'll be glad that the contest motivated me, because this topic is important.

It's flu season.  Especially being pregnant this year, people keep asking me if I've had my flu shot.  Well, no I haven't, because I'm not sure what I'm allergic to in flu shots, but I've had very strong negative physical reactions to every flu shot I've ever had in my life.  And because I don't know what in my biology causes those reactions, I don't know whether I've passed that trait on to the Bear.  So he doesn't get flu shots either.   I know, I'm a terrible mom, and a terrible human being who is destroying herd immunity.  But seriously, with no flu shots for us, we have to take other measures to prevent from getting the flu.

This winter we are concentrating on hand-washing.  It's a big deal right now anyway, with the Bear potty-training.

Also, I am a fan of disinfectant.  The contest for $1,000 is sponsored in part by Clorox, but even if it weren't, I'd pick Clorox as my go-to product when I need something with bleach.  Clorox makes good bleach, and I will stand by that statement even if I never win prize money or get any other reimbursement from them.  Hopefully, plugging another brand won't disqualify me from the Clorox contest (and I am in no way reimbursed for this statement), but when I need not-bleach, I like Babyganics.  They smell good, and it probably wouldn't even hurt the Bear if he drank a bottle of it. Oh, I like Clorox disinfecting wipes, too. So those are my disinfecting go-tos: Clorox and Babyganics.

The Bear is still struggling with the elbow cough and the tissue cough (although he is getting good at the less-effective hand cough).  If I'm wearing the right kind of shirt, another trick I like is lifting the collar of my shirt over my face when I cough or sneeze.  Of course, it doesn't work if your shirt is too short, too tight, or too low-cut (nursing shirts, anyone, on the low-cut?).  But it's another option.

We're doing a pretty poor job of exercising and eating right since I got pregnant.  Morning sickness will do that (although I praise God I don't have hyperemesis gravidarum like I did with the Bear!).

So, that's what our family is doing.  For a slightly different perspective, you can check out http://www.howdoesshe.com/to-clean-or-not-to-clean/comment-page-1/#comment-150659 (and I guess you could enter the sweepstakes, too).

How does your family keep healthy during flu season, or the rest of the year for that matter?

HATE Housework!!!

Today I have to clean my house.  I have a deadline for getting this place in some semblance of order.  My bug guy comes a week from today...he has to be able to walk in every room.  Currently there are at least two rooms that he cannot.

I love cooking.  I seriously do.  But Hubby wouldn't know that.  I almost never cook for him because there's never any freaking counter space to cook or any clean pots and pans.

Whenever I run out of unmentionables, sorting the laundry takes an hour.  That is because I have to separate the clean and dirty from each other where the piles have accumulated on the floor.

Please tell me I am not the only Domestic Diva with this problem! 

This is sooo embarrassing...but I felt the need to share this as I yet again procrastinate (although it's legit snacktime; I'm hungrier than a pregnant elephant!).  I'm working on being transparent.  I know it is not God's will for me to lie and hide behind masks.  So here it is: the real me!

Keep it Kute!