Favorite Cleaning/Household Products

Thought I would share with you my go-to cleaning/household products that make my life easier, and well just make me happy :) Have I mentioned that I am OCD about cleaning? Anyway...these are my favs.



I absolutetly LOVE these dryer bars! It really keeps my laundry closet clutter free from dryer sheets. I put one of those in every few months and don't have to worry about static and it makes our clothes fresh and soft.



I use these more than any other cleaning product. Perfect for cleaning up messes which I encounter several times a day with two little ones. I use them everywhere...the car, kitchen, bathroom. I use them to discinfect phones, remotes, door knobs, trash cans, etc. Probably my absolute favorite product!!



I HATE cleaning toilets! I dread this task each week. So, I use these little things because I can flush away the disgusting germs, and not have a nasty toilet brush hanging out in my bathroom. Did I mention I am a germ-a-phobe?



And last, but not least, is the old standard. Bleach. Perfect for discinfecting and cleaning stains.

I pretty much LOVE to clean (besides toilets). I could spend lots of time in the cleaning aisle of Wal-Mart, and I am fond of the newest cleaning things sold on infomercials. I would love to hear what your go-to cleaning products are!

Stop for a Minute...

As a mom I feel like I am in a constant RUSH... I rarely have time to sit down and relax. There is always laundry to be done, dishes to be put away, toys to pick up, meals to make, diapers to change...and the list goes on and on and on. This is why I have become very fond of a little thing called "naptime." :)

I find myself counting down the hours, minutes, until I will be able to put my two precious girls in their rooms and have hopefully an hour or so to catch my breath, sit down, and think. Truth be told, I usually use about the first 20 minutes of their naptime to get the few things done that are impossible to do with a baby wrapped around my leg, and a preschooler asking me 20 questions.

But, then it comes, every afternoon...QUIET. I think I almost do a little "happy dance" as I close the girls' doors and know I am getting ready to have a few minutes to myself. I look forward to this time.

Today however, I felt a little different. I rocked my baby to sleep (as is our normal nap routine). And after I knew she was asleep I started walking to her room, giddy that I was going to be laying her down for that precious nap...and it hit me. These days are going by fast. I stopped outside her bedroom door, holding her. I tried to take in everything...the feel of her little head nestled into my neck, the smell of Johnson's baby shampoo on her hair, her warm baby breath, her soft skin.

She was wearing an outfit that her older sister wore, it seems like not that long ago. But it has been a long time. It's been almost 4 years ago. Where does the time go? It goes by in a blink...I want to remember every second with these girls. As much as I look forward to the days of endless time to myself, I won't be too upset when my baby awakes early from her nap and needs me to snuggle her for an hour. I'll quit rushing, stop, and savor those moments.

Success

In the "career world" it is easy to determine success. There is a standard or goal to meet. There is a boss that tells you what is expected. There are milestones you reach, promotions to strive for, rewards to obtain.

This is not the case when you are a homemaker...In my vocation, there is no "boss" telling me what needs to be done for the day. There isn't a job description. There are no promotions.

I have realized after several years, that only I can determine what success is for me. Sure, I have goals in homemaking and in raising children. But, really there is no one monitoring whether or not I achieve them. So, I have compiled a brief list of what I consider success in this season of life.

Success Is...

*Getting a diaper on correctly, on the first try

*Having the house stay clean for 8 hours straight (even if that's only because everyone is asleep)

*Managing to get more food into my baby's mouth than on her clothes

*Getting through Wal-Mart without any "melt-downs"

*A day without tears (from me OR the kids)

*Eating a meal in a restaurant without being "THAT family" with the screaming baby

*Getting my 4 year old to eat a vegetable willingly

*Eating my dinner before it gets cold

*Actually getting the clean laundry put away in the drawers and closets (instead of just moving the piles from the basket to the bed, etc.)

*Having enough time to put make-up on and fix my hair

*Sleeping through the night, without a child waking me up

*My daughters' hugs and affection

I have to admit that having two little ones at home can be down right exhausting at times. Often, anything I accomplish is quickly undone. However, I try to remember that the days are long, but the years are short.