I hate cleaning. We will just get that out of the way. But one of the biggest things I hate about cleaning is the smell of store bought cleaners, especially while pregnant. So I decided that since I am trying to “green” up our lives anyway I would make my own cleaners that I could use anywhere in the house. I also figured if I had just a few cleaners that I could fit in a bucket I would be more apt to clean things because they would be easy to grab and take from room to room.

I wanted to make two different bottles up. The first bottle is for my bathtub and sink to really get that soap scum off. I found awesome directions using blue Dawn dish soap mixed with vinegar and some tea tree oil (it is anti-bacterial). So I mixed up 1 part Dawn to 2 parts vinegar and added about 10 drops of tea tree oil. I sprayed it on my tub and let it sit for a bit, after it sat I sprinkled some baking soda all around my tub (this really helps get stuff off as it is an abrasive). I took my super awesome scrub brush (the large one in the picture below) and scrubbed my tub really well. It was so white and so smooth after I finished. I was so impressed. I also did this to my sink, but I used an old tooth brush to really get in and around my taps because they were gross and it really helped get them clean.

For the rest of the bathroom and for my kitchen I use a spray bottle with 2 parts vinegar and 1 part water. I will sprinkle baking soda on first and spray and wipe. I have also been using micro-fibre cloths that I bought (at the dollar store) and they work really well. I have been trying to cut back on the paper towel that I use. I put my baking soda in a spice shaker which is nice and allows me to sprinkle without accidently spilling the whole box. And since my cleaning bucket is kept in my bathroom next to my diaper pail I can just sprinkle some baking soda on top of my diapers every once and a while to help with smell.

And one of the great things is that I didn’t spend a lot of money. I bought my red bucket, micro-fibre cloths, scrub brush, spray bottles, vinegar, baking soda and Dawn all at the dollar store. I had to get my tea tree oil at the drug store but it was only $8 and will last me a really long time. So that is my green cleaning kit.

Before

For one of our classes we have group projects where we have to create a worship service. Stefan’s group is the last group to present and it takes place tomorrow afternoon. He missed the first few meetings for his group and did not know what was going on. He went to a group meeting yesterday

and was given the task of making 20 Yamikas (those little Jewish hats) for their service. Being the good wife that I am I agreed to help do them.

The Process

We found an old sheet and Stefan cut out 20 circles, than cut triangles in all of them and I had the task of sewing them up to make little hats. It gave me an idea of what my mom and other moms went through multiple times when their children were growing up and they would one day mention that they needed 6 dozen cupcakes for school…tomorrow…and they mention this at 9 oclock at night. So after Lost was done I sat down and sewed the 20 yamikas, it did not take that long, but the sad part was if it had at least been cupcakes I could have snacked on a few of them and eaten frosting 🙂 Oh well.

20 Yamikas

Stefan and his Yamika

So tomorrow is Stefan’s birthday and since I love parties so much I asked him if he wanted me to throw him one and invite his friends over. He says no and that he does not like parties. Well being the good wife that I am I want to do something for him and since he doesn’t want a party I ask him what kind of cake he wants me to make him and he can’t make up his mind. Well I finally convince him to let me make him my chocolate chip cookies for his birthday. Now this is a treat for me too because it means I get to eat cookie dough which is my favorite.

So I made 60 cookies (yeah sure there could have been like 10 or so more but I had to eat all that cookie dough). Lesson learned know when to stop eating cookie dough (the baking soda in them always gives me weird burps). But they turned out great and I am planning on sharing Stefan’s birthday cookies with his friends tonight when they come over to watch our weekly shows (Big Bang Theory and How I met your Mother).

So hopefully that goes well. Until next time

Deborah

So my wedding went off without a hitch. Everyone talks about that one thing that goes wrong, I can’t think of anything. Even taking photos in the cold was not terrible (Julie did an amazing job). Everything was great. Stefan and I are now in Florida and the weather is wonderful (I do not want to go back to the snow and cold of the North). We are having a blast and enjoying our Christmas break/Honeymoon together. We are staying in a wonderful resort and our room is like an apartment it is amazing. I am enjoying being a wife (yeah it has only been a few days but thats alright). I am super excited to get back to school and into our apartment so we can get into routine and have our own place to decorate. Anyway back to the nice weather here in Florida. Till next time.