Summer Project Shed/Playhouse Part 2

Well the weekend was wonderful, allowing my husband to finally get the shed out of our garage and start assembling it outside. He has been very eager to get this started.

Our yard was very wet creating a little set back in creating the base. What my husband dug out on Thursday was flooded on Friday. After he was able to get that drained he used the help of the girls to fill in with sand under the cement blocks.

 Saturday my brother came over to help get the sides and roof on.

 There it is after one weekend of working hard, getting it together. My husband is very proud as he should be. The girls are getting super excited about getting a playhouse. It will be very cool once it is finished. We are talking now about putting a slide on the deck part. We will see how it will end up.

Weekly Goals

Last Weeks goals:

• List one thing on Etsy
• List one thing on Craigslist
• Get the two year old on the potty 3 times a day, everyday
• Getting so much closer to this goal. She is really doing awesome on the potty.
• 30 Day House Cleaning Challenge
• Work out everyday this week (Mon-Fri)
• I did three out of five days
• Memorize Proverbs 31:11
• One night spent as a family, playing games, going for a walk, doing something all together
• Read a chapter each night from a chapter book as a family
• We are reading the Arthur chapter books now, but I'd love suggestions. My girls are 4, 2, and 1 so we are just reading beginning chapter books for now but I'd love ideas for now and the future.

This weeks goals are pretty much the same for now. Now that we finally have nice weather, we may have to add some fun outdoor goals to our list in the coming weeks.

Goals for April 29-May 5

• List one thing on Etsy
• List one thing on Craigslist
• Get the two year old on the potty 3 times a day, everyday
• 30 Day House Cleaning Challenge
• Work out everyday this week (Mon-Fri)
• Memorize Proverbs 31:12
• One night spent as a family, playing games, going for a walk, doing something all together
• Read a chapter each night from a chapter book as a family

30 Day House Cleaning Challenge: Day 26

 

 Today's Task . . . Bedrooms, Bathrooms, Kitchen, and Living Room

 

Well knowing we were going to have a busy weekend and family over on Sunday, I hit it hard in the morning. I did a quick cleanup in the bathrooms, my bedroom, and my youngest bedroom. 

 

I have started doing something I told my husband, almost 8 years ago when we first got married, I would never do. I make the bed every day. I always thought it was a waste of time, but now having it made makes my room look so much more put together.

 

 

The next task had me heading downstairs to get the other two girls to pick up a little in there room. We spent only a few minutes picking up toys they weren't playing with and made their beds.

She's mad she has to clean up

Her idea of putting toys away

Making her bed

Making her bed

 I then sent the two older girls outside while the youngest took her nap. I did a quick cleanup of the livingroom and kitchen. We wanted to get outside badly. In case you didn't read my Tuesday's cleaning post I'll remind you what it looked like here:

Tuesday Morning 6 inches of snow

Friday Morning. Afternoon was 70s

 

30 House Cleaning Challenge: Day 25

 

Today's Task . . . Living Room and Kitchen

I have to say the kitchen has been staying much cleaner lately. It does help that I am finally getting a little help even if it is in the form of a 4 year old. 

We had a super busy day so I just took a few minutes picking up and straightening in the living room. Then a swept around the table, wiped down the table, cleared off the counters, and wiped down counters.

As a reward I lit a candle making it smell so nice and pleasant.

 

And like normal this nice clean space lasted a whole hour.

Pillowcase Grocery Bags

You may have seen these pillowcase grocery bags out there on places like Pinterest. I made a few about a year ago and really like them. Who doesn't have a few extra pillowcases laying around. I looked at few different tutorials and finally figured out the easiest way to make them. I'm sure there is one exactly like my tutorial, so I do not claim credit for creating it.

All you need is a pillowcase, scissors, and sewing machine. 

1. Cut the edging off the pillowcase and save it for later

  2. Turn pillowcase inside out and stitch it closed leaving about 2 inches open to turn it.

3. Turn and stitch opening closed

 
 4. Grab the middle and tuck it in creating a bag. Match corners up tightly.

 5. Sew diagonal on the bottom corners about one inch 

6. Take the edging piece you cut off earlier and cut it into two. Pin into place to make handles. I have mine about 3-4 inches from edge but place where you want them to be.

7. Sew into place

8. Turn and your done!

 

 Our grocery store gives 5 cents for every reusable bag. Ask your grocery store if they have something similar.
 

30 Day House Cleaning Challenge: Day 24

 

Today's Task . . . Linen Closets

Today's task was another of those tasks I've been meaning to get to. We are blessed with a house that not only has lots of closets but they are also deep and large, including the two linen closets in the bathrooms. Since they are so deep, things get moved and shoved and often lost especially on the top shelves.

Here's how the closet looks before in the girls' Mickey bathroom.

It wasn't too bad but needed a little rearranging, shelves needed to be wiped down, and the floor needed to be swept and wiped down. 

Not bad. Only took about 10 minutes. 

Now on to my husband's and my bathroom. 

This needed a little more work. I threw a few things away. Gave away a few things. And put a couple things in the garage sale box. Did some rearranging and wow do I have a lot more space now. Everything on the top shelf was pulled to the front leaving half the shelf still empty. The other two shelves are a little over half full.

 It sure feels good to have this looking nice and neat. Old medicines are no longer taking space and making more clutter. Towels are much more accessible. Everything is in a place and easy to find.
  

Easy Kid Friendly Freezer Meal

One of my favorite new meals for nights when I don't have a lot of time, is corndog muffins. I've seen them several times on Pinterest. They are so incredibly easy and if you want to make a double batch, stick some in the freezer for later. 

Just a few easy steps. It takes about 5 minutes to prep and 20 minutes to bake.

1. Mix a batch of cornmeal, whatever recipe you prefer, and fill the muffin tin about 2/3 full.

 

2. Cut your hotdogs in half (or thirds if you use bun size) and place them on top of your cornmeal mix.

 3. Bake according to the cornmeal recipe. Mine was 350 for about 20 minutes. The hotdogs should be cooked through and the cornmeal muffins should be golden.

My girls and my husband love these. I like making a double batch and sticking them in the freezer. Easy to thaw out and reheat. Either stick in the oven until they are heated through or warm them in the microwave.

 

30 Day House Cleaning Challenge: Day 23

 

Today's Task . . . Floors

Today's task is a bit overwhelming.  We have a lot of carpet and a lot to mop. I usually split this into 3 days because there is so much to do. The vacuuming wouldn't be so bad if there wasn't three little ones with toys all over the floor. Moping the kitchen and dinning room often takes at least a half hour sometimes longer.

I cheated a little and did some of the vacuuming yesterday. The living room was covered in popcorn and popcorn seeds so I defiantly wanted to get that cleaned up. I also did the hallway and bedrooms, so half the vacuuming was done. Yes!

I started my morning by cleaning up the toys in the playroom while the girls were eating breakfast and vacuumed. My oldest came down stairs and asked me why I put the toys away? She was a little upset that I picked up the toys she wanted to play with.

Then it was on to the kitchen floor.

We have at least one spill every night creating a very dirty floor

How little toys always end up in the kitchen is beyond me

    Armed with my broom and dust pan and Rubbermaid Reveal Spray Mop I tackled the floors.  

For a few hours they were nice and clean. By supper there was food, milk, and toys on the floor again. 

I felt very exhausted from the past few days. I feel like I clean all day long. After supper I've really been enjoying clearing the table and washing the dishes with my four year old.

When she is done with dishes, it's time to wipe the table. Often there are helpers for her.

No better way to end your day then doing something as a family. It gives me energy I need to finish out my day.

  

Reveal Mop Kit

30 Day House Cleaning Challenge: Day 22

 

Today's Task . . . Bedrooms and such

Well today wasn't too bad. I cheated a little and got sheets changed on my bed and my one year olds last night. I just took a few minutes in my one year olds room and our room decluttering and straightening up. Then I headed down to my other daughters room.  

Actually looks pretty good

I had to spend maybe 10 minutes cleaning up and putting books back on the shelf.

My helper taking a break to read

Then it was time to vacuum up.

Since my 4 year old has been having accidents in her room again, it can really smell some days. I got out our wonderful Hoover SteamVac Carpet Cleaner with Clean Surge and cleaned the carpet in their room.

 Carpets clean and smelling fresh. No toys or books clutering the floor.

The cleaning didn't stop there. Of course when it looks like this at the end April . . . 

The living room needed a little attention. The girls spent a little time in there reading the past few days and had popcorn the other night, so there was some cleaning that needed to be done.

 
Well I didn't exactly stop there. The kitchen needed some attention too. I did some baking over the weekend but didn't have much time to clean up after. I washed dishes, wiped down the table, and wiped down the counters. 

 
 What an ambitious day for me. I feel much better going to bed tonight with most of my house looking pretty clean.