Life is like a kitchen full of dishes.

Does your kitchen ever look like this?

No, mine either. I staged this just for the purposes of getting a picture for my blog. Riiiiight...

Okay, so I may have mentioned a time or twenty that I don't like to clean. Of course, that's a ridiculous understatement. It's like saying the Hatfields don't like the McCoys. Or coyote doesn't like the roadrunner. Or my husband doesn't like Chinese food.

But I've decided that one part of our house that must be clean in order for me to not lose my mind: the kitchen.

Nine times out of 10, we enter the house through the garage. That means we walk right into the [open] space between the dining room and living room, with a direct view down the hallway - and into the kitchen.

If the kitchen is messy, cluttered with dirty dishes and half-empty packages, I feel like my whole life is out of control. The rest of the house could be picked up, but until the dishes are put away and the counters are wiped down, I feel out of sorts.

To a lesser extent (because I've built up a real immunity to its stress), this goes for the desk in our dining room, too. That's where all The Paper goes. You know - mail, bills, invitations and other things that need to be filed or otherwise handled. 

If I ever have a day when both the kitchen is clean and the desk is cleared off, I'm in house heaven! All of a sudden, our home doesn't seem quite so tiny and crowded. Birds sing. The sun shines. You know the feeling, right? A clean kitchen (and desk!) works for me.

What [completed] chore makes you feel like all is right with the world?

This post was inspired by It's Come 2 This, and it will be linked to Works for Me Wednesday.

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Paradise by the Microwave Light

These are NOT pictures of MY meatloaf. I'll explain why. Keep reading . . . 

Yes, that’s right. I did it. I used a Meat Loaf song for a post title about, you guessed it, meatloaf.

I know. I am shameless.

But I can’t help it. Puns and cheesy plays on words and using song lyrics for any reason at all – these are the things I cannot resist.

As well as an excuse to eat cheesy potatoes. And because I refuse to go to the trouble of making mashed potatoes for our small family (or, really, let’s be honest here, any size family), cheesy potatoes are the perfect accompaniment to meatloaf.

Last week when my parents came over for dinner, we had a larger crowd than normal. Because Mark was there. Because he now works nights and is at home in the evenings. [More on that later.]

And so I altered my normal meatloaf recipe.

Danger! Danger, Will Robinson! (What is that even from? Huh. Just looked it up, and it’s from Lost in Space. Which I have never seen. WHY is that phrase even in my brain, much less on the top of my tongue for a blog post about meatloaf?)

Normally, I use one pound of ground beef for my meatloaf. If I’m really on top of things, I’ll thaw out two pounds and make 24 mini meatloaves to freeze for Annalyn. But I only use one pound for the main meatloaf.

That’s key, if you hadn’t picked up on it yet.

 This IS a picture of MY meatloaf - chopped up for little fingers!

Last week, I made a 1 ½-pound meatloaf. Well, just shy of 1 ½ pounds, because I used maybe 1/10 of a pound for one mini loaf.

Let me just cut to the chase: the meatloaf did not get cooked right. It didn’t look pink, but my piece tasted pink. Do you know what I mean? It just didn’t taste right. Everyone else ate it. And said it was fine. But I just don’t know.

Maybe their pieces were fine. After all, the time I gave my dad a loaf of moldy bread and a tub of crumb-filled butter, he did tell me. Reluctantly. But he told me.

Still. My piece of meatloaf was so mushy, so weird, so gross that I didn’t even eat it! (And that’s saying a lot. Just so you know.)

I wish I’d taken a picture of it. Kind of. I mean, you might have been grossed out, too. So I guess what I’m saying is that I wish I had a picture of my good meatloaf.

Instead, I’m going to share my recipe with you. (“Finally! She gets to her point!” you say. “Oh, hush,” I say.)

It’s a combination of my mom’s recipe and Mark’s mom’s recipe, and normally, it turns out really well. I’m quite fond of it, and so is Mark. And it’s just about the easiest thing to make.

Unless you get greedy and use too much meat.

Mary’s Meatloaf
1 lb. ground beef
3 tbsp ketchup
2 tbsp Worcestshire sauce
¼ cup breadcrumbs
Garlic powder

¼ cup ketchup
¼ cup brown sugar

Mix the first five ingredients together. Or, fold them together. However you do things at your house. Me? I mix them all up in the loaf pan I cook the meatloaf in, because I’m lazy low maintenance like that. Smush (ahem, press) the meat mixture into a loaf pan; cover with wax paper. Microwave on high for about 9 minutes. If it looks done, maybe just give it another minute. To be safe.

While it’s cooking (becoming paradise by the microwave light, of course), mix the ketchup and brown sugar together. This may give you WAY too much sauce, and that’s because all these amounts are guesses. (Ooooh, snuck that in there, didn’t I?) Except the one pound of hamburger, and I think we’ve been over that.

After the meatloaf is cooked through (feel free to cut it open if you are now paranoid like I am), pour the sauce on top and nuke it for another 1-2 minutes.

Enjoy with cheesy potatoes and green beans. And muffins, if you’re really on top of things. (And by “muffins,” of course I mean the “just add water to the mix” kind.)

Oh yes, one last thing: Because you don’t have the opportunity to really drain the meat used in this dish, it can be quite greasy. And that is gross. So here are two tricks, one from me and one from my mom.

First, when you check the meatloaf after the first nuking, fold up a couple paper towels, place them on top of the uncovered meatloaf, and use your biggest spatula to drain that puppy over the sink. Feel free – I always do – to do this again after the second nuking but before adding the sauce.

Second (and this one is my mom’s tip, which I forget every time, mainly because I’m lazy low maintenance and mix the ingredients in my loaf pan), you can place the bottom of your butter dish, upside down, in the bottom of your loaf pan. That lifts the meatloaf enough to let the grease fall to the bottom, where nobody has to see it. Except your dishwasher. My mom said she reminds herself to do this by actually storing the butter dish in the loaf pan. So smart.

Too bad I didn’t serve her a good meatloaf in exchange for that tip, huh?

Next time. Next time I will, I’m just sure of it.

Now, everyone makes meatloaf differently. My mother-in-law occasionally made some sort of magical mozzarella meatloaf roll, for example. I can’t imagine that’s going to happen in our house anytime soon, but you never know. (I wonder how I’d fit the butter dish in with that . . . ?)

How do you make meatloaf?

This post will be linked to Mouthwatering Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Tuesdays at the Table, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, What's Cooking Wednesday, Friday Food, Foodie Friday and Food on Fridays.

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Who wants a worm, anyway?

 

Image by chefranden

I’m trying to become an early bird.

A few weeks ago, I decided that I really need to start getting up earlier. Of course, I make this decision about once a month, so it isn’t quite a dramatic statement as it seems.

But this time I actually prayed about it. I asked God to help me get up earlier. And you know what happened the next morning? A certain two-year-old woke up a good 40 minutes earlier than normal!

And she’s been doing that for the past several days, waking up and hollering, “Get me out, Mommy!” until I pull myself out of bed and join the land of the living.

Now that Annalyn’s going to daycare, we’re going to have to make this a regular thing, this getting up before the last minute, this rising before the sun, this not hitting snooze half a dozen times.

It’ll be good for me. Right? Staying up late and sleeping in is overrated, right? (Not that 7 a.m. is sleeping in. Because it’s not.)

Yes, I think I’m convinced. Getting up early will be good. As a matter of fact, I thought of 10 benefits of getting up early, and I’m linking up to OhAmanda’s Top Ten Tuesday (which is hosted at Mandi’s It’s Come 2 This today).

1. I can finally, once and for all, for real this time read my Bible every morning.
2. I could change a load of laundry. And maybe, after a bunch of early mornings in a row, my hamper might be empty for at least 10 minutes.
3. I can empty the dishwasher before breakfast. So I can actually sit down with Annalyn at dinnertime.
4. If I get up before the sun, it’s possible I might actually snap a picture of it coming up. (I said it’s possible, not probable. Quit laughing.)
5. Once I get tired of oatmeal (my Weight Watchers breakfast strategy), I’ll have time to scrambled an egg and nuke some turkey sausage.
6. If I’m really feeling good (and Annalyn’s not awake and wanting to play blocks, watch a movie or play with her clubhouse), I could work out. Water aerobics class is over for now, but that doesn’t mean I can’t pop in a Walk Away the Pounds, Shred or even Tae-Bo video.
7. I can wear my needs-to-be-ironed shirts. The ones that have been crammed in the back of my closet for months because I never have time to iron.
8. I can make coffee for Mark and wake him up nicely – as in, without shouting, “Come on! You’ve got to get up now! I’m going to be late!”
9. I can actually dry my hair and go to work looking like a grown-up.
10. I can breathe. Instead of spending the first hour of my day in a panic, I can spend that time with purpose.

Are you an early bird? If not, what could you accomplish if you got up a few minutes early?

Also, for inspiration to wake up earlier, you should check out Kat’s new blog, Inspired to Action.

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Giveaway: A Woman Inspired Conference

• My laundry has multiplied, migrated and is taking over my bedroom floor. That’s the door I shut when anyone comes over to visit.
• Last night I had to boil pasta in the microwave because all my big pots were dirty, and I couldn’t put dinner off for the hour it would take to get them clean.
• I have a big Rubbermaid box full of photos, some in plastic bags, some in envelopes and some just stacked precariously. None of them organized into any sort of system.
• Two days ago, I finally mailed my last Christmas card.

Have you been there? Has your life ever looked – or does it look now – like a big, fat mess? Do you wonder why you just can’t get it together?

Maybe I’m the only one. But I suspect a few of you might know exactly what I’m talking about. And in that case, A Woman Inspired’s next online conference is for you. And me. For us, really.

A Woman Inspired – Nurturing Creativity & Efficient Living will take place January 25-29, featuring speakers such as Laura of OrgJunkie, Sandy Coughlin of Reluctant Entertainer, Meredith of Like Merchant Ships, Jennifer Schmidt of Beauty and Bedlam, Tanna Clark of Organizing Solutions and Erin Chase of $5 Dinners.com.

Without leaving the comfort of your home (or, you know, paying for a flight and hotel), you will learn how to:

• develop your God-given talents and gifts
• push past creative blocks
• further your education in the area of your choice (at no cost)
• be more productive
• be more focused
• let your light shine!

Each day, you can log in and listen to amazing speakers share the lessons they’ve learned about organizing your complicated life and harnessing your natural creativity. Each day features four sessions, and each session is an hour long. You can tune in for all the speakers or pick the ones that best suit you. And all you need is your computer. No cocktail dress or skinny jeans required.

If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, I’ve got some good news for you. I’m giving away a free ticket!

All you need to do for a chance to win is leave a comment, telling us one way this conference could help you. Random.org will choose a winner on Friday, and I'll notify the winner by Saturday. For more information about A Woman Inspired, visit the conference website.

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Works for Me: Recycling

Last year, one of my New Year's resolutions was to begin recycling. For several months, I just kept thinking about it. Thinking about how I was going to do it. I really was. But then our church started recycling and put two big bins in the parking lot.

So then I carried around the list of recyclable items for a few months. Thinking about how I was really going to do it. Really.

I even bought two big grey bins to hold my recycled stuff.

But it was only this fall that I actually moved those bins to the back of my garage and started putting my empty cans and bottles in there.

I was amazed! Man, do I generate a lot of trash!

Seriously, it did not take long until the bins were overflowing. And so I said to Mark, "Will you take the recycled stuff to church this week?"

And he said, "Umm, sure. But I thought you said you would be responsible for it."

Hmph. So I did.

I'm sure you can guess what happened next. Yep, that's right. The overflowing bins remained in the back of the garage. And now I think about how I'm going to take them to the church. I really am.

Really.

Today's Works for Me Wednesday is a backwards version, so that means it's my turn to ask YOU for some advice. So tell me, readers, how have YOU gone green? Please share your best, greenest tips and hints. 

After all, I can't just write "Take bins to church" on my resolutions list. That would just be sad.

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Christmas Tour of Homes

Welcome! Come on in!

If you’re visiting from The Nester’s Christmas Tour of Homes (or if you’re just here, making the rounds on a regular Monday morning), I’d like to invite you to come back on Friday for Giving Up on a Perfect Christmas. We’ll swap stories of beautifully imperfect (to borrow a certain someone’s phrase) holidays, and I’ll give away a beautiful Lisa Leonard necklace!

Now, on to the touring . . .

I didn't put all my ornaments up this year. Now that we have a toddling toddler in the house, I'm not sure how safe my treasures are - or how safe they are for that kiddo! And, of course, there are always the cats to consider. As in, what will they destroy this year!?

So far, so good. We've only had one casualty, and it was only an ornament down, not even broken.

In addition to my dozens of shiny, matte and glittery red ornaments, I did put a few special ornaments up. Last year, we got Annalyn that frame ornament and recorded her giggling. And then I accidentally erased it. (Talk about giving up on a perfect Christmas, right?)

The Snoopy ornament is one of mine from 1980, and the hammer is the first one he bought for his tiny Christmas tree the year before we got married.

Normally, I fill this large vase with plastic (although very realistic-looking, of course) apples and berries. In my attempt to be a little more festive this year, I dumped out the fruit and dropped (carefully) in some of the red ornaments.

I've read some blog posts recently about how buying an artificial tree is a cop-out. That's funny, because I don't know if I even know anyone who buys a real tree these days. Do you?

Makes me think of a slumber party I went to back in middle school. It was on New Year's Eve and my friend's family still had their [very real] Christmas tree up. Sadly, my embarrassing allergies were out of control that night, and my friend's mom ended up taking their tree down and tossing it outside!

I felt terrible, and the point of this rabbit trail is this: I put up a fake tree, but my tree-smelling candle makes it seem a bit more genuine.

So, that's a bit of my home. If you want to see a few more pictures, check out last year's Tour of Homes post. And if you're new here and want to read more, check out these posts:

Marriage. Marriage is what brings us together today.
"I learned more from the stains than I did the paper."
Cleaning when the clock is ticking...
It's all about the chili.

Thanks for stopping by today. Merry Christmas!!

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Does anyone actually use boughs of holly?

What does your house look like in December? Is it covered, top to bottom, in red and green and holly and ivy? Or are your Christmas decorations few and far between?

If I had to guess, I'd say your answer probably has something to do with how many years you've lived on your own. Or perhaps it's related to how your family celebrated holidays - or how many boxes they sent with you when you moved out on your own!

Most of us, I think, collect our holiday decorations bit by bit over the years, building a collection that brightens our homes, reflects our values and preserves our memories.

This year, I'm excited to be adding to my collection with a few pieces from Dayspring. Have you seen their Jesus is the Gift Snowflake line? Red is my favorite color, so I might be biased, but I think these items just might work with anyone's Christmas decor. Check it out:

Aprons are all the rage right now. You can hardly pass a blog giveaway (including mine!) without seeing another cute apron. This one's on sale for $15.99, and the half apron and child's apron are both even less!

Okay, now raise your hand if you've been invited to a cookie exchange this year. I was, but it fell on my Everything Happens When I Go Out of Town weekend. But I have a feeling I'll still have the chance to display some Christmas cookies, fudge or other sweets on this cute plate. (And it's only $10.99!)

After I got these tea towels, I started thinking about my regular towels. Then I started looking at them. And thinking some more. And I am pretty sure they are more than 10 years old. Well, they still dry my hands and the dishes - but these new towels are way cuter!

Until Monday (December 14), you can get 25% off any purchase from Dayspring. Just use the code: GIFT25. And if you'd like, you can get to the Dayspring store from the banner over in my right sidebar.

I love my new Christmas decorations, and you can visit The Diaper Diaries for more loved things. But now tell me: what's your favorite Christmas decoration?

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Bread, bread, bo-bread, banana-fanna, mo-bread.

I love banana bread. Last weekend, I had some past-their-prime bananas. And so I decided to make some banana bread.

It seems so simple, doesn't it?

Apparently not. Now, I don't know how you cook, but when I mix something in a bowl, I start with the wet ingredients. It's how my mom does it, and she knows what she's doing when it comes to cooking things from scratch (and, you know, mixing things in a bowl).

According to Smitty, this is backwards. Feel free to weigh in on this debate in the comments. But I hope you agree with me. And, oh yeah, this is completely not the point of today's post.

Today's post is to tell you the sad tale of my banana bread. See, I mixed up all the wet ingredients, taking great care to measure everything exactly. I was even using the occasion as a teaching moment with Annalyn, pulling up a chair for her to watch and introducing her to the Wide World of Fractions.

(What? You think 2 is too young for that?)

My moment of parenting and baking brilliance came to a halt, however, when I opened the flour canister and realized: We had no flour.

I don't bake very often. There. I said it.

No problem. I was in a domestic zone. I just covered the bowl and sent Mark to the store. He got the flour, I dumped it in, and the bread was off to the oven.

Oh, it smelled so good. And I felt so smug, so proud of myself. And then I took it out of the oven.

And it was terrible.

Please, Blog World, tell me: How do you make banana bread?

Speaking of bad bananas, @badbanana is one funny Twitterer. I'm not quite as witty, but since we're talking Twitter, you can follow me @givingupperfect. (And if you don't do the Twitter thing but want to, check out Allison Worthington's Smart Girls' Guide to Twitter.)

Enough of that. Tell me how to make better banana bread! (And say that three times fast!)

This post will be linked to Tasty Tuesday, Tuesdays at the Table and Tempt My Tummy Tuesday.

It's like a walk-in closet, but different.

We don't have a lot of storage space in our house. On the other hand, I have a lot of clothes. Mainly I have clothes that don't fit, but getting rid of clothes that don't fit is not the issue at hand.

No. Organizing my closet is.

How do you do it? Do you put away your off-season clothes? Under your bed in boxes? In those vacuumed bags that I see on TV? Or is your closet big enough for all your clothes at once?

Just kidding. Don't tell me if that's the case.

Seriously, what's your seasonal wardrobe strategy?

Cleaning when the clock is ticking…

I’m having a Tastefully Simple party tonight.

It’s been on the calendar for about a month. Invitations went out a couple weeks ago. And yet, I left cleaning until the very last moment possible.

I don’t know what it is about procrastination. Is it stressful? Sure. Is it unnecessary? Absolutely. Do I do it all the darned time? Um, yeah.

So today I’m wondering how you get your house company-ready in a hurry. How do you make sure your home is presentable when people are coming over soon – perhaps already in their cars?

The Top 10 Things That Must Be Done When Cleaning My House in a Hurry

1. Turn on the attic fan. (Obviously, this only works if I don’t have the heater or A/C on. But it works best when a neighbor is grilling or I’m drying a load of laundry. Don’t ask me to explain. I just know that the clean laundry smell magically makes it way into my house when we turn on the attic fan.)
2. Assuming the stars have not aligned and provided natural home fragrance, light some candles.
3. Put away things that have places – toys, dishes, dirty clothes. (Please note: I am not saying, nor would I ever say that dirty clothes don’t immediately go into hampers at my house. Nope. Not me.)
4. Pick up extra junk that’s laying around the house. Drop it into a laundry basket and stick it in the garage. Wonder why everything can’t just have a place in this tiny, storage-deficient house.
5. Get out the Clorox wipes and go to town. Clean the table, the kitchen counters, the bathroom floor, the bathroom sink, and anything else that might be sticky or dusty. Yes, this may include dining room chairs, living room side tables and door knobs.
6. Get out the lint roller and go to town. (Especially important during the winter. When people wear coats. And you want to put them on your bed. Where the cats sleep.) Wonder why I have cats.
7. Fold up blankets and arrange on couches to cover scratches. Wonder about the cats again.
8. Look around for obvious messes – Cheerios in the couch, cat hair under the couch, milk spills, cobwebs in the corners, smudges on the white trim. Deal with them.
9. Vacuum if I have time. Yes, using a Dustbuster qualifies.
10. Stop at least 10 minutes before expected arrival time. Stop sweating. Reapply deodorant and lipstick. Get a drink. Answer the door. (Wonder why some people still think it’s acceptable to arrive early?)

So, let me have it. What’s your last-minute cleaning routine? (Readers who routinely deep clean their houses and actually do have a place for everything need not apply. Thank you.)

Gotta run. There are candles to light and blankets to toss artfully arrange on the couches.

This post is linked to OhAmanda’s Top Ten Tuesday, and the lovely candle photo is by FotoDawg.

Here's the thing: I like muffins.

But I don't like baking. Well, that's not true. I don't mind baking. It's just that it takes so much time. And measuring. And ingredients.

Okay, I don't like baking. Cooking, yes. Baking, not so much.

I manage just fine, though. Don't be feeling sorry for me. Brownies from a box mix are delicious enough to be my specialty (quit laughing!), and rice krispy treats don't require me to turn on the oven at all. Neither do chocolate pudding pies.

But there's something about a muffin. Or a biscuit. Or a roll. Really, any bread will do.

My dad is a big fan of bread. So growing up, our meals were never complete without some sort of bread. My mom taught me how to make biscuits from scratch, several kinds of muffins, garlic bread, banana bread and more.

But, sadly, I've abandoned my cook from scratch ways.

Thankfully, I'm obviously not the only cook who prefers convenience over scratchiness. Because you can get a mix for just about anything.

And my favorite is the muffin mix. Specifically, the one that says "just add water." At less than a dollar per mix, it's easy to stock up and have them on hand.


I was glad I'd done just that last night. Mark had the night off, so I actually had to got to cook dinner for us. And a packet of muffin mix was quick and easy - and rounded out our meal.

Please, don't ask about a vegetable. Surely the onions in the cheesy chicken count?

Do you like to bake? What's your favorite type of bread? Or you a non-carb type of person?

For more kitchen and cooking stuff, check out A Southern Fairytale and Balancing Beauty & Bedlam.

And THIS is why I should never throw anything away.

Last month, as I was flipping through one of the parenting magazines I get, I saw a great ad. I'm pretty sure it was advertising a washer and dryer, and it was two full pages. The left-hand page showed a woman's face and the words, "I think my laundry breeds on its own."

Looking at that ad, I thought, "I love that! I should tear it out and . . ." That's where I got stuck. I wasn't sure what to do with it. I just knew I liked it. Kind of wished I still had the giant bulletin board from my teenage bedroom.

For some reason, I don't think Mark would go for that. Maybe if I could find a locker somewhere?

Today, Kelly is hosting a carnival called Show Us Where You Live, and this week's topic is playrooms, bonus rooms and/or laundry rooms. Annalyn's room is sometimes used as a play room (although, so is the living room), but I didn't think about it in time to take pictures. So, the laundry room it is.

Of course, our laundry room is also known as our garage, so I had this brilliant idea. I could scan that ad and use it as a beautiful graphic for this post! Aha!

Too bad that in my half-hearted attempt to prevent further cluttering of my house, I've committed to throwing away magazines the second I finish reading them.

Hmm.

Guess that means I have to show you my "laundry room" now. Okay, here goes . . .

I'm not sure why we have three gallons of bleach on that shelf. Maybe it was on sale? Three gallons for the price of two? I'm not sure. The things you discover when taking photos of your house!

Also, you may notice that to the left of the washer is a big, cement sink. (Or is it concrete? I'm too lazy to look it up right now, so let the record reflect that I do know there's a difference, even if I can't remember what it is.) That's the sink that occasionally overflows, flooding the garage.

But back to the laundry. What's that? You're wondering where the laundry is? Aside from the large pile of t-shirts on top of the dryer? Well, if you'll turn to your right, you'll see . . .

Here it is. It's not always quite so out of control. I promise! Sometimes (about every other week), Mark decides that it's time to fold up our clothes, and I decide to put Annalyn's clothes back into her closet. And it's all clean and tidy. But normally, here's what you'll find in our laundry area . . .

And that's all the laundry room I can show you today. Because, really, the rest of it looks a whole lot like a garage. We'll save that for another day!

What kind of laundry room do you have? Check out others, along with fun playrooms and bonus rooms, at Kelly's Korner.

What a basket case!

Look at this face. So sweet. So innocent. So...yeah, keep reading.

A few years ago, I got caught in a vicious Longaberger basket cycle. It started so innocently: I was invited to a party, so I went.

I know, I know. But I was so young. I didn't know how these things work.

So I went to the party, even though I was pretty sure all the products would be lovely, but too expensive for me.

Sure enough, I was right. So I did the logical thing - I bought the cheapest thing in the catalog and then scheduled a party of my own, to help the host get more basket points.

Of course, I didn't realize that I'd have to order a basket at my own party. Or that one of my guests would schedule a party to help me get more basket points. And then invite me to said party. At which I'd have to order another basket.

And that's the fascinating story of how I ended up with several lovely, warm brown woven storage containers. And while they aren't necessarily being used to beautifully decorate my home, they have been helpful for holding stuff.

One of my pricey baskets, however, is no longer doing its job. My napkin basket (also known as a large recipe basket) was just the perfect size. It held my napkins so nicely and was actually being used in a semi-domestic sort of way in my kitchen.

But Mark had to throw away my napkin basket. Because my cat peed on it.

Does anybody want a cat?

Next time won’t you sing with me?

Photo by jamie3529gq

All right, folks. It has been a little heavy this week, what with my FAIL as a nursery worker and the abandoned puppies. So let’s lighten it up a little. What say we play a game? Angie did this great ABC meme on her blog the other day, and I thought it would be a perfect way to round out this week. So here goes…

A - Age: I’m 30. Mentally and emotionally, though, I often hover somewhere between 14 and 19. And then there’s the contradicting fact that I was possibly born a middle-aged mom. I guess that makes me…30.

B - Bed Size: Queen, finally! Mark and I slept in a full-size bed for 9 years. Add in two overweight cats, and it was close quarters, so we were so very excited to get a new bed last fall!

C - Chore You Hate: Sweeping floors. I know I say that I’m giving up on perfect, but holding a broom brings out my perfectionist tendencies with a vengeance. Why is it so difficult to get every cat hair, dust bunny and Cheerio off my floor?! (Just so you know, my solution to this issue is to NOT SWEEP. Because that makes sense.)

D - Dad's Name: Tom. But his real name is James, like his father before him, my brother, my father-in-law and my brother-in-law. Out of all those men, my brother is the only one who goes by James. The rest were and are Keith, Jim and Brian. Weird, huh?

E - Essential Start Your Day Item: Can I say a chocolate donut? No? Okay, then, a shower. If I don’t take a shower first thing, I will lounge through the whole day until I have accomplished exactly nothing and look like I’ve got something against personal hygiene.

F - Favorite TV Show: This is a hard one! Current favorite is Chuck. Don’t make me say it again – you should be watching this show. All-time favorite is Gilmore Girls. Don’t mock it until you’ve tried it.

G - Gold or Silver: Do you think this refers to jewelry? My wedding rings are gold, but I like silver, too. I don’t know – I’m not much of a jewelry person. (Although I have been trying to accessorize more lately. Sunday was quite an experiment – it involved earrings, a bracelet and a scarf – cuh-razy!)

H - Height: 5’7”, but I used to be 5’8”. I’m not sure what happened…

I - Instruments You Play(ed): I play the piano. Not much lately, but I used to be pretty good.

I also played the bass clarinet in middle school. I wanted to play the saxophone, because that’s cool. But my parents couldn’t afford to buy one, so I had to play a school instrument. And that’s what the school had. Turns out it wasn’t too bad. Because I was the only one (big surprise, right?), I had to sit with the trombone section (boys) and compete against them for chairs. And because the trombone is considerably harder to play than the bass clarinet, I always got to be first chair. Take that, saxophones.

J - Job Title: Public Relations Specialist. Yes, it’s very special.

K - Kid(s): Annalyn, our feisty, stubborn, charming and adorable 17-month-old daughter. (And yes, I’m officially just calling her by her name on this blog. I can’t handle anything more complicated than that!)

L - Living Arrangement: Small, old, falling apart ranch with one bathroom and no basement. I’m not kidding about the falling apart – you can’t find one room in the house that doesn’t have something broken. But these days, I’m just thankful to have a house.

M - Mom's Name: Alice. She’s Allie to Annalyn and all my cousin’s kids.

N - Nicknames: My high school friends called me Mare Bear for a while. Smitty calls me Blondie. And my parents had the nerve to call me Herb as a child (it’s a long story).
O - Overnight Hospital Stays Other Than Birth: No, but that was one heck of a hospital stay!

P - Pet Peeve: Whistling, unless it’s done by my dad, Smitty or Triple. And then I can endure it.

Q - Quotes You Like: I don't know! Help me out! What's your favorite quote?

R - Right or Left-Handed: Right.

S - Siblings: One younger brother and a younger cousin who grew up with us.

T - Time You Wake Up: I set the alarm for 6:30 a.m. I usually get up about 6:50 a.m. Snooze is a wonderful and dangerous thing.

U - Ultimate Dessert: One of those crazy, 3,000-calorie Death by Chocolate cakes you can get at most restaurants. You know, the kind most people say is “too rich” and they “couldn’t possibly eat it all.” Mmmm-hmm.

V - Vegetable You Dislike: Carrots. If I try to eat them raw, without dip, I literally start to gag a little. And I keep chewing and chewing and chewing…and just can’t choke them down. It’s ugly.

W - Ways You Run Late: So many ways! I’m always late! I hate it, but it’s true. Please, no lectures about how it’s disrespectful and rude. I know. Okay?

X - X-rays You've Had: Lots of lung x-rays for bronchitis/flu-type stuff. It’s pretty much a yearly occurrence. Oh, I also had my spine x-rayed when I visited the chiropractor last year.

Y - Yummy Food You Make: I wish I could say some gourmet, homemade meal. But it seems like most people love my brownies. Made from a mix. A store-brand mix. What can I say? They ARE good!

Z - Zoo Animal: Monkeys and bears, I think. Although I loved seeing the giraffes up close last fall in Nashville.

How about you? Do you know your ABCs?

Keepin' it Real, Housecleaning Style

Oh by the way, here's what my house looked like just a few days after having it professionally cleaned:

Oh, to have someone else to clean my house every week! What's your least favorite household chore?

I could get used to this.

For Christmas, Mark got me something I’ve been wanting – no, needing – for quite a long time. He got me a clean house.

Last Friday, four angels stormed into our tiny house and scrubbed it top to bottom. They swept, they vacuumed, they dusted and wiped. They did what I wish I would do every week and have actually done maybe four times in the last 5 ½ years.

And they did it better.

When I walked in the door Friday evening, my first thought was, “Oh my! What’s that strange smell?” Um, yeah, it was the smell of clean.

Then I took off my shoes and walked down the hall…and almost fell on my face. My floor was so clean it was slick! (These are hardwood floors, not carpet, just in case you’re concerned.)

And then I spent the entire weekend picking up every piece of dirt and each crumb of food that we spilled onto my beautiful clean floors.

Because, really, who knows when we’ll be able to afford and/or justify this kind of luxury again. So I’d better keep it as clean as I can for as long as I can.

After all, my only other option is to actually clean it myself. And that just doesn’t seem right.

Image by swgrlimited