How to Clean Your House Really Fast

It's always easier to maintain a clean house than to have to start from scratch and have to clean the whole thing. Sometimes, though, things just get out of hand and suddenly company is coming or you're just busier than usual and it's been neglected. It actually is possible to have your house looking nice in not very much time at all. Of course, you'll have to go back later and do the deep cleaning stuff (especially depending on how long you've neglected it) but you can pull it all together with these tips. (If it's for company, I would only clean what they will be seeing and clean the other spots when I have more time but if it's to make you feel better about the state of your house, do as many as you have time for.)

Bathroom: (6 and a half minutes)

• Wipe down countertops, sink, mirror, and outside of toilet (2 minutes)
• Swish your toilet brush inside the bowl (30 seconds)
• Do a quick wipe down of shower and tub (2 minutes)
• Sweep the floor (2 minutes)

Living room: (7 and a half minutes)

• Clean up clutter, I recommend grabbing a laundry basket and just throwing everything in (2 minutes). You can choose to just hide this somewhere and put away at a later date, put things away as you clean from room to room, or use the most time and put everything away at this time. 
• Quick dust coffee table, shelves, etc (2 minutes)
• Straighten magazines/newspapers on coffee table (30 seconds)
• Vacuum rug/carpet (3 minutes)

Kitchen: (8 minutes)

• Wipe down countertops, stove top, fridge handles, and sink (3 minutes)
• Put dirty dishes in dishwasher, run if full (3 minute)
• Sweep floor (2 minutes)

Bedroom: (8 minutes)

• Make bed (1 minute)
• Pick up clothes and clutter (2 minutes)
• Quick dust (2 minutes)
• Vacuum or sweep (3 minutes)

So you can have a practically clean house in a half hour! I guesstimated on the times with how dirty my house gets and how long it usually takes me to do things. Of course every house is different but as you can see, it doesn't take long to get your house back in shape. If you have more time, you can do more cleaning but really, just 30 minutes will do. 

The Mashed Potato Debate

I grew up with boxed mashed potatoes. We rarely, if ever, had the homemade kind. I still like them but I agree with my husband that the real ones taste better. However, I still like them really creamy and smooth instead of chunky and he prefers the chunks. There are many "secrets" online as to how to make the potatoes smoother and the only thing I can agree with is to use Yukon Gold potatoes instead of Russet. Too bad for me because we only have Russet in the house right now and I was planning on making mashed potatoes with dinner. Of course my husband is nice enough to eat anything I make regardless of lumps or smoothness but I wish there was a better way to get the potatoes more my way with the Russet.

It probably doesn't help that we don't have that great of a potato masher. For one thing, it's plastic. It has these little circle holes in it that the potatoes then ooze through and then we get potato worms instead of just potatoes. It drives me crazy and I don't think David has ever even noticed. They make some really nice metal ones with double the amount of those metal lines that mash to help them mash even better but I don't know if it's worth the 30 dollars when I believe ours was found at the dollar store.

I think our favorite way to eat mashed potatoes though, is to make our recipe of Mush. We named it (and came up with it) all on our own and it's called mush because that's what it looks like. You mix tvp (or ground beef or ground turkey or whatever you want for meat) into your potatoes and then you add vegetables. We usually do peas and corn but I think carrots would work out too. As a little kid, you always smush your vegetables into your mashed potatoes anyway (I think my older sister taught me that) so now, the chef does it for you! I have also thought it might be good with gravy but I've never tried it. I'm not usually a big fan of it but lately it's been sounding better and better. If you make a mushroom gravy instead of a beef one, it's just one more way to get more vegetables on your plate! Win-win!

Taco Pizza

Last night, David and I got Papa Murphy's taco pizza. It was AMAZING! I used to get the taco pizza from Pizza Hut, which was equally good! It got me thinking though that you could make it yourself. It's pizza crust, refried beans (no pizza sauce..it's a taco!), cheese, and then whatever toppings you want. They vary from place to place but green onions, black olives, tomatoes, and whatever else you put in tacos would be tasty. At Papa Murphy's, they have chicken or beef with taco seasoning and that adds to the taco flavor also. If you aren't putting meat on, I would recommend mixing taco seasoning into the refried beans. I'll have to try to make it and get back to all of you.

(I am in no way endorsing Pizza Hut or Papa Murphy's. I am not affiliated with them or getting any compensation for this review. I just really like pizza!)

How to Overcome Nausea

At some point in their lives, everyone experiences nausea from time to time. I am no doctor (so consult a doctor before trying any of these) but in my experience, here's what I found can relieve nausea.

• Take slow, deep breaths. This one is best if you're only a little nauseous, not on the verge of vomiting.
• Ginger. This could be sprinkled in tea, ginger ale (as long as it's made with real ginger, some kinds aren't), or in any food you can tolerate.
• Laying down. Try to lay on your left side (which I know is your stomach but then your stomach is lower than your esophagus. If you lay on your right side, you're just asking your stomach to drain into your throat.) This isn't always the most comfortable but sometimes if you can distract yourself into relaxing or even taking a nap, it'll subside.
• Eat bland foods and drink clear, carbonated drinks. Examples: saltines, pretzels, crackers, toast, 7UP, Sprite, sparkling water
• Peppermint. Be sure it's peppermint and not just any mint like spearmint or wintergreen. Even just smelling it should help so it could be an scented oil, gum, hard candy, tea, etc.
• Eat multiple small meals throughout the day instead of 3 big ones. This makes it easier to digest and never lets your stomach get empty (which can especially trigger that nausea).
• Suck on ice or popsicles. This may not be in the most pleasant in winter but for some reason, it works.

I hope these ideas work just as well for you as they do for me! 

How to Survive the Dentist

Before today, the last time I was at the dentist was last July. It was the place I had gone just about every six months since I was a baby. Today, I went to the dentist in my town and it was a surprisingly pleasant experience. Okay maybe not pleasant. Going to the dentist is never pleasant but they didn't even try to talk to me with tools in my mouth! So I survived the dentist and now I will tell you how to also. (By the way, no cavities today! I've only had one my entire life.)

• Don't let your teeth get bad in the first place. Brush, floss, and use mouthwash daily. 
• Know that tooth stains are common and they don't mean that you have unhealthy teeth.
• When in the chair, try to think about other things or sing in your head. I personally think the worst part is the polishing because they use the "drill" that sounds much worse than it is. As a little kid, I don't remember the cleaning part at all, just the drill. Now I realize the drill is only like 5 minutes compared to everything else. 
• Put on chapstick or vaseline before you go. You're going to have your mouth open for a long time and your lips get dried out. This is a nice way to avoid that.
• If you get nervous while in the waiting room, distract yourself. Read magazines, play on your phone, talk to strangers. 
• Know that when you're being lectured about brushing or flossing, it's not meant to be embarrassing but for your own good. It's much cheaper (and easier) to prevent cavities than it is to fill them in.
• Have insurance. Of course you can't always help this one but it's definitely more of an incentive to go than if you have to pay out of pocket.
• Remember that it's never as bad as you think it is. 

I read somewhere this morning that only 50% of Americans regularly go to the dentist. At that rate, you can pat yourself on the back even for just making the appointment. 

Taco Dip

Lately, Mexican food just sounds amazing to me! I'm not sure how authentic any Mexican food I eat is so maybe I only like Americanized stuff but regardless, sometimes you need a new idea instead of tacos or enchiladas. Last night, David and I bought pre-made taco dip from the grocery store. It was good and faster than making our own (but only slightly because taco dip is really easy to make) but not as good as when we've made it in the past. So I thought I'd share our recipe (that of course you can tweak to your tastes as we have too).

This recipe claims to serve 10 but if you're anything like us, it's more like 4.

1 (16 oz) can refried beans (you can also make your own from pinto beans. It's rather easy and probably slightly less sodium and fat than this method but I'll let you decide for yourself)
1 package taco seasoning (we use the reduced sodium kind)
1 large tomato, seeded and diced (you can also use salsa instead)
1 cup guacamole (expensive if store bought but easy to make yourself)
1 cup sour cream, room temperature
1 cup shredded cheese (sharp cheddar is recommended but really you can use anything)
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1/4 cup black olives
tortilla chips (to serve, obviously)

Mix half of the taco seasoning with the beans. Spread beans along your dish (we used a serving platter kind of thing but I would recommend using something big and flat instead of bowl shaped). Next, layer the tomato (or salsa) on top. Then spread on the guacamole. Next, mix the other half of the taco seasoning with the sour cream and layer that on top of the guac. Sprinkle cheese on top. Add the onion and olives. Cover and store in fridge until ready to serve (but it's ready right away if you're hungry now).

See? Doesn't that sound easy and delicious?

Non-Caffeinated Ideas to Stay Awake

Everyone gets tired due to various reasons (poor sleep, up late, not enough sleep, etc) but we all have lives that we can't just put on hold because we would rather spend a few extra minutes (okay, hours) in bed. So here are some tips to help you keep your focus and stay awake, even if you're doggone tired. 

• If you work in an office (or a job where you sit a lot), try to get up and walk around at least every 30 minutes. Sometimes this isn't possible so you could also try desk yoga. These are simple stretches to keep your blood circulating and your body alert. (Rather than try to describe the different methods, I'll let you google about them. Some are really simple like tipping your head back and forth and some require you to get out of your chair. Try whatever works for your situation). 
• Drink plenty of water. You may be tempted to grab that caffeine or sugary drink but both of these will lead to a crash later. Staying properly hydrated is very important and water can help you stay awake. 
• Keep yourself busy. This not only distracts you from being tired (depending on the task) but also that feeling of getting something done can give you a second wind.
• If possible, get some sunlight. Maybe this means opening the blinds or maybe it means going for a walk during your lunch break. I'm sorry this isn't possible on rainy days (which may be why rainy days seem so perfect for naps!). 
• Don't skip breakfast. This can help give you energy throughout the day. Same goes for lunch. However, don't have a heavy meal at lunch or you may feel more tired. You could also snack on high protein snacks throughout the day (not constantly, just every couple hours). 
• Chew gum or ice to keep your mind working. I know this sounds odd but it gives your body something to do other than the task at hand. 
• Splash water on your face or wrists. 
• Try to avoid getting too warm. I know this makes me sleepy but you can't always control the temperature of your environment. Perhaps dress in layers, splash water on your wrists, have a desk fan, etc. 

Hopefully these will help you but of course it's easiest to just not get tired in the first place. That's easier said than done and there will always be times when we are unable to keep our usual sleep schedule, throwing us off the next day. 

Backwards Day

Today has been very strange all because of my husband. He normally works 7am-3pm (with an hour commute each way so he's actually gone 6am to 4pm). Today he had some thing he had to do at work overnight so he's working 4pm-Midnight (leaving at 3pm, coming home around 1am). This means our day was completely backwards! It was kind of fun. We got to go garage saling (saleing? sale-ing?) a day early (we tend to go on Saturdays, when all the good stuff is already gone), have a nice nap together, and just enjoy the day. It was sort of like a weekend (until he had to leave anyway). I don't think he'll be working this shift often. It's like a once a year kind of thing but it got me thinking if he always worked it. I think it could be nice for a while, especially when the kids are little but I do think it would get old. Plus, then when the kids are in school, they would never get to see him. So obviously both job shifts have pros and cons but I think I'll stick with his regular routine. This change can be nice though, at least once a year. He even got to see how lazy Cocoa is during the day! (She's not nocturnal but pretty close to it. She lounges around all day and then is up and awake when he gets home from work.)

Working Out

Last summer, I would go running just about every day, granted some days were harder or longer than others, but every day nonetheless. When it got cold, I started to slack. At first, I did YouTube videos or even things like hula hooping but that quickly died down. I would still go for walks occasionally but with the threat of ice everywhere and the cold unappreciated, those got harder too. Then I started physical therapy for my shoulder. That got me lifting weights every other day. I have since stopped (but keeping meaning to get back to it. I used to do it 3 or 4 days a week and now I MIGHT get in once a week). I'm not really any busier than I was back then. I guess I just got lazy. Lately, I've been going for a walk every day but a run just sounds too sweaty (it's 80 here today. 80 I can handle, 80 and humid is much worse. Stupid Midwest).
Perhaps a bike ride is the solution but my bike is still hung up from the winter and I need help undoing it.

Well today, as I am cleaning for company (this involves going up and down all three of our floors repeatedly. Our first floor is only like 65 degrees but our third floor is more like 77), I am discovering that you can't ask for a better workout than cleaning a whole house. You engaged lots of muscles (especially your abs if you have to bend over a lot), cardio is going up and down the stairs 50 times an hour, and you're productive at the same time! I suddenly have the feeling that I have written about this before in winter slump but now that it's basically summer weather (please tell me what happened to Spring. This year's weather is just out of control), this is just as sweaty as running around outside (did I mention we don't have air conditioning?).

So I suggest, if you are strapped for time and somehow can't fit in a 15 minute walk or run but you have a lot of cleaning to do too, combine then. There are ways to get a better workout by cleaning than just doing your normal routine. For instance, instead of gathering everything that has to go downstairs and taking it all down at once (which you can do, especially in a time crunch), you could take things down in several trips. You could buy a heavier vacuum (I feel like this is one of the most important reasons that housewives in the 50's had better strength than we do now). You get the idea. Plus, if you get too warm and no one else is home, you can do it all naked!

General Updates

Cocoa has recovered from her surgery. She was back to her old self until this afternoon. We think she is...uncomfortable. She's been eating more pellets than she should, which have then been replacing her hay intake. We've tried to give her more greens (dandelions from outside actually) but she doesn't seem impressed.

My aunt and cousin are coming to visit tomorrow. This gives me extra incentive to get the house cleaner before they arrive. My aunt has seen my house almost exactly a year ago (when we weren't even living in it) but my cousin has never seen it. I think they will be impressed with what we've done! At least I sure hope so. We even have more trim up downstairs. It looks particularly  nice on the doorways in the living room and dining room. I can't wait to finish the foyer either. That will look really nice (but doesn't really have a purpose yet. It's a huge room.)

David and I have been grilling a lot more lately. We don't have air conditioning so we are trying to use our oven and stove as little as possible during the warm months. I don't think you could ever get sick of grilling. Besides, we are looking into using the grill like a stove so we can make casseroles and other things that would traditionally be made in an oven. Also, we plan on using our slow cooker (in the garage), especially on rainy days.

Our raspberries are starting to get buds too! David also planted his pineapple tonight. He couldn't be more excited.

Garden Updates

We had a frost advisory the day that the farmer's almanac told us to plant our outside plants so we haven't done that yet. I think to be safe, we are waiting until the end of May/beginning of June. This has just been such a crazy weather spring that I worry our plants might not have enough time to grow and be fruitful but we'll just have to see.

Our apple tree already has a couple leaves on it. This is especially exciting because my in laws got the same tree as us at the same time as us and they don't have any leaves on theirs yet. We also have a couple buds on our raspberries and on our blueberries. We aren't expecting fruit this summer but it's nice to see them growing. We must be doing something right.

Last night, we bought the tools we'll need to turn over our garden and get the dirt ready for our other planting. It will be a lot of work but at least it's a once a year thing (I think, I'd have to check on that). Gardening in general can be a lot of work but I've heard it can also be relaxing and a good form of exercise (believe me, you can build up muscle pulling weeds and raking and tending to your plants). I also got a really nice pair of gardening gloves that I'm excited to try out. Last year I had used gloves I found around the house  but they didn't fit very well and made it really hard to get anything done.

Pineapples were on sale at the grocery store this week so now David is obsessed with growing his own. I'm a little fuzzy on the details but it seems as though you can plant the top of them in a clay pot (which we also bought last night) and in 2 years of taking care of it, you'll have new pineapple. There are other foods you can from using the food itself like green onions and lettuce. Again, I'd have to look up exactly how to do it but I think that's kind of cool. It also sounds like you would grow these things inside.

Recent Sewing Projects

I have mentioned some sewing projects I have been working on in previous posts but I haven't updated you all on them for a while now. The first, is the coasters (you can find the link under my crafts and projects tab). I'm actually almost done with them. I would've been done a long time ago but I am hand sewing them. When I started, I didn't have a sewing machine. Now I do but I'm still kind of timid with it (still trying to get the hang of it) so I don't want to mess up what I've already started. They're very cute and I'll be sure to post pictures when I'm done. I did make a few changes to the original but that was only to make it easier to hand sew. We have been needing coasters for a long time. I know we could buy them at Goodwill or some place but it seemed like a good project to start with.

The second thing I am working on is a wet/dry bag for my reusable pads. It's about 8x5 and has a zipper across the top (my first zipper!). My mother in law is helping me lots with it since I wasn't really sure how to get started. The outside is cotton (fat quarters actually) and the lining is a polyester something (for water resistance). It will have a divider in the middle to keep the clean ones separate from the dirty ones. I'm about halfway done with it but I haven't worked on it in a while because I have been doing this one with my machine and I've already had to rip open a bad seam (which meant I got to buy a seam ripper! I love getting new supplies).

For my birthday from my mother in law, I got a couple books about sewing and things to do with fat quarters (which are pretty much the only fabric supplies I have right now) so I am excited to get started on new projects. I should probably finish what I've started before I move on though...

Easy Asparagus Recipes

Asparagus is very versatile and you can add it to just about anything (remember my fajitas a few posts ago?). However, I have decided the best way to eat it is roasted. You add seasonings (I like garlic, oil, and sometimes salt). Then you put it in a 9x13 pan in a 400 degree oven. Check it after 10 minutes but it may take up to 15. A thing I am going to try tonight is after I take it out of the oven, I will drizzle balsamic vinegar on top of it. Sometimes I add cheese ( usually parmesan or mozzarella) but if you do that, add it before you put it in the oven. I do have a hard time getting it to stick to the asparagus though (even when I tried cooking spray instead of oil). It just takes some work but any of these options are really good! You can do an entire pound at once and asparagus is so good for you too. These recipes are so quick and easy you can't help but buy ten pounds of asparagus next time you're at the grocery store (plus it's in season!).

Okay I hope I didn't repeat too much about my love for asparagus from my previous posts but despite the way it makes my pee smell, I am getting obsessed with it!

Our Garden

Yesterday, David and I picked up our apple tree, raspberries bushes, strawberries, and blueberry bushes from a nursery nearby (we preordered). We planted the tree, the raspberries, and the strawberries (I suppose I should say that David planted them while I made dinner. I guess you could say I supervised.) Once we make our raised garden for the blueberries, we will plant those too (possibly tonight). Blueberries are kind of picky about the PH in their soil so that's why they're having a separate garden. One of these days (also possibly tonight but I do sort of doubt it), we will be planting all our vegetables. We already started the tomatoes and broccoli inside but we still have things like green beans, cucumbers, and sun flowers (not a vegetable as far as I know but we bought some seeds any way) to plant too. I am so excited!

Our apple tree is small (especially in comparison to the pine tree we put it next to) and won't produce fruit for another 2-5 years. We aren't sure if we'll get fruit from the berries this year but we should next year or the year after that. It'll be so exciting to be able to have these fruits on hand all year long! Same with our vegetables! Some of these things, we will have to plant year after year, like the tomatoes, but some things should stay. We have rhubarb regrowing from last year (it came with the house, we just moved it to the garden area).

Also, when we find the time, we will be putting edging around our garden to make it easier to mow around and know how far our garden goes. I think this is what David's most excited about. He has come up with about 20 different materials and ways to do it. I'm happy that something excites him so much but I do admit, I'm sick of him talking about it. I just want it done.

Hopefully everything grows and we will have an abundance of fruits and vegetables!

Getting Cocoa Spayed

This last Friday was Cocoa (our rabbit)'s appointment to get spayed. We took her in about 8 in the morning. Surprisingly, she went willingly into her pet taxi and seemed a little scared. She got more scared once we were actually at the vet (probably because she could smell all the other animals). Then we left. This day was actually my birthday and it was so lonely without her. All day, I kept going upstairs looking for her and then remembering she was at the vet. Finally at 3:30, we got the call to come pick her up. They said she was doing well but still kind of sleepy from the procedure.

We took her home and she definitely wasn't herself. She seemed very very tired. She also looked a little funny because they had to shave her belly. She tried all her usual spots to get comfortable but just couldn't seem to. Finally, I think she fell asleep more because of the situation than because she was comfy. They had given her the first dose of her pain medicine but said that we need to make sure she ate, drank, and went to the bathroom for us.

She did go to the bathroom but we hadn't seen her eat or drink. Cocoa had retreated to under her stool and was very obviously not going to leave. We had read online that rabbits will go to their safety spot, usually a back corner or where they can't be seen well and just stay there til they feel better. So we put a little pile of food next to her and a bunch of hay. She didn't even touch it. We waited and waited and waited but HOURS had past since she last ate (at the vet) and she really needed to eat. We decided to try to give her a treat. She finally did eat the treat but even that took a little time.

Then the next morning (Saturday), we realized that she probably hadn't had anything to drink since she wasn't leaving her stool. We put a little water bowl right next to her and waited and waited. Again, hours later she finally drank. Then Saturday afternoon she was starting to be more herself and run around a little bit and go on her usual perches.

Sunday is when she was really herself and even went on top of her stool to be pet. Sunday was also the last day of pain medicine, which they must add sugar to because she took it very willingly.

Today, she is still  under her stool but that is common for her, especially on sunny days (she doesn't seem to like the sun and we can only block out so much of it). She has been eating, drinking, and playing though so I'm not worried. I'm just glad she's okay! Everyone online says it's much easier to get boy rabbits fixed than girl rabbits. They don't even give the boys any pain meds!

Snow Again?!?!?

So I know you all probably sick of hearing about the weather here but it's MAY 2nd and we just got 6 inches of snow overnight! There is more coming today and more coming tomorrow!!! Tomorrow is my birthday and I never thought I'd have to wish for it to be snow free, not in a million years. This weather is absolutely crazy! My city's schools are even closed today! If this snow doesn't go away soon, I'm just going to get madder and madder.

Also, I'm supposed to run an event this Saturday and how can you run when it's cold, snow on the ground, and a rain/snow mix is coming down??? They obviously put the event in May so they don't have to deal with unexpected snow storms and yet, here we are! I don't know if they'll cancel it or not because who has a snow day option for May??

The even worse thing about all this is that on David's drive to work (which covers about 40 miles---insane, I know) we are the only ones with a substantial amount of snow. Everyone else is just a sprinkling or just wet. So my city and southern Minnesota are what got hit. How is that fair??

So today, Friday, and Saturday are all icky and then Sunday and Monday are supposed to be in the 70s! That's going to feel wayyyy too warm! What happened to just a regular spring with weather in the 40s-60s??? Why can't Mother  Nature just behave this year???

Freezing Vegetables

Now that it's Spring (although it is supposed to snow today and tomorrow...ugh), lots of vegetables went on sale. I might have gone a little crazy and bought more than we could eat before they go bad. Solution? Freeze them! Last night, David and I froze our bell peppers, mushrooms, and snow peas. Did you know you could freeze these things??? They will last about 6 months frozen (I believe I read that the peas will last up to a year) Of course you can eat them after this, they just won't taste as good.

To freeze bell peppers, simply cut them up (however you will be using them. We did strips) and either freeze on a baking sheet then put in an air tight container (so they don't freeze together) or just put them in the container with extra room.

To freeze mushrooms, you have to cut them up and saute them first. Then put in an air tight container with room. (I drained them first since mushrooms are so juicy when you cook them but I don't know if I was supposed to or not.) Also, they will come out of the freezer a little different color so don't be alarmed.

To freeze snow peas, you have to blanche them. For those of you who don't know this method, you boil water (really really hot) and add the peas. You cook for exactly 3 minutes then you put them in ice cold water until they cool. Then put in your air tight container (with extra room again).

There you have it! Of course they are vegetables you shouldn't freeze, like lettuce (it gets so mushy and slimy) but for these kinds of things that are in season right now, it's perfect!

Also, I recently found out you can peel oranges ahead of time and then keep in an air tight container (and use within 3-4 days). This is great because I hate peeling oranges and always make David do it for me so now he can do a bunch at once and I don't have to wait anymore! Isn't this great?