How Clean Is Your House?

One of my favorite TV shows is a British show entitled, "How Clean Is Your House?" It features two extremely witty, clever women who visit unbelievably dirty and cluttered homes. After the shock and horrors of what they find, they and the family (along with a cleaning crew) begin the clean up process. Some of these houses haven't been cleaned at all in literally years! My husband finds it strange that I find humor in this show, but to me it's really fascinating to see how other people live. The ladies are hilarious with their witty comments. Plus I have learned many interesting cleaning tips from Kim and Aggie along the way!

For example, salt is a wonderful abrasive that you can use to scour off dirt - and it won't scratch. It's clean, cheap and environmentally friendly. Baking soda and hot water will lift off burnt on cooking grime. Plain vinegar and water is great to use to clean windows. Wipe it dry with old newspapers for a clean that sparkles! And one great thing that I discovered is that Mr. Clean Magic Erasers remove the ugly brown stain inside of teacups and mugs.

Words

Words are much more than just nouns, verbs and adjectives thrown together on a page. Their significance is much more. Words are powerful. They can suggest something beautiful or create something horrible. I try to teach my son that words have deep meanings and powerful consequences. When speaking, realize the significance of what you are about to throw into the universe. Those short little projectiles can cut a person to the core or anger them into a frenzy. On the other hand, they can at times melt your heart and erase all the question marks from your mind. I have found a really good technique for getting my son's attention when he utters something hurtful at me...I softly remind him of the power of words and if he truly and empathetically understands what he has just said. Almost all the time, there is a quiet reaction of shock and finally an acknowledgment that it was not really what he wished to convey.

I heard some very powerful words from Montel Williams last week. He said something to the effect that, "you are the only person who will ever truly own the definition of you." How profound and very true. It is within us all to claim ourselves, live up to our responsibilities and cherish the gifts we have been given. Parenthood is in my opinion, the greatest gift anyone can ever be granted. It is a learning experience every single day.

Cabin Fever

There's a term in Canada we use to describe a feeling of being stuck inside too long in too much cold...Cabin Fever. And I am suffering from it big time these days. The past week has been challenging as my household is dealing with some kind of horrible sickness that seems to travel at warp speed amongst new victims. After picking him up on Friday morning from school, I was told of a stomach virus thing going around and my son just happened to be exhibiting all the classic signs. He's had the high fever, head cold and cough early last week which kept him home. But just as I thought he was recovering, the stomach part of the ail hit to which I will not discuss! And now my husband has it. He's still in the head cold part with the fever and chills so it really won't be a nice sight in about 2 more days. It seems everyone I talk to is suffering from this or has someone in their family dealing with it. I am keeping my fingers crossed that I will evade it (just this once please)...

So, I spend most of my days now "trapped" inside as I can't stand being outdoors in -14C (not factoring in the windchill). Somehow, spending 10 minutes to bundle up in a down parka, heavy boots, mitts, hat and scarf just doesn't leave me happily inspired to go out and enjoy nature. Although I do manage to get out and walk my poochies each day or they'd go completely bonkers by nightfall. With the exception of the odd trip to the grocery store or my son's school, I stay inside, where it's warm and I can drink all the tea I like. I am really looking forward to an early spring - but at this time it seems doubtful. I can't wait to shed the heavy outer clothing and stop wanting to eat my weight in carbs each day. It is definitely time to shake out the cabin fever and move into spring.

Never Enough Time

I've been asked many times by various folks, "so what do you do in a day?" As if being a mother isn't a full-time job in itself. It is a question that I could take great offense to, but usually just laugh it off. You see, it is mainly my elderly Italian father-in-law that asks me this question. It is probably just his way of trying to start conversation. But sometimes I think he actually means it. Chauvinism still runs strong in the family and I tend to believe he thinks I'm a pampered princess watching TV and reading magazines all day. As any mom knows this is about as far from reality as you can imagine. Being a stay-at-home mother is full-time work in multi-tasking. Our role encompasses every avenue of employment you can think of (i.e. childcare provider, nurse, chef, waitress, concierge, taxi driver, personal assistant, laundress, housekeeper, accountant, dog walker, constant companion and best friend just to name a few). And we don't get paid a dime for it either. There is never enough time to finish all the things you want to accomplish in a day. Yes, there are many trivialities to it all (i.e. grocery shopping, cleaning up the house, walking the dogs, running errands for the family etc.) which I wouldn't want to bore anyone with. I mean come on, how exciting is it to write about cleaning up Dixie's muddy paw prints once again streaking across the kitchen floor after her walk? No, this does not make for exciting reading. But yes, it is part of my life as a stay-at-home mom. My days are usually packed full, running from one thing to the next. If I was asked what I did in a day, it may not sound glamorous and exciting but it certainly takes more than the bulk of my time and is what helps make the hub of my family run smoothly. And I wouldn't change it for anything in the world.

Did you ever notice?

Just about anywhere I go I have noticed a very strange phenomenon. It is something that all stores and marketers should be aware of...it is also one of my pet peeves. Have you ever noticed that when you stop to look at something, someone else always comes along to look at it too? Doesn't matter if it is mangoes at the grocery store, light bulbs at Home Depot or a sign on the side of a truck. If you stop to look at it for more than 15 seconds, someone - a complete stranger, is bound to stop and look at it too. It's almost as if they're thinking, "hey that must be something good that I missed so I better check it out!"

This experience has happened to me countless times. One of these times that will guarantee a crowd around you is when you stop to look at a clothing rack. The store can be basically empty of customers, but because you're spending any amount of time examining the clothes (maybe to find your size for example), someone else will suddenly show up to look at the exact same thing. Coincidence? I think not! Can these people not shop for themselves? Do they have to have someone with an idea show them the way? I've often thought that I could create a good job for myself by being a "floor walker" - just float around stores examining merchandise and knowing that others will soon flock to the spot to satisfy their curiosity.

I think my most favorite time to illustrate this point was when my husband and I were visiting Italy and we had stopped to look at a restaurant menu posting. Now it was a Sunday afternoon, it was down a very small side street and there was absolutely nobody around in sight. But as we became engrossed in reading this very delicious looking menu, suddenly from the corner of my eye, I saw a woman coming toward us, as if out of nowhere. And guess where she stopped? Exactly next to us to take a look at that menu. When she saw what it was that we were looking at, she left. Now was there a particular reason she just had to be there at that precise moment?

Another rather bizarre moment happened to me many years ago when I was clothes shopping with my mother in L.A. While mom looked at her things, I took a break and just stood next to the racks, holding bags etc. Within minutes, someone actually came up to me and started feeling my clothing from behind! I turned in shock and that lady almost jumped out of her skin...she thought I was a store mannequin.

I don't know if your experiences are like mine. But I truly think companies would increase their profits if they just hired people to closely examine their products. Within no time at all, there would surely be crowds in for a keen look!

Superbowl Sunday

The big football afternoon is here in my house with a vengeance. Soon my husband and I will start preparing all kinds of different snacks and that will take us throughout the day. Yesterday we went grocery shopping and bought loads of the "wrong" foods. But I figure if it's just a day, I won't fall of the diet too badly. Besides, I don't have to eat everything - just sample...ya, right!

The past while I have been tending to my son's cut knee. He had an accident this morning while sitting on my exercise ball and fell into a sharp pointed corner thus bruising and injuring his knee. I don't know how many times I've told him not to sit on that ball, but having stubborn Italian blood in him, he always has to find out these things for himself. I feel so badly. I just wish I could make it all better. A couple of weeks ago, I had a foolish injury on the way to going out to my husband's business dinner and ended up cutting my forehead upon getting into the car. That was excruciating pain, so I feel even more for my son's soreness. Lucky for ice bags and lots of TLC. Why do these silly unfortunate things always seem to happen? Sometimes I feel like I have a black cloud following me around. A close friend and I named it that years ago, after I found out she shared the same bouts of hard to believe accidents and incidents.

And now the time has come after more kisses and a large band aid, to start making the munchies. I can hear a taco dip calling my name from the kitchen. And knowing that I really shouldn't be having it will make it taste all the more delicious. Someone needs to invent oil for foods that won't pack on the pounds.

Can't Believe It Actually Happened

I have been on a weight loss program for a couple of months now. I wasn't really that overweight, but my clothes hadn't been fitting properly for quite a long time. So I decided to join a program to give me the right environment to succeed. I hadn't quite reached my goal so I decided to try this 2 day quick loss plan to try and get the weight moving once again. I had these 2 long days of reduced calorie, reduced everything in hopes of seeing at least 1-2 pounds drop. Well, I was shocked when I weighed in yesterday and had dropped nearly 5 pounds! I can't believe it actually happened...5 pounds in just 2 days? This was like being in my teens once again. Now I only have 3 more to go until I reach my final goal. I was so excited yesterday - to think I've almost reached my target weight. In the past, I've lost a few and gained them right back (even though I regularly exercise). Well, whatever happened in those 2 hungry days was certainly worth it. I just hope tomorrow when I weigh in again that it was not just an illusion.