Falling Back Into Blogging and Autumn Joy!

3 years?! I cannot believe it has been that long since I wrote a blog post. I began blogging here and there in November of 2012. Life has been fast paced, full filling, challenging and never, ever dull. I think everyone can agree that 2020 has proven to be one of the most significant in our lives. I can assure you, this blog won't even scratch the surface of the current political scene. All you will see from me is how we enjoy our homestead, cherish family time, our love of travel and many ways to help you decorate, cook and clean on a dime. Below is a little update before I dive back in.....

This year, we tackled many projects, renovating a guest room, creating a remote learning classroom and improving our outdoor spaces. The highlights include projects that went along with our new adventures, building large raised bed gardens and raising baby chicks. Both of these projects have been incredibly rewarding and I highly recommend doing both if you have the opportunity. They brought ups and downs. We laughed when chickens escaped the brooder, we were saddened when we lost a chick from illness, we were amazed when our tomato plants produced hundreds of tomatoes, watched in wonder when we trellised cucumbers successfully and knew that running out of time to get squash plants in the ground meant we would have to try again next year. 

Here are a few photos of the true love for those days that passed by but taught us so much. 

Along with spending many weekends at a race track and enjoying our family love of motor sports we also found ourselves enjoying a lot of time on Maine's ATV trails, packing picnics and having fire side chats. All of those times seemed to pass in the gentle warm way that summer often does. The months were fruitful in many ways but it was September that brought my thoughts to preserving what I could with our bounty in the gardens. This past month I learned to make my Dad's Bread and Butter Pickles from the cucumbers we grew. I made the most delicious sweet and spicy relish from our zucchini, peppers and onions and most importantly, taught myself to can so that I could keep these goodies for months to come. I will share the relish recipe below, but that pickle recipe will stay tucked away for our family to treasure, if you were lucky enough to snag a jar when my Dad made them many moons ago,  the taste is locked into your memories. 

You won't regret making this, it's scrumptious. https://cravingsomethinghealthy.com/sweet-spicy-zucchini-relish/

One last little update before I share the fall salad that I go back to every year....

September also brought much joy as we entered into a full home school program with our daughter and we are LOVING this opportunity to spend more time with her and see her change and grow. To watch her curiosity and passion for math and science and help her work thru challenges with reading have been some of my best days this year. This new opportunity came along and we are thankful to be able to do this as we keep our business rolling, and full fill our duties to the community that we love. 

As I begin blogging, sharing tips, recipes and thoughts with you again, you'll be caught up on our little piece of the world. 

When fall hits and I see delicata squash at the markets, this salad comes to mind and I make is as soon as possible. A dear friend made this for me years ago and it has an everlasting way about it. The recipe calls for butternut squash, which I am sure is delicious but I highly recommend you try delicata squash if you have yet to. Delicata is a thin skinned squash so you can cut it in half, scoop out the indsides (save that for your chickens) and cut it anyway you choose and roast it. I like to make 1/2" slices. The skin get a little crispy and the flesh of the squash is soft and buttery. I also like to keep my apples cold and crisp. The balance of crunch and the warmth of the squash keeps me craving this all season long. Oh and the dressing....a maple goodness that feels illegal. I also sometimes add a spicy sausage to add protein and substance. 

Wanting to try it yet? Here you go....

https://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/maple-roasted-butternut-squash-apple-salad/

More to come in the coming weeks...seasonal decorating, budgets, holiday prep and how I adopted Hygge as my word of the year and implemented it in our home. Until then....I hope your September brought you many joys and that you leap into October and embrace the fall season. 

Warmly, 

Jenn

My favorite FREE Doctors!

Happy Fall Y'all! It has finally started to feel like fall here on the coast of Maine. Chilly nights, bright, breezy days and the colors are beginning to change from lush green to vibrant orange and red. A time of new chapters and change.

Fall is my New Year. With holidays abound it seems like a great time to be more conscious of chaos, stress and health. Instead of letting yourself go, maybe you can try to get thru the holidays with a feeling of peace and purpose. I would like to introduce you to my six favorite doctors and the ways that you can benefit from them for free! Are you ready?

#1: Dr. Sunshine- Maybe you think summer is the only time you can get out and enjoy the outdoors? Fall is an incredible chance to still soak up all of the benefits of sunshine without the heat. It does not cost a thing to take a few minutes, position yourself towards the sun and just take deep breaths in and out, letting all of the goodness to pour into your soul. Don't forget the sunscreen all year round!

#2: Dr. Water- How many of you drink enough water? This does not include your coffee or tea. I know not everyone has access to water that tastes amazing and is free of pollution but for a small price you can buy a filter for your faucet, a pitcher that will reduce the impurities or you can spend a small amount on spring water and refill a bottle or glass all day long. Much of the time when you feel hungry, have a headache or are sleepy you are actually dehydrated. Try this going forward this fall....before you head off to a holiday gathering or a sports party, drink 20oz of water before you start eating. You will hydrate your body and start to fill your stomach before you indulge. If you must have alcohol, try alternating one drink with 2 glasses of water. I personally like to get my water intake done before I finish dinner. I break it up during the day, I typically drink 80 oz a day and the health benefits from staying hydrated has been remarkable. Coming into the winter months it will be incredibly helpful for your dry skin as well.

#3: Dr. Rest- How many hours of deep sleep are you getting? I am here to tell you that for the past year and a half, I have slept amazingly well. I have adopted several techniques to help me and they include...a dark, clean and peaceful room, essential oils, not eating within 3 hours of bedtime, chamomile tea,  exercise throughout the day and organizing my days and thoughts. Routine is so incredibly important when it comes to sleep. You have heard that children thrive on routine, right? Well I think we all do. I am not saying I can't be spontaneous but will I rest well? Probably not. I I am at my best when I sleep at least 7 hours a night. Getting enough rest has an impact on weight loss, anxiety and disease. It's free. Do yourself a favor and invest the time to be kind to yourself and let your mind and body rest. If you need to release emotions or stress, consider yoga or meditation to help you work past the triggers of the day. You will never regret becoming one with yourself. Zzzzzzzz!

#4: Dr. Air- Similar to Dr. Sunshine, fresh air is incredible for the soul but you can repair so many negative thoughts in your head simply by learning to breath. Did you know that most people do not properly breath? You would think that when you are born and you start breathing that you are all set, but the craziness of our lives produces shallow breaths and we rarely take the time to take deep breaths. I personally found deep breathing to be my solution for my ramped up anxiety. Your parasympathetic nervous system, the flight or flight part of your body can be easily soothed if you practice some yoga breathing. Try "even breathing"...quietly sit or lay down and close your eyes. Take a deep breath in and count how long it takes to get to the top of that breath. Now breathe out matching the length of time it took to breathe in. If it takes 5 seconds to breathe in, exhale for 5 seconds. Try slowing each inhale and exhale down. Do this exercise for 10-15 cycles. Open your eyes and see how different you view a situation.

#5: Dr. Exercise- Ah....this one. This doctor probably hears about as many excuses as Dr. Diet about how there is never enough time or money to include exercise and feel better. WRONG! I was not an athlete, nor will I ever be...however, I can get moving at any point in the day. Walking is an amazing way to tone your body, improve your mental health and get your blood flowing. This time of year you don't have to battle the heat, you can wear layers on the cooler days, lace up your favorite sneakers and get out there. Do what you can with what you have! Can you walk to the mailbox and back, three times a day? Can you meet up with a friend and walk 30 minutes on a lunch break? Can you walk around your neighborhood 15 minutes, two times a day? Can you walk in place while you watch your favorite show on television? Yes, all of the answers to these questions are yes! Once you are accustomed to a schedule that allows you to get some exercise in, ramp it up. Walk while curling water bottles or cans with your arms or do a few squats before you start and stop halfway to do more and then finish your walk with a few more. Get moving!

#6: Dr. Diet- This one is my favorite. Now, when speaking of free for this Doctor you have to think priorities. We all spend money on food. Some spend WAY too much money on eating out, junk food, convenience and in turn your wallet hurts and you are feeding disease. You do have something that costs nothing but is invaluable and that is TIME! This is when the excuses roll in..."I don't have time to meal prep", "I don't have time to search for sales or plan meals"......you do! What do you do in a day that you cannot take 15-30 minutes and look ahead at your calendar, see what you have on hand for food and plan out a few meals? Anything is better than nothing, right? Do you sit at your kids games or practices? Do you binge watch Netflix? Do you take a lunch break at work? Can you wake up 15 minutes earlier a day? There are many foods that prep so easily and can be made up in an hour or less. My favorites are roasted meats & veggies, egg bakes and fruits, with these things and some greens you have breakfast, lunch and dinner for 4 days.  But the key is to stop fooling yourself into thinking you can't do it. Eating clean can be inexpensive. Planning and prepping and wasting less food is important and your diminishing waistline, clear mind and nourished bodies are a biproduct. Spending time now on getting healthier instead of having to take time to be sick is a no brainer!


That's it! These 6 doctors are helping me live a life that is full of energy and positive vibes. There are so many things that feed disease....aside from dietary components we all know that stress and chaos are not our friend. Repairing or ending relationships, changing careers or fixing your finances are big areas that need your love and attention. Consider keeping a journal of your thoughts and feelings about these major stressors in your life. When it comes to the little things like keeping a clean house, paying bills, shuttling kids...touch these things every day. Planning out your day and week may seem obsessive but when I helping others try to find some peace in their life, almost every single person is in dire need of direction and in order to find that you need to have goals and prioritize. Too many use the excuses of time as a end all be all. Visit the 6 free Doctors above and cut out the bad guys...START TODAY! Get yourself on the right track now and you will sail thru the holidays with your sanity and waistline in tact!

You are worth it!

Continuing a Cleaner YOU!

Good Morning Everyone,
It's a beautiful summer day on the Coast of Maine. The perfect day to think about feeling your best. Our summer weather season is short here and I don't know about you, but I want to feel my best as I enjoy the sunshine. I have raved about Juice Plus in the past and I am always thankful for this catapult into a healthier lifestyle for myself and my family. Every month or so I work on new ideas to continue making small changes that improve our bodies. After all, you only get one, right?
The large family of health practitioners and athletes that are experts in their fields have developed a program intended to jump start your journey into health living, it is called Shred10. It has some amazing clean guidelines that you follow for 10 days. Almost everyone continues this frame for better choices well past the program closure, as they have learned many things about their bodies.

When clean eating and making a choice to put our health at the top of my priority list, I do a lot of recipe testing, prep work and research on ways to eat clean in a simple way so that we can continue our lifestyle that includes full days and many road trips. 

Some of the ways to prep yourself for success are pretty easy. Cleaning, cutting and portioning out your fruits and veggies make it easy for you to grab and go. Small reusable containers or plastic bags full of healthy snacks make it an easy choice to grab a bag of grapes rather than a bag of chips. When you return home from the grocery store, take an hour or so to clean and prep your produce, boil some eggs, bake off some chicken and get yourself ready for a DELICIOUS week of self love.

Our breakfast plans are usually make ahead crust less quiche, smoothies and our favorite Complete protein shakes. 

Snacks will include veggies & hummus, apples & peanut butter, nuts and unsweetened dried fruit, berries or a hard boiled egg. 

Lunches are typically a delicious protein shake, a combination of the protein I prepped along side the veggies and fruits that are ready, or a salad with everything on hand. 

Dinner is usually made fresh every night, but if we have a night where we are on the go, we can fall back on any of the items that are prepped. Keeping it light and clean we use lean proteins: fish, pork, chicken and turkey. Side dishes are typically roasted or steamed vegetables, salads or quinoa that I make a big batch of while prepping. 

Sweet treats? How about this "ice cream"- blend together, 2 frozen bananas, a handful of frozen cherries, a tablespoon of nut butter, 1/4 C of almond milk and a scoop of chocolate Complete. YUMMM!

Whether we are strictly following a Shred guideline or not, prep is part of my routine. We waste less and make better choices, it's a win, win! 

Below I am sharing some easy meals that can be made ahead and enjoyed for a few days:

http://gimmedelicious.com/2016/03/22/15-minute-healthy-roasted-chicken-and-veggies/

http://letslassothemoon.com/2014/12/20/mason-jar-recipes/ (adapt if you follow Shred10)

http://realfoodrealdeals.com/ginger-lime-chicken-cauliflower-rice-meal-prep/

http://lifemadesweeter.com/2017/03/sweet-potato-zucchini-tots/

https://www.justataste.com/healthy-cauliflower-fritters-recipe/

If you are entertaining this summer and want to steer away from your typical heavy foods, try these: 

http://www.veganricha.com/2017/01/40-vegan-party-food-recipes.html (I am here to tell you that cashew cream makes a VERY tasty substitute for cheese)

http://www.hummusapien.com/healthy-vegan-buffalo-cauliflower-dip/ (This is on my list for next weekend!) 

I hope this helps get some new ideas for a summer of clean eating and a clean you! 

Remember to use up all of your ingredients in creative ways and save some dimes. 

Enjoy! 

Hello or Good-bye?

Hello Everyone!

I am very excited to share my thoughts with you on the meal subscription company, Hello Fresh. 

I have pondered this type of convenience for quite some time. They have become all the rage with foodies and busy people all over the world. The curiosity was killing me, so after seeing some friends posting drool worthy photos on Facebook, I figured, why not? I was sold when my dear cousin sent me a coupon code for a free box. So, I started doing some research. You can choose from a Classic Plan, Family Plan or Veggie Plan. Their Classic Plan is designed to be foods with a wide variety of flavors, using seafood, meats, grains and produce. The Family Plan was created with a whole family in mind, less spices, but full of nutrition and also containing recipes with meat, seafood, grains and produce. The Veggie Plan, which is what I chose, is seasonal produce and vegetarian proteins. 

I decided that since my husband is a little less adventurous when it comes to food, that I would choose something that I could share with the kids but not waste the food. 

So here is the breakdown that I am going to give you my opinion on: cost, taste, waste, convenience and level of difficulty. 

First, let's talk cost. Hello Fresh charges $9.99 per meal with Free Shipping. I chose The Veggie Plan that would serve two people per meal and that plan includes 3 meals. So, 6 meals for $59.94. Now, in my opinion this is slightly high. I can feed my family for less than $9.99 a meal, way less. So, with the coupon code, I was definitely going to give it a whirl, but may have hesitated a little more without it. You can choose a 4 person plan, and of course that means you will may double. The serving sizes, from what I could tell from my box and are very true...so, no leftovers to make it stretch. BUT you'll see later that there are leftover ingredients some times. 

Let's move to convenience and talk about how the subscription works. You sign up, using your email. (or Facebook account but be careful here, they get your public profile when you do that) You then have a Hello Fresh account. You can also download their app to your smart phone making it even easier to schedule or skip your next shipment. The plan itself is to send you a new box every week. However, it is very easy to skip the next week, and actually you can look ahead and skip the next few if you feel the need. When you are flipping thru the weeks, you will be able to see what recipes would be in that box. That is very good for people who maybe have dietary restrictions or aversions to different cuisines. 

The box came with a BIG frozen ice pack. The ingredients were fresh and looked pretty good, aside from one carrot that seemed a little soft. Each meal has it's own separated ingredients, so it was a pretty good size box and there were lots of little packets. You will want one crisper drawer or a little container in your fridge to organize those until you are ready, at least I did. But aside from your basics, (oil, salt, pepper, butter) everything is included. 

Are you thinking, "what if I am not a great cook?".....this is the easiest thing I have followed. When I cook dinner, I rarely follow recipes. But these are all new flavors and meals. I think even if you are a beginner you will have no problem. Each meal comes with a large recipe card. It lists all of the ingredients, shows pictures of the prep work and what your final product should look like. That is always nice when trying new things, no matter how experienced you are. I think all of mine were done in 30 minutes, too. BONUS!

Each packet is labeled. I gathered the things that I needed for each recipe and laid it out all on the counter when I began to prepare. The little packets are cute. If it calls for a small amount of mayo, you get a teeny, tiny jar of mayo. Most items are pre measured but some things you will have extra of. So....on to Taste and Waste! 

In choosing the veggie plan, I had three recipes. Garden Quesadillas, Crunchy Veggie and Lentil Salad, Mediterranean Tomato and Asparagus Bake. Every one of them was delicious. My planning for my first meal kit was not the best, as I was doing the Shred10 program, but I adapted. I also only had my little girl to share these with, as my son had busy nights and was away when I cooked two of the meals on Sunday. So I have them plated for my lunch and dinner for the next two days. 

The flavors are outstanding. Fresh herbs and produce. A very light menu, making it great to carry on my healthier lifestyle choice. I think the taste is a WIN! Definitely flavors I may not have used on my own. 

The neatest thing about this is the small amount of waste. Almost every thing comes to you in the size you need it. Remember, I mentioned the tiny mayo? They did send me a small bottle of Tobasco sauce, a Cinco de Mayo gift. I had fresh herbs left so I plan to use those this week on chicken and fish. I also rarely eat dairy and so I have some feta left. I will use that in a recipe soon that I can share with the family. A couple of things I already had on hand as well, but the convenience of having the close measurements that the recipe calls for, is very brilliant. 

I did not take pictures of every meal as I got busy and forgot but I was sure to document one, the Mediterranean Tomato and Asparagus Bake. I made the quesadillas for a home party I had on Friday night and those were a hit. The salad was amazing as well and I set that aside for lunches, just waiting on dressing the greens until I was ready to eat it. Those plates are salad size. So that can give you an idea of serving size. 

Okay...my verdict. It's worth a shot! If you are a single person with a busy lifestyle, and you are adventurous in the kitchen....DO IT! You would get 6 meals from it and you can easily make a plate and have the leftovers the next day, on most items. If you are a large family on a budget, maybe signing up and trying it is great, but I would say you can make your money stretch a little further by meal planning and prepping. If you are a couple who loves to try new foods, it is definitely less expensive than going to a restaurant three times a week. I must say, this would make a great gift too. You can give gift cards from Hello Fresh and that might just be a relief for a busy family, housewarming gift or a new mom. 

I am going to keep my account for a while. They have improved their website and app, and you can now cancel with ease. I will stick it out, as long as I can remember to keep up with remembering to skip weeks when I am not in need. I really don't want to be charged if I already planned my week and have my groceries purchased. BUT I am sure it is going to come in handy over the busy summer! If I get a chance to review other companies I will update you all!

I hope this has helped you! As always, have a beautiful day and I hope you are saving some dimes! 

Plan and Prep!

Good Morning All,
It's a rainy Wednesday morning here on the coast of Maine and being the last week of April would we really expect any less? April showers bring May flowers! In our neck of the woods we are just happy it isn't snow.
I wanted to take some time to go over meal planning. In my facebook group, I am tackling Meal Plan May. I will go over easy, quick dinner ideas to keep you on a healthy, budget conscious path. So I wanted to blog about the many ways you can be successful in your efforts.
When I sit down to make a meal plan, sometimes for the entire month but mostly two weeks at a time, I have one important thing in front of me. My calendar. If you don't have a planner of any sort, at least jot down your committments so you know when you have busy mealtimes. For moms, make sure you are writing in all practices, games, meetings, fitness classes, etc.

Then, take a look at what you currently have on hand. We have a freezer with meats we bought locally, so those will be on my meal plan for May to try and save some money. I will add in grocery store meats as needed. Always check your pantry staples as well. If you don't you will inevitably end up with 8 boxes of pasta, and nothing to make a sauce. Been there done that.

Once you have an idea of what you have, check the sale flyers for good deals and coupons. (this is more of a meal planning refresher but back in the beginning of my blogging days are posts on strict budgets and ways to stretch your groceries, go check it out)
Is chicken on sale? Is haddock on sale? Well then it's time to get planning.
If you feel like you lack creativity in the cooking department, try sites like allrecipes.com or Pinterest. What is great about those is you can enter in almost any ingredient and get dozens of ways to use it. So when you are trying to stay on a budget, use everything you have on hand.
Also, sheet pan dinners are easy, affordable and can easily adjust to the number in your family.
You can add so much variety to something as simple as chicken breasts and veggies.
Write down all of your meal ideas and the ingredients you will need. If you are like me, that list will be according to the layout of the grocery store. (I know, I know)

After you have a list of meal ideas. Plan a trip to the grocery store, pick a budget and stick to it.
If you are a compulsive buyer, take cash. You can only spend what you budgeted for that way. No room for the items you don't need right now. Grab your ingredients, trying to keep fresh and less processed foods in mind.

When you arrive home, take the time to prep! That really is the key to success both on your waistline and your wallet. If you have foods that are ready to cook or better yet, all cooked and ready for you and your family to eat. You will resist the phone call for take out.
I usually prep my veggies on Sunday afternoons or evenings. Little containers for snacking, meal kits and sometimes get the meats for the next day marinading. I will cook off chicken for salads and boil eggs...whatever I can do to set us up for a good week of healthy eating and have less chaos for me at dinnertime is important.

Fail to plan and plan to fail. This is in my head all of the time and I do believe it is a step to success.
Now, go make a list and save some dimes!

Detailing your ride!

Okay so how many of you spring clean your car? I once heard that the inside of your car can tell a lot about a person and how organized the rest of their life is. Part of this rings true to me, however, I could probably squander up a few excuses as to why mine is dirtier than I like. I also will not lie, we do hire out a deep clean on our vehicles a couple of times a year. With two dogs that travel everywhere with us, a professional detailing is much needed occasionally.
How many of us these days are in our cars for a good portion of one week? Eat meals in the car?
Get out your old toothbrush again...it is a great detailing tool!

This is a great article to read about some cleaning hacks....what is a hack? Tips and tricks to use items intended for one use in another way.
While I have not heard of anyone using 1, 10 or 14....I highly recommend #9 for an all natural air freshener.
http://thekrazycouponlady.com/tips/travel/16-seriously-clever-tricks-to-deep-clean-your-car/?utm_content=buffere7ef2&utm_medium=social&utm_source=pinterest.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Washing the car can be a fun chore to do with the kids too! Pick a warm day, grab a bucket, soap and a few sponges or rags and make it sparkle!
This is a great mixture for cleaning fabric, it works great on car seats and booster seats too. Hydrogen peroxide is a great stain remover as well for floor mats and carpeting.

A small squeegee helps remove pet hair from seats and carpet, too. Vacuum everything the best you can before you start scrubbing.

When you deep clean your car, it is my recommendation to take everything out. Everything? Yes, everything! You want to clean all of the surfaces without the clutter in the way and it also gives you a chance to sort and reorganize the items that must stay in the car.

Did you know your car registration and insurance cards are supposed to be with your vehicle and not in your wallet? Do your wheels take a special lug nut key? These items should always be available. Your glove box is the proper place. Keep your vehicle manual too. You never know when you will be traveling and that "strange" light comes on. It's helpful to be able to pass on information if you are in need.

Do your kids watch movies in the car? Get a soft sided CD holder and ditch the movie cases and store them in a more compact way. If you need to keep the cases because you want to resell, store them in a box in your basement.

A first aid kit is a great idea....or at least some band-aids and a cleaner. Baby wipes are a great thing to store in your car even if you are way beyond the diaper changing stage. They can clean up sticky hands, boo boos, spills and are a great cleaning tool when doing a quick detail of your vehicle.

Do you work from your car? Make a small file folder mobile office and keep everything neat and tidy. A small zippered pouch can hold stamps, extra pens and necessities.

Do your kids need to eat on the road? Purchase a small bin at a dollar store to hold their food and keep it from sliding all over your car.

If everything has it's own compartment it is easy to toss those into a tote in your trunk, or a large console, when you need the space for extra passengers or pets. Don't have a tote? A small laundry basket is a great tool. It can also hold your groceries in your trunk so they don't slide around. Don't forget your reusable shopping bags too. Store them right in your trunk after you empty your groceries so you have them every shopping trip.

Now that we are back on the road my list of musts include......
*A case of water, yes it may get warm in the car in the summertime but my dogs won't mind and I almost always have a cooler in tow that I can get a drink cool for a little or big passenger.
*Snacks! We have a preschooler and a teenager, need I say more?
*Dog bones, water bowl and leashes (for my furry travelers)
*Baby Wipes and tissues
*DVD's for long rides
*Books, Toys and Crafts in a small tote for the ride. I can take this right into a restaurant too, if the need arises,
*First Aid Kit
*Mobile office pouch
*Stroller
*Tote for all essentials
*Trash tote - A great trash tote is a dry food storage container. You can add a small trash bag (fold a few extras up and put them in the bottom. All ready for when you empty) Or put a command strip hook somewhere in your car and re-use plastic shopping bags. Tie and toss when they get full.


It's time to get scrubbing! Hey, you might even find some dimes. Gather up that loose change and treat yourself for your efforts. A cup of coffee, ice cream? Or just go for a drive after, a clean car feels soooo good!

Fresh Flush!

Happy Wednesday Everyone!

I finally got to dig back into the spring cleaning schedule after many unexpected tasks had cropped up. Today I was able to spring clean the 1/2 bath on the first floor and I wanted to share some tips on cleaning toilets! I don't know of anyone that enjoys cleaning a toilet and I know we all clean our toilets often, but to spring clean them means a little more in depth scrub.

Today, while I scrubbed the walls and floors, I added 1C of baking soda to the bowl and then poured in all purpose vinegar. This mixture bubbles so be careful to add the vinegar slowly. I let this sit in the toilet for about 45 minutes, an hour is better. This will deodorize, remove stains and make the ceramic sparkle.



I am hoping to make some toilet bombs soon using essential oils, you could use these to get powerful foaming action before you do your routine scrubbing.
Here is a recipe:

http://www.herbsandoilsremedies.com/2013/09/diy-toilet-bombs-to-deodorize-and-kill-bacteria.html#_2029_0&_a5y_p=3917255

To get in to the cracks and crevices, I sprayed them down with vinegar, letting it sit for a few minutes. Using the sharp tip of my cleaning brush (a flat head screwdriver works too) with a paper towel (or cloth you can bleach) folded over the end, I ran the tool along the area collecting a lot of grime I could not even see. Where the tank meets the toilet, up under the toilet rim and the ridge where the toilet meets the floor are good spots for this. If you have stubborn stains, try a pumice stone.

I'll have shower/tub tips as soon as I move on to the upstairs.

Happy Cleaning!