Mohawks and kitchen ideas

My little guy is rebelling a bit lately. I wonder if it has anything to do with me trying to teach him that we aren't equals and that he actually has to do what I say? I'm guessing that is the exact problem since he came to me earlier and asked for a specific age when he doesn't have to listen to me anymore. 18 dear son..I'm counting down the days here lately as well! (Proverbs 19:18 - Discipline your son while there is hope, And do not desire his death)

He got a hair-do this weekend to compliment his rebellious attitude. A SUMMER ONLY do...


I'm sure he'll have a tan head after a day at my in-laws house where he lives outside. He goes there tomorrow along with Cutecumber. I'm excited to spend some one-on-one with my oldest who comes home for a week from her Dad's tomorrow.

I've been thinking of doing a tour of my kitchen on video to add a little something different here. I just have to try out my cheap digital camera and see if it will work with the lighting I have. Usually it takes a pretty dark video, but if I open all the windows, maybe I can make it work.

Speaking of kitchens, like I always say on this type of picture post, some of these that I am about to show you have been filed away for years, others for days. Most I do not remember where they came from but if you see something here and you want credit, leave me a message and I'll do so and link ya!

Here are the pictures I have filed in a folder called Kitchen Ideas:

Saved this one because of the bunt pan display.

Love it because you can find these at thrift shops for cents, and with a can of spray paint, they will match any decor. I've got 3 saved, I'm just trying to find a Persimmon (fiesta ware) color spray paint.

Here, I loved the vibrant colors...


I actually dislike that back splash, with it's tiny and random pattern, but the fiesta ware really pops and that "eat" sign caught my eye. It's an interesting and cheap graphic. I think I went out and bought those 3 letters the day after I saw this, but I haven't done anything with them yet. They are still white. The look here is nice, but who needs 3 colanders and 8 pitchers?

This:


is the stove of my dreams. There is a fridge in the same retro style and I will have them just as soon as I win the lotto. Rachel Ray has similar appliances in her TV kitchen..I don't really watch her, but I'll watch long enough to glimpse that fridge!


This is not my style at all, but look how they added feet to the bottom cabinetry. I love that! It really makes it feel like a piece of furniture to me. I plan to do this to mine. Someday...


I love the chalkboard on the pantry door, and the white china/pottery on the shelves. I try and mix this simplistic and clean look with a colorful and retro flare in my own kitchen. Right brain meets left brain. I love the inside of this pantry, no labels, all glass. It's disgusting how happy and calm this image makes me just to look at it. It would never work in my real life, but don't think I havent considered putting mac noodles in one glass, and the powdered cheese in another and discarding that ugly box. I know it's nuts...I still dream about it!

The dining area of my kitchen is really small, so I don't have a lot of room for a big china cabinet.


I love the built in shelving here. It would allow me to display, without the bulk of a piece of furniture.


and not related to kitchen, but I just found the inspiration picture for my Freddy Krueger medicine cabinet...

Super cute right?!

Adding "Americana" to my vocabulary

It's been a slightly productive weekend, but most things I had planned have not panned out. Oh well, I went with the flow. I'm always better off for that.

I had planned to paint and install my Freddy K medicine cabinet, but before I painted it, I decided to measure the area I wanted to put it and of course there is a stupid stud exactly in the middle of that spot. DRAT! The wall space is limited in the laundry room due to shelving so I need to come up with a Plan C. If you are wondering about Plan B, it's currently in action. Plan B is leaving it where it is while I come up with a Plan C.

I didn't want to get side tracked from crafting so I decided to pull out the sewing machine last night and see where it led me. I ended up finishing a seam on the curtain in the Scientists room. It was sort of bitter sweet. The curtain that was up there before was made by a dear friend, and finishing the seam made the transformation final and the old curtain was taken down. It served it's purpose well. It was even faded through the center from years of hard work. Thanks Monica! I made his new curtain out of his fitted sheet which he refuses to use. I just cut slits in the top seam and threaded the rod through. Then I trimmed the bottom to fit, and sewed a simple seam.

I also finished a seam on the Scientist's comforter which I had cut about 6 inches off on one whole side so it would fit his bunk bed better and allowed him to make his bed so much easier which was becoming a struggle because of the bulky blanket. (not the best pic, but you get the idea)


That's all I ended up doing on the machine, but my Honey took it over and whipped out the cutest little "Americana" patch quilt made with material scraps his grandmother left behind. It is so snuggly and comfortable. I plan to use it as a throw on the sofa while all my Fourth of July decor is out. I think it will be a well loved and fought over accessory in our den for years to come.


Isn't it charming? I love that my Honey can sew. Have I ever posted a photo of the hat he crocheted for Cutecumber just after she was born? Let me use this as an excuse to show you one of my favorite pictures and memories:

I love my family!

Ok back to crafting 101...
I ended up doing another quick project with my "retro" contact paper from this thriftshop trip.


I used mats from the Dollar Tree which are actually in the pet aisle as "feeding mats" and covered them with the contact paper. It was really easy, even with the "help" of my little Cutecumber (note her tiny arm in the photo) who was slightly upset that I was covering up Snoopy, but I did get an "ooh cuuuute" from her when I was finished which diminished my guilt thank goodness.
Just cut the contact paper slightly larger than your mat. Peel off the backing and lay the contact paper sticky side up. Lay the mat picture-side down and press down well. Use an X-acto knife to trim away the excess. Flip over and Ta-Da! It took me about 20 minutes to do all 6. I opted for the pet feeding mats over actual place mats because they were slightly larger and firmer, not floppy like most foam type place mats. They are easy to clean too. I'm really happy with the way they turned out. Really cheery and happy and complement my Fiestaware collection quite nicely. (which is continuing to grow, thanks Mom!)

As a side note, Honey hates that paper, but humored me when I was finished with the mats and said they turned out cuter than he thought they would. I think it's growing on him. I giggle a bit at the fact that the stickers on the back say "Feeding Mat". We're animals in the House of Q. lol

Medicine cabinet and my close encounter with Freddy Krueger

In a blog somewhere I saw this awesome little medicine cabinet that someone had put in their laundry room. It was the old metal style cabinet but they had etched a medical cross on the front mirror and looks so neat. I had a couple of other etching projects in mind when I came across it, so I threw that in with my "crafts to do soon" list. It also appealed to me because I need more storage space for meds. With Honey and Ms. Thang having asthma, the inhalers, nebulizer, and allergy meds don't leave much room for band aides and neosporin.
It was sort of odd, as I was thinking to myself that a medicine cabinet would never show up on Craigslist, when I looked and there were four of them. Two were high-end and $50 each. 2 were old, claimed to need a little tlc inside but that the mirrors were still good. That's just my style. I emailed the guy and he said I could pick them up anytime, they would be sitting outside on the porch. I only needed one, he said that I could take both if I wanted.

Well I had planned to pick them up yesterday just after dinner, but time got away from me and it was about 8-9 before I finally had a chance to leave the house. I had used google maps and the location looked easy and was only about 5 minutes away from me. I grabbed the keys and headed out the door. Here is where my terror story begins.

I drove down a main street knowing I needed to make a right onto a particular road. I knew I had gone too far when I came to a certain intersection and had somehow missed the sign. I pulled into a dark parking lot and called my Honey.

"I'm lost already."
"Already!? " he laughed.

He looked it up and said I actually needed to turn down a different street that later turned into the road I was looking for.

I was in a dark parking lot, feeling like the map was simple and straight forward when I checked it before. Hmm...

So I do as my husband suggested, and found myself on the darkest street in town. I found the house and it looked a little run down. I noticed the medicine cabinets on the porch, leaning up against a large paned window with blinds that had seen better days.
No porch light, no street light, and no cars out front. The yard was unkempt and the shrubs were a few years over-grown. It felt abandoned. I admit, I had a slight case of the hebe-jeebees. The large mirrors reflecting the eerie scene wasn't exactly helping.

I got out and grabbed the closest of the two cabinets, knowing right then that I was only going to get one. I was trying to be super quiet because it was later than anyone would have expected me to be there and I didn't want to disturb anyone (if there was anyone) inside.

The mirror was heavier than expected. It was dirty and rusted a bit around the outside (the part that actually goes inside the wall) and was awkward to get a grip on and carry to the van. I was trying to carry it with a light touch, scared of tetanus if nothing else. I was practically running to the van. I was imagining decades of dust and spider webs that I was probably touching and I was just about ready to drop it and drive away. *deep breath, you're a grown woman!* so I opened the back hatch and was illuminated with light. I felt better already. The medicine cabinet looked a lot less scary and dirty propped up next to the familiar items in the back of the van. It's hard to be scared when your surrounded by a stroller, a kids bicycle and 10 reusable grocery bags.

I inspected the cabinet and although it was ok, it was pretty rusty inside and it had an old toothbrush which totally grossed me out. I looked over at the remaining cabinet still on the porch. I decided to make a swap and promised the scared part of me that I would live with the other cabinet, even if it's condition turned out to be worse than the one I had now. I left the trunk open, for the little light it provided, and quickly carried the other cabinet back to the porch to make the trade. I was being super quiet and careful, taking my time to put the heavy thing back as gently as possible without making any noise.

I had to strain a bit to lower it quietly because it was heavy and apparently shut my eyes for just a moment to do so. When I opened them, I was inches away from the window, bent almost 90 degrees and my heart stopped as I noticed the pull string from the blinds inside was swinging rather violently back and forth. I held my breath as my mind raced a mile a minute and I tried to rationalize what was happening...
Did I somehow bump it through the glass while I set the cabinet down?
Could an inside fan be doing that?
Is someone here watching me?

I slowly raised up from my kneeling position and that is when I noticed the pale, veiny, moon-lit hand visible through the broken blinds. I impulsively stood straight up and was inches away from a matching hand pulling the blinds slightly to expose the shadowed face of an old man.

I was frozen with fear. I have never been so scared in my entire life. He immediately came outside, apologizing for scaring me and trying to have a little conversation, but my pulse was racing and I just wanted him to go back inside and leave me alone. I made some sort of small talk as I grabbed the other cabinet and thanked him trying to force a smile through lips that wouldn't move.

He was harmless, and in hind-sight, probably as startled as I was. I found myself singing entirely too loud, to a song I didn't know the words to, as I headed home and fought off tears. I hate being a girl sometimes, but you know, thinking about it, how many guys would have gone through that and actually come home with the medicine cabinet in tow?

I hope to have it done before the weekend is over. I started cleaning it up as I told this story to my Honey last night. He pretends to beat himself up over letting me go out at night alone instead of doing it himself, but we both know he is laughing on the inside. The medicine cabinet is ancient but in pretty decent shape. No toothbrushes in this one and it did end up being the better of the two that were out on that creepy old porch. One thing that is kind of strange, is a little slot on the back wall of the cabinet with a sticker that says "Razor Blades" where you apparently are supposed to discard your old razors right into the wall. Knowing that old house has a wall possibly full of old razor blades makes it all seem more creepy doesn't it? I took a picture for you...


I did a little research and the blades actually were thrown right into the wall of the house. Renovations in older homes sometimes expose walls with literally thousands of blades. It's also rumored that during the war, people would open up their walls and donate their large stash of metal to the war. Strange.... I'm tempted to tape over it while painting and save that little sticker and slot. An odd piece of history and a reminder of the time I was almost murdered by Freddy Krueger.

Tea parties, bee hives, and ugly pantries

I sold a few items on Craigslist yesterday and since my in-laws were going to take both the little ones for the day (oldest being with her dad and watching Toy Story 3 without me, *pout*) I decided to go to a store called Tradarama that is packed full of stuff and impossible to maneuver around with a toddler in hand. The aisles are too narrow for a cart or stroller. I don't go there very often at all because of that.
It's super hot in there and a tad on the "overfloweth" side but there are great prices and TONS of stuff. I like the back half of the store. Stuff..no clothes or bedding, just stuff. In one box there are rolls upon rolls of contact paper from every decade since the 70s..maybe some older. I grabbed this roll and although I don't know exactly what I want to do with it yet, I loved it from the moment I saw it. I think I had sheets in a similar pattern as a kid. I know it boarders on the brink of being ugly, but if I do the right thing with it, it could pass into that retro cool potential I know it has. I wish the picture showed the truer colors.


I'm actually thinking of putting it on that EAT in the background..what do you think? Maybe just one letter? I believe I paid $.50 for the roll (lots left) and if nothing else, I'm putting it in my pantry. One day, you'll see it again in the blog of the person that bought my house and they'll show the transformation and say "Now isn't that so much better than that hideous contact paper?" lol But for now, it's my house and it makes me happy so in the pantry it shall go.

I also got this little "beehive" pot and how could I resist it when I had JUST mentioned wanting one in my last post? $.50 and it's mine.


I need to figure out what to put in it and my "owl" pot. I wanted an array of succulents (because I kill everything) but these are too small and narrow at the top I think. Any ideas? I don't have much surface area near window lighting. I may have to go fake..yuck.

Found the "freedom" sign ($.50) and the flag heart ($.75) and hope to make some sort of arrangement for 4th of July. I meant to do it for Memorial day but never got around to it. *oops*


I've been considering a Tea party for Cutecumber's 2nd birthday. I have visions of cupcakes decorated as different garden flowers and little finger sandwiches in flower shapes too. I got all this for $1.00 today. For that price, even if I don't use it for her birthday, I can have a fun tea party with just the kids.

They wrapped my items in bubble wrap. Score for the Scientist who said something cute the other night during prayers:

"...and if the devil ever tries to get into heaven, and you tell him no and he gets mad cause he doesn't like that, just tell him, "You get what you get, and you don't throw a fit!".....Amen! "

I believe I can thank Ms. Flores (Kinder teacher) for that quote lol

I really want to finish a few projects I have that involve etching glass. I have everything together, I just need to do it. I hope to show you those soon.

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1.03.01

Can't help myself

So I'm beyond broke, but even poor women need shopping therapy to keep their head above water.
I stopped at a garage sale on Saturday. I swear it was practically fate. I was doing so well avoiding what I truly believe was a record breaking amount of yard sales that day, put on every corner of every street I turned down, and placed there by the devil himself, tempting my lightweight wallet like only a pink frosting cupcake can tempt a weakened dieter.
I did so well too. Heading straight to where I needed to go, looking forward, avoiding the neon colored signs streaking my peripheral vision. I was *almost* home when I decided to reward my good behavior with an ice cold soda and had to make an unexpected detour and wound up right in front of an elderly lady waving me into her yard sale. I couldn't say no! I decided to stick with a budget of $1.25 the cost of my icy cola reward which I was easily forgoing in the name of therapeutic shopping! I don't know if it was the circumstances in which these 3 items were bought (almost sinfully) or if I really do love the items I got, but..I REALLY DO LOVE THE ITEMS I GOT!

I have been looking everywhere, for a very long time, to find an over sized pair of silverware, fork and spoon. I've even looked on ebay, where I can only find tribal type carved ones, and it was almost to the point I was going to make my own out of plywood and a jigsaw, but they would be a little on the simplistic side for my taste because of my limited skills, but there in the grass, near the therapeutic shoes was the spoon. No fork, but it is exactly the spoon I had always envisioned, except the spoon of my dreams was wooden, which I planned to paint white or black and this one was silver (which I never would have thought of-duh) and I totally love it.



I still want a fork, and know I'll probably never find an exact match, but good things come to those who wait right?
In that same photo you can see my other purchase. A ceramic yellow apple. I have a similar one there that looks blue, but is actually a neon green apple that lays on it's side. (it's a bad photo, but the window makes it impossible to shoot here) anyway, I have seen a lot of these apples around and buy any green ones I can find, but never have I seen a yellow one, and it matches my kitchen perfectly. @ $.50 for the spoon, and $.10 for the apple, I had exactly $.65 left in my budget when I spotted this next item. I was willing to let everything else go if only to get it and when I turned it over there was a 50 cent sticker that made my heart skip a beat. I truly love this piece.


I haven't decided where I want this pretty planter because I think it looks fabulous everywhere. With that beautiful "owl shape"and scalloped feather design how can you not love it? On the bottom it says Caleramics USA 19©76 it also has a number that looks like 602-1.

I tried doing a little research on it and didn't find much besides the obvious. It was made in California in the 70s. One thing I did notice while searching was the recurring image of a pot that had a bee hive shape to it and if there is a series of "nature" pottery done in Caleramics..I must have them all!
Here is the "hive" piece:


If you know/find any more info, let me know.

So whether you view this post as a story of a woman with no will power, or a story of a woman who was gifted with the luck to find beautiful things on a budget, one thing is certain. Shopping therapy works. I'm a happy camper!

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1.03.01

Father's day

Father's Day questionnaire

1. What is your father’s middle name? Anthony
2. Where was your father born? He was a military brat so..I have no idea!
3. What was the most influential piece of history that took place during your father’s childhood? Vietnam war?
4.Who were/are your father’s role models? My guess would be his own father, My grandpa. And maybe Garfield. lol
5.What is your earliest memory with your father? I remember small things, like pretending to be asleep so he would carry me to bed, or that his hands were always dirty even when they were clean. (oilfield)
6.What is your favorite childhood memory with your father? I was sick at school and he came to pick me up on a motorcycle and all my friends thought it was sooo cool.
7. What color eyes does your father have? Hazel
8.Did you buy your father a Father’s Day gift? No, I don't think I ever have. He's not the gifty type. Wait, I take that back. One year I bought him the most hideous tie as a gag gift and he threatened to wear it at my graduation/wedding etc.. for YEARS lol.
9.Is there anything you would like to tell your father that you could or did not? No. I think my dad and I have a pretty open relationship and all that needs to be said has been said, and anything that hasn't is understood.
10.What was your father’s biggest influence on you? Be yourself, and not to care what others think of you.
11.What good advice did your father give to you? Never be afraid to ask questions, and stand up for what you believe in.
12.What would you like to pass on to your children that your father passed on to you? Both #10 and #11
13. What famous father would you not mind having as your father? Donald Trump. Just long enough to get into the will. :P
14. What three traits do good father’s have in common? Loving, honest, protective.
15. Give us your most favorite quote made by your father. Not really a quote, but my dad loves living, and being adventurous. An ongoing joke with us is what will be stated on his headstone. Here lies John. "Wonderful Son, Husband, and Father. Born 1961, Died in 20** being eaten by a bear while hiking in unexplored forests." or "Here lies John, eaten alive by crocodile while canooing alone in Florida's infested waters." or better yet "Here lies John. Founder of panned gold, mined diamonds, buried treasures, Incan ruins, and survivor of numerous animal attacks, 21 days alone in the wilderness, 2 years on a deserted island, finally meeting his maker at the age of 153 insuring his place as the World Guinness's oldest living man."

Happy Father's Day!

Can't sleep

It's about 2:00am here and I can't sleep. My Honey is out of town, my oldest is at her dad's, and my other two are passed out. Even my dog is asleep.

I'm going to empty the mind, so let me preface this post with an "I'm sorry for the random rambling."

I have the Bisell Steam Mop and loved it up until the part where it started smelling like a fish died when I used it. I did a little online research and apparently it's very important to follow the directions and use ONLY distilled water or the filter will start to smell like a dead fish. I need to buy a new filter now. Wonder how much that will cost me? I also need to buy some distilled water. Ugh, I should have got the FILTER LESS Shark mop. Hope someone reads this and learns from my mistake.

I want a new ring tone. Something that isn't "now" so I don't have to change it again when "now" is over.

They have one of those air-jumper things by the snow cone stand across from Sonic (you'd think they wouldn't get any business there right?) and the Scientist always asks to go. The one day I took the kids, and the air-jumper was gone. It was back up today though. I'd be really mad about it, but the snow cone was super delish.

I know it was back, because I went to the Dollar Tree in the same shopping center as the stand. I hadn't been in there in awhile. I always let the kids pick out something. Cutecumber got a bathtub book with Ariel on it (Little Mermaid) which she has been watching on repeat in her bedroom all week. The Scientist picked out giant bath fizzers in apple scent "because apples are healthy". Yeah.. so cute, but having a kid on a heath kick when you feel like eating Cheetos and making Coke-can pyramids beside the computer..not so fun.

I grabbed a bag of those popping streamer things. The kind that you aim into the air and pull the string. I told the scientist they were dangerous but that I was going to let him do them anyway because I knew he would be responsible. I loved watching him gently carry them around like they were ticking bombs and telling Cutecumber "no no, these are explosives!" when she tried to reach out and grab the bag. (Which she only wanted because he was acting so weird about them lol)

He did love them too. After some quick instructions, I let him pull the string. He immediately ran to inspect the streamers in the grass, and then smelled the inside proclaiming "Oh yeah, that's smoke alright" and "Look how it totally blew off the bottom!" Boys are so funny.

Tomorrow I need to go grocery shopping. I should probably be spending my time making a dinner plan, grocery list, and clipping coupons rather than posting a bunch of random thoughts on the computer, but where is the fun in that?
Speaking of meal plans, do any of my fellow Mommy-board members ever feel like the answers to the "What's for Dinner" posts are lies?

"We are having artichoke hearts with steak tips and a garlic butter cream sauce with bread made from scratch."
or
"Talapia with brown rice, asparagus, topped with a lime/tomato salsa. Homemade apple pie for dessert."

My weekly meal plan is more like:
M-Pasta and garlic bread
T-Fish sticks and salad
w-Broccoli, rice, cheese casserole
T-Left overs
F-Pizza night
S-Chicken salad sandwiches
S-Dinner at the in-laws

Wow look, I did end up writing a meal plan. *yawn*, I've just about bored myself to sleep.

Night

Homemade Laundry Detergent

Well, I've been reading a lot about this on the net and finally decided to try it for myself. There are a million and one variations but it's basically the same recipe.

Here are the ingredients:

1/3 bar of Laundry soap like Zote or Fels Naptha OR 1 whole bar of Dove soap (any bar of soap would probably work, I saw someone use Irish spring and lever 2000) I used the pink Zote found in the laundry section @ Walmart

1/2 cup of WASHING powder (I found one made by Arm and Hammer @ HEB in the laundry section)

1/2 cup of Borax (I found mine @ Walmart in the laundry section)

a large 5 gallon bucket


Directions:

Grate up your soap. ( The Zote was really easy with my hand cranking grater, and even looked a little yummy sitting there in the bowl lol)

Boil 6 cups water and add in your soap a little at a time. Keep stirring until the soap is completely melted. It will foam up a little but not too bad.

Add the washing soda and the borax and stir until it is dissolved. Remove from heat.

Pour 4 cups hot water into the bucket. (not sure why it has to be hot but I just followed the directions and did it) Add your soap mixture and stir.

Now add 1 gallon plus 6 cups of water and stir. Let the soap sit for about 24 hours and it will gel (I covered mine with saran wrap) You use ½ cup per load, and do not be surprised, as the soap does not foam up during use.

Depending on which soap you used, it will gel in different ways. More than likely it will need to be shaken before each use. I was a bit worried after seeing some of the finished products online (check out videos on youtube), because a few were rather blobby and seperated, but mine did gel rather nicely and aside from being "slightly" on the wet side, I like the results. It is a pale milky pink in color. Also, smell will change depending on the bar of soap you use. (If you use a scent free soap, you can add a drop or two of essential oil). The pink zote has a lemony fresh smell that I really like and reminds me of my grandma's old laundry soap for some reason, so it has a sense of nastalgia for me, an added bonus. I've only washed a few loads, but so far there is absolutely no difference in performance to me and I am comparing to ALL brand which I used on a regular basis before.

Now, I know it may seem like a lot of trouble for minimum savings, but for a family of 5 (where washing sheets and bedding can be over 6 loads and a full days work!) it is absolutely worth it and I can't imagine going back to regular detergent ever again. It's about as hard and time consuming to make as a box of macaroni, and the batch cost me about $1 to make. It filled up one entire ALL container (150 oz- the one that lays on it's side and has a spout) that says it produces 96 loads. It also filled about half of another ALL container. The measuring cup for the ALL is 1/2 cup when filled to the very top, which is the suggested measurement to use for the homemade detergent.

Based on these facts, that is 144 loads (96 from the full ALL container plus 48 from the 1/2 ALL container)
At $1 for the batch, that is not even $.01 per load.

UPDATE: Made my second batch the other day and this time used the Fels Naptha and I like it better than the zote. I will probably never go back to regular detergent again. I've made drier sheets by doing 1 parts Gain fabric softener with 1 parts water in a small tupperware container. I cut a sponge in half and soak them in the mixture. I squeeze it out a bit and throw it in like any drier sheet. It's the perfect compliment to the super light scent the Fels Naptha leaves.

Why I call him the Scientist

You know how every parent thinks their kids are the smartest kids alive? Well, of course they do! They all love their children and look at them through rose colored glasses. It's sweet really don't you think? But me, well, my child really IS a genius! I've got proof...

I was finishing up a major vacuum job in my son's room when Cutecumber decided to start fussing in her crib. I couldn't hear her over the vacuum so my sweet son fixed a bottle for her all on his own. (*I know she is almost 2 and still on the bottle, but don't let that fool you into thinking she isn't highly advanced as well. It's me holding her back. Totally.) Anyway, when I turned off the vacuum, my son was telling me about his wonderful deed (making sure he gets praised for his kindness..also pure genius) and I noticed she had a bottle that had been laying dirty in the sink. Uh oh!

Me: "Honey, did you get that bottle out of the dirty sink?"
Scientist: "Yes, but don't worry, I washed it."
Me: "Did you scrub it inside with the bottle cleaner?"
Scientist: "No, I couldnt find it. But I just poured a little rice down in there with some soap and water. Then I shook it up so it scrubbed the sides because my hand wouldn't fit in there."

Umm genius! I wonder what other bright and helpful things he will do while I run the vacuum in the kitchen to clean up all the spilled rice.....

5 Signs of Summer

Summer vacation has officially started in the House of Q. Here are 5 signs I noted today...

1.Quiet morning that lingered on past 9am.

2.Kitchen full of plates with seeds glued to them using dried watermelon juice.

3.Wet foot prints leading from the pool, across the concrete and down the hall where swimsuits are left to hang in the bathroom to dry.

4.Sun kissed children laying about on furniture declaring their boredom and undying desire to eat me out of house and home.

Ahh the lazy days of summer. :)