Just Tackled the Bathroom Floor

And OH MY is it shining! We have linoleum in here that hasn't been replaced in 10 years. It is good quality linoleum, no rips or tears. But it is dirty. It is textured, so there was dirty from people's shoes ground into it. I scrub it once a month, but that didn't always pick all the dirt up all of it. There was also a yellow tint to it, or yellowish spots. So I did some research and found out that it was wax build up. Here is what I did...


I cleaned the baseboards to remove all the dirt from the corners and sides of the wall. Then I swept to floors so thoroughly. 


And then scrubbed the floors down like I usually do to get the dirt up. However, I wanted ALL the dirt up before I shined the floor, so I tried everything, and eventually realized that the all purpose cleaner with bleach that they sale at the Dollar Tree used with a scrub brush picks up all the dirt! (I wish I had figured that out a year ago!) So I went from one square to the next, scrubbing and then using a towel to dry it up and get all the what was now mud off the floor. *Make sure to dry up all the cleaner with bleach because the next step you use ammonia and mixing bleach with ammonia makes a toxic gas.*


I filled the sink with 1 gallon of warm water and 1/2 cup of ammonia. Dip the mop in and ring it out. Mop the floors with it, which strips the old wax off the floor. I waited for it to dry. There were still some yellow spots, but the wax had already been loosened by all the ammonia, so all I had to do was use the edge of my scrub brush and scrape it off the floor. 


Afterward, I used some Mop and Shine from the Dollar General. I followed the instructions, which were pretty simple. Go one section at a time. Squeeze the Mop and Shine and then spread around with a damp mop. *If you are using the same mop, make sure to rinse until you get all the ammonia out of the mop, otherwise shining the floor will not do you any good. I wish I had pictures, but the yellow is very faint, like a film, so pictures won't do good. However, I have had two visitors today and both commented on how shiny and new the floors looked.  Honestly though, I didn't think there was any way to get all that up off the floor, and it was so simple, time consuming, but simple. The bigger areas are the hardest, especially if they have more of a yellow film that yellow spots, but it is still possible. 

Home Update

Sorry I have not been on lately, but I have been cleaning hard and trying out some new recipes! I feel like I am really getting better at everything. The house is cleaner than ever. And I am learning to cook pretty much everything from scratch WITHOUT burning it or messing it up!


As far as cleaning goes, I have decided that I am going to make this apartment shine newer than when I got here-which shouldn't be too hard, but I mean really "re-doing" it all like repainting and steam cleaning it. (Which we will do at the beginning of next year.) Until then, I have been doing stuff like bleaching all the base boards and doors, scrubbing and repainting the vent covers, and attempting to get the yellow out of the linoleum. This place doesn't NEED it to look okay, but I decided if we are going to be here the next 2 or 3 years while we are trying to buy a house, I want it to look good. Unfortunately, we are not allowed to paint the walls a different color, but I may do a semi-gloss paint so it is easier to wash than the flat paint we have. 


As far as cooking and baking goes, I have tried so many new things lately, but these are the ones I am going to post: Baked Penne, Stuffed Peppers, and Crock Pot Lasagna. As far as baking goes, I have some recipes for homemade hot chocolate and gingerbread cake. 


Baked Penne: 


Ingredients:


1 pound ground beef 


1- 24 ounce jar of spaghetti sauce (I like to use the Hunts sauces in different flavors like 4 Cheeses or Garlic and Herb)


1/2-10 ounce tub of PHILADELPHIA Italian Cheese and Hearb Cooking Creme (Okay, this did not sound appealing to me at first. I am the pickiest person, but this stuff is AMAZING!)


1 cup Shredded Cheese (Any Kind)


3 cups of cooked Penne pasta

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Brown meat and drain. Str in spaghetti sauce, cooking creme, cheese, and pasta. 

3. Stir until melted and mixed. 

4. Pour in a casserole dish. 

5. Bake for 20 minutes. 

Stuffed Peppers: 

Ingredients:

Bell Peppers-1 for every 2 cups

1 pound of ground beef

Taco seasoning (Here is a link for a recipe for homemade taco seasoning. I have not tried it yet, but I will post my tweaked version when I do: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/taco-seasoning-i/detail.aspx)

Refried beans

Rice

Shredded cheese

Any other toppings you want on your "tacos" like tomatoes, onion, etc. 

Directions:

1. Brown meat and drain. Stir in taco seasoning.

2. Boil rice. 

3. Heat refried beans.   

4. Cut peppers in half, remove seeds, and boil for 5 minutes.  

Fill peppers with beans, rice, and meat. Add toppings.

Crock Pot Lasagna: 

Ingredients: 

1 pound of ground beef

2-15 ounce cans of tomato sauce

1-6 ounce can of tomato paste

Dried Basil (To taste)

Dried Oregano (To taste)

1/2-12 ounce package of lasagna noodles

3 cups of cheese (Any type)

 

Parmesan cheese 

Directions:


1. Brown meat and drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce, paste, and seasonings until mixed. 


2. Boil noodles. 


3. Layer in crockpot-meat, noodles, cheese. Sprinkle top with Parmesan and cook on low heat for 4 to 6 hours. 


Here are the links to the hot chocolate and gingerbread cake. I did not tweak either one. The hot chocolate tasted good. The gingerbread cake I thought was sort of bland, but my Husband said it was the icing. 


http://allrecipes.com/recipe/gingerbread-iii/detail.aspx


http://allrecipes.com/recipe/fluffy-hot-chocolate-2/detail.aspx

Baked Penne

Stuffed Peppers

So Very Excited

About my new mixer! We were using one that a friend had given us out of her garage, but it didn't have the right attachments, and didn't work very well. Yesterday I got some WalMart gift cards in the mail from Samantha's teacher thanking me for everything I do for the program. So I was able to get some new stuff for the kitchen. My baking has been turning out better now that I have a lot of the right supplies. I got a new mixer last night and an instant read thermometer for making bread. The mixer is awesome. It is digital with 6 speeds and a bunch of attachments for making breads and . It is black and chrome, so it matches the kitchen. And it is GE. I Love GE! I have read a few negative reviews though, so we will see how it works. I have a 2 year warranty, so I shouldn't have a problem if it does quit working.

Budgeting For The Future

We live by a budget, and it is my job to put that budget together and make it work. We have never had a problem following the budget I have laid out. It is very detailed from what bills are due when and how they are paid. (Debit card, check, etc.) Here is what I have so far. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. 

DH gets paid twice a month, well, every other week. After bills, we have x amount of dollars a month for any food we have to buy, extra bills we have to pay for some reason, extra spending money, or if we want to invest it, add bills, whatever. My question is, I do not want to waste the money on just going out to eat or buying things. I want to put it towards something productive. We thought about a college fund for Samantha, a house (and the extra house bills), more donations to the church or wherever we choose...Just not sure. Any advice? I want something that will do us some good in the future, not just now.

Internet is not in the budget because it is free through Jessie's job. And car insurance isn't in the monthly budget because we pay it off in 6 month policies.

Week One Satellite-Automatic Withdraw 05th	Entertainment	$30
Week One Netflix-Automatic Withdraw 15th	Entertainment	$10
Week One Credit Card By Debit	Loans	$25
Week One Gym-Automatic Withdraw 15th	Entertainment	$30
Week One Savings-Online Transfer	Savings or Investments	$100
Week One Gas Debit	Transportation	$60
Week One Electric-Online Bill Pay	Housing	$100
Week One Phone-ATM	Entertainment	$70
Week One Life Insurance-Automatic Withdraw 11th and 19th	Insurance	$10
Week Two Rent By Check	Housing	$550
Week Two Gas By Debit	Transportation	$60
Deductions (Taxes 401K Stocks and Health Insurance)	Savings or Investments	$250
Every 6 Months Car Insurance	Transportation	$500

My New Look As A SAHM

I have been seriously battling with myself over the last year about this whole, getting dressed up in the mornings thing. I finally decided that my clothes would never go to use if I didn't. So I started dressing up, and it feels great! I ordered new matching aprons for Samantha and me awhile back, and they finally came in! 
Here are some pics!

I'm Not Cheap. I'm Smart!

I have always told people I am cheap, if they ask. I am not embarrassed to admit it, but the more I think about it, the more I realize that is a bad statement. Cheap means that you are so stingy with your money that you won't even get your kids a present for Christmas or you skip meals to save money. I am not like that, no. I just believe a dollar is worth more than other people do. Here are a few things I do to save money: 


1. I buy off brand foods. I could save some money clipping coupons, doubling, etc. But after I took the "Extreme Couponing" class, I realized  that I do not have hours and hours in my day to sit around and search and print coupons to save a few bucks. Not only does it cost a lot in ink, it takes my time. The off brand is just as good, and at the stores I shop at, I save more than I ever could couponing. Also, watching what I buy. We don't need a lot of snacks. All they do is make you gain weight. A think of ice cream or a cake here and there is good, but 6 packs of Oreos, 4 boxes of Little Debbies, and a 24 pack of Cokes, no thank you! 


2. I yardsale. But I realize that is not an option for some. (Although if you do, plan your route, go in order, and walk when possible. It will save you a ton of gas.) Thrift stores, consignments, and Craigslist are all good ideas too. I have expensive taste most times, so I HAVE to shop used. 


3. When I am making a purchase, any purchase, a toy, an electronic, furniture, etc. I look online first! Amazon is amazing, and they sale everything! If you are willing to use Pay Pal and do bidding, EBay is good too. And sometimes stores have better deals online, even after shipping. And sometimes you can get free shipping. 


4. When we are going anywhere, and I mean ANYWHERE, I always look online first for a special or coupon. This is the one exception for in couponing, because even though I spent the money on the ink to print it out, I usually get $10.00-on average, depending on the activity, versus 50 cents you get off cheese or a pack of Gold Fish.


5. As far as using credit goes, I don't-UNLESS I have the money for the item I am about to purchase. As long as I have $200.00 in my bank account, I will buy a $200.00 Blu Ray player-for example. The only reason I use credit is to build my credit to get a house later on. This saves money because 1. I am not buying everything on credit just because I "want it." Therefore, the interest does not build up. and 2. We pay it off faster than needed, which keeps the interest down and still builds my credit. 


6. Of course there are expenses that you have to pay for, but you can keep costs down. Saving energy. Being conservative with gas. Water. Buying off clearance or sales. Shopping around for car insurance. (We use State Farm because they are the cheapest we could find, but they have strict stipulations. We actually got accepted by accident.) 


We do other small things. Try not to eat out too much. Do cheaper things for fun. That sort of thing, but at the same time, we can't be so cheap that we never take her anywhere or take her to a nice dinner. Middle ground is a good thing. I believe I have found mine, but it is a hard thing to find. It just depends on what is right for the family. 

Brownies

Here is the newest recipe I tried the other day when we had our friends over for dinner. However, I was not thrilled with them. They were good, but SO RICH! They were also really chewy in the middle. I am not sure if it is supposed to be that way. Maybe if I try to bake them longer next time? Any advice? The directions are on the page-link. Personally, I think the brownies were better without the powdered sugar on top. We tried it both ways. We also left out the walnuts. 

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter
• 2 cups packed brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 4 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Grannys-Brownies/Detail.aspx

The Smell of A Fresh, Clean House

My house doesn't smell good, and it doesn't smell bad either. (Although, we do have a habit of not wanting to take out the trash. We argue until someone has to sometimes. Ha Ha.) So I looked up some tricks and tips online. I am attempting them. I don't have much money to waste, and I want whatever I use to last awhile I really want a strong smell good odor, but sometimes I think that is hard to achieve with products used to mask odors. 

Here is what I have found works: 

Kitchen:

-In the drawers, I use cotton balls that I dipped in vanilla. (I used the vanilla I use for baking.) 

-On the counters I use the big bottle of liquid potpourri from the Dollar Tree mixed with water. I dip my wash cloth in it and wipe down the counter. With the left over mixture, I let it boil on the stove. 

-On the sink, I rub it down with a lemon or an orange, and then squeeze juice down the drain. 

-On the floor, I have one of those mops where you mix water with your own cleaner and have a reusable pad, and I pour Pinesol, or well, the cheaper version of it to mop the floor down. 

Living Room: 

-On the furniture I use Febreze. 

-On the floor I pour out baking soda and vacuum it up. 

-I may consider candles or diffusers, so that there is a really nice smell, but as of right now, I stick to what I am doing. 

Laundry Area, Closets, and Bathroom

-Dryer sheets. They are cheap, and they make the room smell wonderful, like laundry right out of the dryer, for obvious reasons. 

Bedrooms: 

-All I have for the bedrooms is to keep the beds washed and febreeze everything. Also, use the baking soda on the floor. 

I figured all the different scents would be overwhelming, but to be honest, they are just enhancing the natural smells of "clean." 

Baking also helps keep a fresh aroma in the house. I Love to bake, and when I start making bread and stuff that we need daily, I am hoping that the house will smell even better. (I am baking muffins right now, cinnamon sugar, the smell is AMAZING! )

Cleaning Routine

I just thought I would give an idea of what my cleaning routine is. It works for me and keeps the house looking awesome!

Every morning I sweep, dust, then vacuum. I wipe down the counters before lunch, then sweep. I wash dishes and put away the ones from the night before. And then again at dinner, if we eat dinner at home, I wash dishes again, and put up the ones I washed at lunch time. I also sweep again and mop.

Every week I vacuum the furniture, try to wash the windows-if I remember, and do laundry. 

Then, of course, every month, I do the whole house. That includes the cleaning the corners, the appliances, my cleaning supplies, and organizing.

See below:

http://brittanyhomemaker.blogspot.com/2011/01/clean-house.html

Smoked Sausage Casserole

YUM! That is all I have to say. We have a ton of smoked sausage in the freezer, and I was tired of frying it all the time, so I found this recipe. I didn't really do it the way it called for because we didn't have any money to buy the stuff, so I made do with what I had. Instead of hashbrowns, I used tatertots. And I left out the onions and such because I am not a big onion fan. I mixed it all together in a bowl and poured it into a glass baking pan. I put the oven on 350, and baked it for 45 minutes. It was AMAZING! I put hotsauce and mustard on it...YUM! There was none left, which makes me sad because I wanted it for lunch. =( 

Ingredients

• 1 (1 pound) package Hillshire Farm® Smoked Sausage
• 1 (20 ounce) package refrigerated shredded hash brown potatoes
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Cheesy-Potatoes-with-Smoked-Sausage/Detail.aspx

The Twice Baked Potato

I have heard of it before, so I thought I would try it. We really enjoyed it. Although, I would recommend it more as a lunch than a dinner. We did 5 potatoes, so that Samantha could have her own and we could each have two, but we still used the measurements used online since hers is was so small. 
All you do is wash your potatoes, poke holes in them, and put them in the oven on 350 for an hour. We put ours on a few minutes longer. Once they are finished, take them out and let them cool. Cut them in half and scoop out the insides. Leave a little on the sides, so that the potato doesn't collapse. Put the insides into a bowl with the ingredients listed below. mix really well, and then scoop back into the potato. It was AMAZING! We had that and macaroni. MMM...

Ingredients

• 4 large baking potatoes
• 4 tablespoons milk
• salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup shredded mild Cheddar cheese

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Twice-Baked-Potatoes-I/Detail.aspx

I Guess These Things Take Time...

Just Thought I Would Add A Picture-=)

I was sitting out on the porch this morning, just a hint of cool in the air. All was quiet, except the birds chirping. Occasionally they would get a little rowdy and begin to chase one another. That was a sight. I had just finished cleaning the house, and had quite a bit of time before Samantha woke up. I was feeling one of those, "Everything will be okay. Leave it to God," feelings. So I started to think, which is an unusual change from the normal, "I began to stress." (Well, I never really stop stressing, so the word began doesn't actually fit there.) I do a lot of dreaming, in spurts, but then I start to feel guilty that I have taken my mind off of whatever the current problem is. As of right now, that would be, one of us, finding a job, something to allow Jessie to make it through school. Anyhow, I am getting off track. My question was, "What is my idea of the perfect life?" I needed to answer this question in order to live the life I want to live. If I don't know how I want to live, how will I ever live that way, or even close to it? When I close my eyes and begin dream, I see us three, The Mays Family. We are living in a small home, in the country. At least, it looks like the country, and there is about an acre of land. Samantha is playing and Jessie and I are outside with her. In this dream, I have a garden. I am a great gardener and I am able to grow just about all the vegetables that we need. I can also cook like a goddess! I make everything we need from scratch. And I am teaching Samantha how to cook too. We cook and bake all the time, big, delicious meals! During the day, I homeschool Samantha. We do a lot of activities. We do school field trips, volunteer, and I can drive, so we can also take trips to the park or other fun places. And in my spare time, I sew. I make everything, from blankets and pillows to complete outfits. Let's not forget Jessie. He enjoys his job, and he works from home most of the time. We get to spend the days together and it is always pretty outside...Now, I know that's not possible, but most of it is. These things just take time. I want to learn to garden, but I have no space. The small pots on the window sill just aren't enough. I am learning to cook, one recipe at a time, sometimes from scratch. I feel very accomplished by this. And sewing...I just don't know where to start. I guess I am impatient. I have a friend who is going to come over and teach me to use my sewing machine, but most people I know just SAY things, and never do...I hope that isn't true in this case. Jessie is working on school. And hopefully, once he finishes, we can move into a dream place, or close. Eh...But again...These things just take time.

This Lady...

The pioneer woman...She is exactly who I have been looking for. A website that says it all, from a real person. A website that has recipes, gardening tips, homeschooling, and hobbies, such as photography. The only thing I think it is missing is a little sewing. Then it would be complete. But who knows, she could have it on there and I am just completely missing it. Here is her website: 

http://thepioneerwoman.com/

Garden

I have recently found that I enjoy "gardening." We will call it that, but I don't have a backyard, so all my "gardening" is out of my pots. My daughter is going to help me. We are doing several herbs and possibly going to start vegetables soon. I am pretty excited to have an actual hobby. And I am hoping to learn a lot about cooking and well, gardening. We will see.

Teary Eyed Fried Pork Chops

We mad them last night. They were delicious. I am not much for trying new things, and it drives my husband crazy, so I am trying to mix it up a bit and use the same stuff we usually eat, with a different taste. Here is the recipe: 

Ingredients

• 1 cup corn oil for frying
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 4 (3/4 inch) thick pork chops
• 1 cup pepper sauce (such as Frank's Red Hot®)

You basically fry them like regular pork chops, in a pan. We used pancake mix instead of flour to give it that sweet and spicy taste. Then, we put it on a sandwich to cool it down a bit and added shredded cheese. It was truly amazing. Without the bread it isn't TOO spicy, but your eyes do water and your mouth will burn. Either way, they are so good. I wish we could have them again tonight. 

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Teary-Eyed-Fried-Pork-Chops/Detail.aspx

A Little Note On The Chicken

We had it again the other night, but but my husband cooked it in a pot so it was more like deep frying it. Then we added the rice in after it was cooked and mixed it all together in the Italian seasoning. It was heaven. Also, we Love to add hot sauce to our meals. It's good for you and it adds more flavor. I was afraid it would ruin the taste of the Italian seasoning and chicken, but it enhanced it. 

*Just a little side note, when buying hot sauce, it is healthier not to buy anything like Texas Pete that has preservatives in it, such as Xantham gum. You want something like Tabasco. The only ingredients are red peppers, salt, and vinegar. And if you are cooking with it a lot, I suggest buying the larger bulk bottles. It turns out cheaper, and there is a bigger opening for easy pouring than there is on the smaller bottles. 

Spaghetti and Meat Sauce

So here is another recipe we tried. We tweaked it a bit though. I got the recipe from allrecipes.com. It is called Mariu's Spaghetti with Meat Sauce. It was actually pretty good. Although, considering how much beef broth was poured into it, on accident, it was a little watery. That and the fact that we didn't have much time for it to sit and simmer. Other than that, it was pretty good. Here is the recipe and link to the website, and out to the side, I will put what we did to it. (We are picky eaters, but we Love flavor.)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil (Put it in while you are cooking it, even though cooking it is believed to remove the nutrients. You can also add some after cooking, if desired.)
  
• 1/2 cup minced onion (We chopped up big slices that we could very easily remove. I am not a fan of onions, but I like the flavor.)
  
• 1 clove garlic, minced (I have a picture of a minced clove of garlic. For those of you who don't know what a clove is. Buy one thing of garlic. It will be divided into parts. One part is a clove. I will try to find a picture of that.)
  
• 1/2 cup minced celery (Again, we chopped it up in big pieces.)
  
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 pound lean ground beef (We doubled the meat. If you double the meat, you probably want to double everything else.)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried mint (We had to skip out on the mint. We couldn't find it in any stores.)
  
• 6 ounces fresh chopped mushrooms (We skipped on. I do not like mushrooms or the flavor they produce.)
  
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 2 (10.5 ounce) cans beef broth
• 2 teaspoons dried basil (We had to buy the seasoning instead of buying fresh because we could not find it fresh.)

We mixed it all in together in a crock pot, after the meat was browned, of course. We let it simmer on high for 45 minutes. (It would have been better to simmer for a few hours or even all day.) And then made the noodles and mixed the two. I also made garlic toast using butter and garlic salt. I am thinking of buying a garlic press so that next time I can make real garlic toast. It was actually a pretty cheap-to-make sauce, considering the cost of a can of tomato sauce. And some of the stuff you can save for the next time, like garlic. We are also able to use the celery for other things and the onion.

There are different directions on the website for making the sauce in a pan, but I much prefer the crock pot. Just click on the link to read more about how to cook it that way. 

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Marius-Spaghetti-with-Meat-Sauce/Detail.aspx?src=etaf

It is important to keep your vegetables in water for a crisp salad, but not for this, since it is just going to get cooked. However, my husband was insistent.

This is minced. I couldn't even tell I was eating  it.

I know it looks gross, but it is good. This was before the meat was added.

And...The result. Like I said, a little watery, but it was pretty good. Definitely better than the can.

Energy Saving Tips-That Apparently Work

Part of my job as a Stay At Home Mom is not to just cook, clean, and care for kids. It is also to save money. I just got my electric bill for December 10th - December 14th. (They read it late because of the snow.) I was so worried since I figured the bill would probably be ridiculous because of Winter. Guess how much it was-$85.00. Wow. I knew I was strict about electricity, but I didn't realize it would save us so much money. Everybody I know had a bill that was about $200.00 and I only had $100.00 for it in the budget. Here is what I did. I hope the tips help:

1. Set the heat on 68. Luckily, since we are the middle apartment, the one below us and the one above us keep their heat on and it actually keeps our house around 73, except at night. The heat runs pretty much the whole night. The electric company said that 65 is the ideal temperature to set it on if you wanted to save money, but we just couldn't do it. Samantha's little lips were turning purple. 

2. Of course, keep all the doors and windows closed. 

3. I unplug everything during the day except the refrigerator, laptop-so it can charge, and Jessie's TV because it is so hard to hook back up. But I unplug the lamps, phone chargers, microwave, etc.

4.I keep all the lights off during the day. We get enough light.

5. I keep the hot water heater turned down. 

6. We don't use unnecessary appliances like the dishwasher. It doesn't work anyway. 

7. When I was clothes I use a light wash cycle since we just wore the clothes around the house.

8. Lastly, we are converting to energy saving stuff such as appliances,  lights, curtains, etc.

Here are a few more I have heard, but haven't tried. 

1. Charge the filter every month.

2. Getting black out curtains, which I do not recommend. It makes the house WAY too dark.

Anyway, hope it helps. ;)

DH made dinner last night.

And it was amazing! He heard about this chicken from a guy at work and he wanted to make it. We used the generic chicken from WalMart, which was a pretty good price and was in a resealable bag. We used a little over a pound of it. Then as he cooked it, he drenched it in Italian dressing! YUM! He said what happens is the chicken absorbs all the Italian and all that is left is oil so it sort of frys the chicken. We also had rice, macaroni-we didn't have enough butter, so it up a little dry, green beans with hot sauce mixed in-delicious, and scalloped potatoes, one of my favorites. This was definitely one of my top favorite meals. I didn't think I would like it at first, but I couldn't quit eating it! Usually we just have hamburger helper and such. I really enjoy us both getting in there and cooking with different recipes. It doesn't cost much more since a lot of the seasonings and spices you buy in large containers and can use over and over. I can't wait for income tax time. DH and I are going to stock up on kitchen supplies like a good set of new pots and pans, a crock pot, and some herbs and spices. 

Clean House

Ahh...The feel of a clean house...There is no feeling like it. Everything looks, feels, and IS brighter. I LOVE it! That is why, the first Monday of every month, if I don't give in a little sooner, those walls, floors, and appliances get a good 'ol scrubbin'. Thanks to my mad skillz and my heavily packed, handy dandy cleaning bag, I have everything I need to give the house what it needs. Now I know I have already explained which rooms are the best to start in and so on, so I guess I will add a few tips and leave it at that.

Cleaners I Recommend:
I shop at the Dollar Tree and they generally have the same products in a little smaller quantity. Stocking up may be preferable to others when there are sales at other stores. I will be looking into those sorts of deals shortly, but as of now, the Dollar Tree is my Go-To-Place. I started my bag with the basics. I got an all purpose cleaner, great for counters and such, even the baseboards. Glass cleaner, generic Windex works just as well. Apparently, for glass. I use it on the windows, sinks, knobs, and the shower door. I also got some Mean Green, which I give my award for #1 Cleaner of All Time. It cuts out the grease on the stove after dinner. I even use it in the bathtub AND to mop the floors. I have one of those mops where you put your own cleaner in it and the pad is washable. Eh, not so sure what I think about it yet. It was a Christmas present. I wanted it so bad, but I guess I am just picky about my mops because I have yet to find one I like. Anyway, you also need toilet bowl cleaner. I do NOT recommend the tablets you drop in. You will need stove cleaner. ALWAYS use gloves and NEVER breathe when using it! You will need some rubber gloves, scrub pads for the oven, scrub brushes for the bathtub and tiny corners, and it wouldn't hurt to have some steel wool, for certain things. Always make sure it is okay to use it on something before you do. Also, I usually use Febreeze for the house after I clean. It gets rid of the cleaning scent and I use it on the couches and stuff to get rid of bad odors, since, like the commercial says, you can't wash them. I almost forgot the last two items-A duster. I prefer the generic Swiffer duster with replaceable covers. It is cheaper and works just as well. And those Magic Erasers. This is one time I recommend the name brand. They are a bit more expensive, but they get the job done. The generic just wither away too easy. I use them to wash the scratches off my wall, which I don't recommend doing if you have flat paint. But, it you don't, just wet a small area on the eraser and scrub away.

Bathroom Tips:
This, this is the dirtiest room in my house. There is pretty much one thing you need to know about the bathroom...Scrub Scrub Scrub. Scrub that sink. Scrub that toilet. Scrub that tub. We have a sliding glass door, which I prefer since there is no mildew building up. Therefore, I do not have to replace it on a regular basis. However, the side railings where the door slides have a tendency to build up with all kinds of junk since it catches some of the dirt and water that runs off of you during showers. That takes a long time to scrub, but it's not so bad. But make sure when you are cleaning the tub, DON'T close the shower door! I did that one time when I was using tub cleaner. NEVER again. My throat burned for days. Also, scrub behind the toilet. That is one of those place people never look, but dust is attracted to that sight. Sinks and mirrors are obvious...I guess that is it. Next, I will take you to the kitchen...

Kitchen Tips:
Clean EVERYWHERE! Places you could never even imagine, there are messes. Believe it or not, as little as you use the BACK of the refrigerator, It is total chaos back there, especially if you have kids who drop toys often. Even if you don't, dust collects like crazy. Try to even lift up the top of your stove and get a good look. Look on the sides. (I am adding a picture of this.) I can guarantee you there will be junk under neath where your drip pans were, for obvious reasons. Now, I am a freak about things not looking new anymore, so a few tips I have learned-Use tin foil on your drip pans. If you don't like the way it looks and you want to save cleaning up a HUGE mess, just get stove eye covers. They are a nice accessory to the kitchen and they will cover up the tin foil. They actually have tin foil covers made especially for the eyes at Wal-Mart, but I personally don't think they fit right and they get expensive after awhile. Another tip that I wish I would have learned sooner, use baking soda to scrub the bottoms of your pots and pans to get the gunk off. You know, that stuff that looks like the stove eye burned the bottom. Just take a cloth, and scrub that pot down, a little at a time. It actually works, but I waited too long to do mine and now it won't do the whole thing. It will just take off the what was on there from that night's dinner. Anyway, here are the before and after pictures. The last one is a picture of under where the trash can was. We are not dirty people. I am probably one of the cleanest people you will ever meet. Everything has its own spot, everything. And everything has to be clean, all the time. But, with that said, my house still gets dirty in the places I don't see. I actually disgust myself when I see these messes, but I realize it is not possible to clean all day AND give DD AND DH the attention they need.











Other than that, the rooms are pretty self explanatory. Don't leave any rooms out. That includes the closets and washroom. There is usually a lot of lent and left over things on the floor that were dropped from the pockets. In the bedrooms and livingroom, I usually just dust and then move all the furniture and vacuum. The amount of dirt that builds up under the bed is unbelievable. That is what inspired me to clean like this. When we moved last time, we lifted the bed and I was embarrassed by how dirty it was. Yuck. And the other day, I found a piece of chicken under the couch. I usually don't let DD eat in the livingroom, but I guess it was one of those days and I didn't even notice.
Well, this is just some of what I know. Good Luck! Happy Cleaning!

Rice Treats

Mmm...Found a recipe on allrecipes.com for DH's birthday. I thought I would make him something different. I had rice krispies. So all I needed was marshmellows. Here is the recipe. It was delicious. I thought I was going to burn it because it didn't say what to set the stove on, so I started at 3-1/2 and it was perfect. It didn't take long either and they didn't burn!

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons of butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 cups of miniature marshmellows

4 cups of rice krispie treat cereal

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Marshmallow-Crispie-Bars/Detail.aspx

Hello. My name is Susie Homemaker.

Bad Pic, I know. I just thought I would post something recent. This was in DD's room before we redecorated it. I will post pictures of the whole house later.
My name is Brittany Mays and this year, 2011, I am trying to learn to be more like Susie Homemaker. I stay home with my 2 year old daughter and I Love every minute of it. Okay, maybe not EVERY minute. Anyway, this year I want to learn to cook, clean, sew, and clip coupons like never before. And what better way to share what I learn than to blog it. I would really like to start a book one day. Maybe this could serve as an outline. One thing I am already good at is cleaning. Although, there is always more to learn. The first Monday of every month, I take the entire day to scrub down the house. This includes everything. And boy, do I mean everything! I usually start with the hardest, dirtiest room, the kitchen. This, for obvious reasons, since it is the room you cook and eat in. Then I usually move to the bathroom. Scrub the tub. You would think it'd be semi-clean since you bathe in it. One close look and I want to puke! But I try not to because then I would have to clean it up too. It literally takes a toothbrush and 3 different cleaners to get down in those small areas in the tub and all along the walls. But I don't mind it. I usually have my Little Homemaker following closely behind me with her cleaning cart and supplies. She will spray the windows and sweep the floors. She will make a great Mommy one day. Cooking has never been my thing, mainly because it wasn't my Mom's and she was the one who raised me. But now that I have my own home and my own family, it has become more appealing, especially since I have started talking to my Dad more. He is very interested in different recipes. He has been sending me some off of a website allrecipes.com. I never thought I would like any of them since I am a picky eater, but I have learned some tricks. And some recipes don't call for anything out of the ordinary at all. One of the best tricks I have learned, by far, is using a seasoning ball. It is a mesh ball that you just fill with herbs, onions, whatever you are using for flavor and drop in the crock pot. This gives you all the flavor, but keeps you from picking things out of your food. And the best news for this Frugal Momma, it is only $2.00! My little famil equals big eaters. We Love to eat big meals. We have all kinds of things from fajita makers to the George Forman grill, great for hot dogs by the way. We also like our sweets from time to time. For awhile, DD and I were baking every Wednesday, but the Christmas season came and so went our delicious treats due to my focus on other things like online shopping. I would enjoy getting back into that. She really enjoys the together time that results in yummy desserts. My last goal, learning to sew, should be an easy accomplishment. I just bought a lower end sewing machine, just to see if I will stick to it. My grandmother knows how to use one and recommended that I get one. So I did. It comes with everything I need in the beginning. Not so sure how well it will work. I am hoping I can get over to her house soon so she can show me how to use it. I enjoy saving money on DD's clothes and being able to put her in cute boutique dresses for cheap. I generally shop at yardsales for her things, but it is very rare to find boutique dress, pillowcase dresses, hairbows, and tutus there. Well, this is me. These are my goals. Wish me luck! Susie Homemaker, watch your back, here I come!