Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Spring Cleaning


My love of a clean and orderly home is only rivaled by my love for my family, friends, and history. After an incredibly disastrous week, I needed some serious Spring Cleaning. It provides me a great way to de-stress. Even when I get home from late night seminars (which two nights a week, means around 10 pm), I make sure the family is ready for the next day and then I clean. Many nights I even bake. I need a homey feel before I go to bed. As a child, between my brother and I, my mother was cooking for a bake sale or concession stand almost once a week. I love the smells of baking bread, cinnamon, and then end it all with a freshly cleaned kitchen. I love gleaming counter tops.

With baby Mia in our lives, and the roaming wander that is our dog Bentley, I've become very aware of my cleaning products, and their effect on the environment and my family's health. I have started cleaning organically. The stores are carrying more and more organic cleaning products. My new favorite product is Simply Green. It comes in a concentrated formula, thus you make different bottles for floor cleaning or counters. Its only 4 dollars a bottle, and I've found $1 off coupons on the coupon mom's site, every week. We are still on bottle one, and I've made three separate bottles from the concentrate.

I also bought this great book on living green, and making your own products with simple things that most people have in their pantries. Its amazing what can be done with a lemon, baking soda and distilled vinegar.

This week we are off to buy our plants for the Spring and Summer. I have finally convinced David to let me have an herb garden. Their compact, don't take much maintenance, and will be delicious. I use so much basil and parsley in the summer. I make yummy pesto all summer long. Hopefully the weather will cooperate!

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