Tips and Tricks

First off, I want to thank everyone for their comments from my last blog...I'm so excited to have a boy now....for realzies! In fact, you guys were all so helpful, that I'm glad we're having a boy first! Thank you so much!

So, I'm sure you all have discovered some tricks that you keep the house in order. Well, I thought I'd share mine. I hope that they may be useful to someone. : )

Opening jars: This trick works 100% of the time. So....the stupid lid on your jar won't open....get out some heavy duty hitting object...I like my meat tenderizer...and give the edge of the lid a THWACK!!! This will break the seal, and make it easy to open....you may need to hit it 2-4 times, depending on how big of a "pain-in-the-tush" the lid wants to be. You will never have to ask hubby to open a jar again.....now he can help with more important things....like cleaning!

It's quite energizing!




Clogged drains: I have long hair, and it's staying that way. This leads to clogged shower drains....well, NO MORE. If you have a problem, use Hair-away....it actually dissolves the hair, instead of just pushing it out the drain. To PREVENT the problem, I have invented an amazing contraption....well, I invented it in my head, and then the idea was STOLEN, and I saw it on the store shelf. It lays on top of your drain, like a top hat. It catches all the hair, and let's the water go through. Before my shower, I lay it down, after the shower, empty it and that's it. It's better to prevent than treat. I found mine at Albertson's for $2.00
Rubber bands: This is 10 times better than a rubberband ball. Use a rock climbing hook....I got mine free from the national guard. Keeps all the rubberbands in one place, and it's the easiest access ever!


Tired of credit card offers? Save the fake card they give you, and use them for scrapers. I use these to scrape dried crud off counters, dishes, cabinets....anything. Save your nails! Save time!
You can buy scrapers too, but these are free. I had a pic, it disappeared.

Drink more water. I am always forgetting to drink water, and I know I need to, so this helps Chad and me. If we buy a bottle, I keep it and reuse it for water, and keep it in the fridge. It makes me 10 times more likely to drink water, cuz it's easy, and water that's been chilled in the fridge tastes the best. If I know I'm going to be sitting somewhere for more than 10 minutes....like when I read blogs....I'll take a water bottle with me, and I ALWAYS finish it....not cuz I'm trying to....but it's there, so I keep drinking....it's kinda subconcious.

Stretch your juice. Many people aren't a fan of plain water, but juice is spendy and has high calories...and crystal light is gross to us...so we will fill a water bottle 1/5 juice, 4/5 water. It's a lot like those "Twist" drinks. We like it. Plus, I love those big juice bottles, cuz when they're empty, I'll sanitize them, fill them with water, and put them in the garage for water storage. The plastic is nice and thick.

Keeping herbs fresh: I used to think the best way to keep herbs (like cilantro) fresh, was put the stems in a glass of water, like it's a bouquet of flowers, and pop them in the fridge. That works pretty well, but the best way is to wrap them in paper towel, and put them in a plastic bag. They're keep A LOT longer. This cilantro is 2 weeks old, and looks like I just got it.

So, those are a few things from me.


So, I have been showered with gifts lately, I just had to share....because the stuff is SOOO cute. Chad completely surprised me with yummy goodies from bath and body works...and a bag of Sweet Factory candy....peach penguins, swedish fish....YUM!
My friend Amy and her mom surprised me with this fabulous mug that says sereni-tea, the absence of stress while drinking tea. It's the nicest mug I have, it's thick, has rounded edges, and it stinkin' cute! They also got me the BEST TEA ever! Blackberry and elderflower....they serve it at Ruthie Bee's. $9 a box! They knew I'd never get it for myself, so they got it for me....it smells like flowers and tastes like berries, and has all these subtle flavors at once....this is the only tea Chad likes. And some lavendar soap!


These are some of the clothes Chad's mom got us for the new little tike. I LOVE THE PUMA onesie! And, we got matching socks! Everything is so soft and adorable!



This is the orchid from my mumsie. Orchids make me happy....very happy.....like mangoes. Now my dining room is cheerier than ever!

I've been spoiled....MAJOR! Isn't all so cute? Sorry the pics are weird, I had to use the camera on the laptop...I did my best.