A Small Group Dinner

We have small group tonight at our home. Since it's finally starting to feel like Fall I made my favorite soup. We are currently reading this book and it's really thought provoking. I'm looking forward to a nice evening of warm foods, friends and discussion.

Ebony and Aerosol.......Perfect Harmony

Back when I did this my plan was to get rid of our iron door and paint our front door black. After talking to a few people about it I was told that if we were ever to sell our house people actually like those iron doors. Now I don't think anyone on this planet would like our ugly, beige, desert motif iron door but I did rethink getting rid of it. So plan B, keep the iron door and paint it black. Of coarse once I started to get ready to paint that door black I found several other things to paint black along with it.

I headed out to Home Depot last night to buy some black spray paint which I've never used before. After asking the paint dude how much paint I would need I headed out the door with eight cans of black spray paint at only $1.96 a can. I started last night in the dark painting a plant basket and part of a bench. Here is my learning. I LOVE spray paint. Often while painting I was asking the spray can "where have you been all of my life?" I'm not kidding. After painting every room in my house twice along with a few ceilings, kitchen cabinets (three times) I think it's safe to say I know my way around a can of paint. I thought I liked painting. Let me just say spray paint has revoluntionized what I think about painting and I don't know if I could ever go back again. Here are the two main things that sold me. 1. It's sooooo fast. Oh my you could paint something with a spray can in less than five minutes if you wanted to. 2. There is very little to clean up. No paint brushes to wash, no big large cans to disgard. It's fast, it's easy, it's pretty, it's a gift from God above. One thing you will need is a pair of gloves if you don't want to get paint all over your hands.

In addition to the door I painted two white shutters for our window that have been sitting in the garage, two benches and a plant basket. I also made some pillows out of fabric our friend brought us back from Africa. Now my fingers feel like they're going to fall off but look what I have to show for it.

BEFORE

AFTER

I never, ever, ever thought I would say this but look at my pretty door. I'm actually starting to like that iron thing now, especially with my pretty Christmas wreath on it. I've said it before and I will say it again, whether it's fashion or decorating black never fails you. Add it to a can of aerosol and you have painting bliss.

A Sparkly Blessing in Disguise

In case you're wondering by the title of this post if I'm actually going to write another post about cleaning all I have to say is....YES. Yes I am, it clearly seems to be what my life is made up of lately. I have no problem with whoever might be reading this to decide not to read it because I'm very aware that most people's lives are not made up of nothing but cleaning.

Earlier today while trying to write some other blog posts on subjects that actually require some thought on my part I neglected what it was my children were doing in the other room. When I finally got up to check on them I found both kids in the kitchen on the floor drinking half strawberry half chocoalte milk. Sounds innocent enough? No, not if they are drinking if off the floor and out of 3 pots and 4 pie tins filled with it. I remember the days when my son discovered he could get things out of the cabinet and fridge on his own and make soup. Well now it's worse because he has an accomplice who although only 33 inches tall is very feisty and could easily do the same damage on her own. And Lauren no I did not take a picture because some messes need to be forgotten like my whole entire kitchen floor covered in pink milk.

After I put Emmie down for a nap and got Rhett set up in the other room with play doh I decided to tackle the mess. I knew my normal floor cleaning attempts of spraying a part of the floor with Fantastic and wiping it with a rag would not be enough for this mess. I decided to go all out and clean my floor like my grandma and June Cleaver probably did. I filled the sink with a floor cleaner and water and actually got down on my knees with a sponge and started scrubbing. Which means June Cleaver probably did not clean her floor this way because how could she get on her knees in that dress and heels she always wore. Anyways the problem with cleaning your floor this way is while you're down there scrubbing you notice the dirt everywhere else like the base boards, cabinets, dishwasher, oven and fridgerator.

One or two hours later after the milk incident I had a sparkly clean kitchen. Towards the end of my cleaning endeavor I started thinking about the play doh I was going to have to tackle soon. To my surprise when I checked on Rhett he had every single inch of it cleaned up. I saw him earlier and he had play doh everywhere, in the carpet, little pieces all over the table and now spotless. I looked at him and said, "Rhett great job cleaning all of this up!" He replied, "and great job to you mom cleaning up the kitchen floor." Because obviously I put much of my self value in how I can keep my house clean and even I need a little affirmation once in awhile. At that moment I realized I could die today and have peace of mind that my legacy will live on. It was a beautiful, tender, clean moment.

Closets, Friends and Catch Phrases

This morning around nine o'clock my friend Ingvild came over because she understands my need for all things clean and clutter free. While the boys watched cartoons and played in the other room we went busy cleaning out closets. She cleaned out all of Emersen's drawers which hadn't been done since she was born. She also helped me sort through my own closet and drawers. After lunch she took Rhett to the park so I could finish up while Emmie napped.

Now as I type this my room is almost as clean as the day we moved into this house before we put the furniture in it. I've mentioned before how much I like a clean house. I'm sure whoever wrote the ancient proverb "cleanliness is next to godliness" had something deeper in mind than a house clear of happy meal toys and closets clean enough so the doors can finally shut. However I believe wholeheartedly in the phrase. Today I will be a better wife, a better mom, a better person all around because my home feels more organized. That and the unselfish giving of a good friend.

Martha Eat Your Heart Out

This past Saturday night we had our friends from Chicago over. I really wanted to make something special for them as a way to say thank you for their endless hospitality on Rod's many trips to Chicago. The challenge is their diet is very, very health conscious unlike the normal processed food consumption of my household. They do eat meat now but no sugar and very little dairy. I decided on a Mexican theme and got a few ideas from this what to serve. I had to adapt the recipes significantly using only natural and organic foods. This was the menu:

Organic free range ground turkey taco salad

(my mom gave me the turkey recipe with lots of organic spices and tomatoes)

I baked organic tortillas in the oven and loaded them up with organic black beans, romaine lettuce, organic corn, turkey, avocado, organic ranch dressing mixed with salsa and olives

The turkey ended up being a little spicy for the kids from the organic chili powder but super yummy

Organic balsmati rice mixed with organic salsa and organic corn and onions

The picture is not very pretty but also very yummy.

Organic corn muffins

Dessert- Trader Joes sparkling blueberry and cranberry juice

Sorry I forgot to take a picture of the finished product with the hussle and bustle of everyone running around but I did take a picture of the table before I put the food out.

Anyways dinner was a hit and I was rather proud that I could make something that healthy taste so good.

On another note my next post on this blog will be my 100th post. I'm kind of perplexed on how to celebrate this occasion. I thought I would ask for some help on what to write. Should I write 100 things I love or Why I blog. What about 100 blogs I read? Just kidding I don't read that many. Anyways if you have any suggestions leave me a comment.

IT'S CLEAN!!!

Earlier today while talking on the phone with Lauren she offered to take Rhett to the park so I could get some things done. My first response was no since I didn't really NEED her to watch him since I had nowhere I needed to go without children. She persistently kept asking and then I started to compute in my mind the timing of this park trip. Rhett would be gone at the exact same time that Emmie lays down for a nap. Remember my last post. I just realized today all of those things I wanted to get done just happen to NOT involve children. Maybe I really did NEED her to watch him for me. Thank you Lauren for your gift today. I cannot stress enough how it was a gift straight from heaven because only God knows how much I NEEDED it.

While my children were napping/playing at the park I completed two loads of laundry including washing all of our bed linens. I vacumned the entire house with this. I dusted furniture, cleaned two bathrooms as well as Rhett room and our room. I haven't seen much of the floor in Rhetts room lately so it was getting pretty bad. MY HOUSE IS CLEAN! I'm sure I've mentioned before in this blog how much I love an orderly, clean house. With two small children I've had to accept that certain things will not be just the way I like all the time. I also have to be careful my desire to control things in this way does not take priority over my childrens need to be loved and played with. However, I also feel like psychologically I need to have days like today to get things in order so I can experience the peace I feel at this moment. My family does not need an overwhelmed wife/mother because the house is a mess.

I also had some time to read part of a really good book. I'm not going to mention it now because I think it's so good I will have to blog about it in the future. Every page makes me want to grab my journal and take notes since it's a library book and I can't actually write in the book. And then of coarse as if I haven't done enough I even have some extra time to sit here and type with a diet coke and some peanut m&m's. Life does not get much better than this. Did I mention MY HOUSE IS CLEAN!! Sorry I'm just a little giddy about that.

My Art

Ever since we moved into this house I've wanted to do something with the ugly dark brown painted concrete outside our front door. I've also always wanted to get rid of the ugly beige desert designed iron door but we keep hoding onto it because on crazy hot days like today we can keep the door open and still feel safe. So I guess they kind of go together as a ugly front door entrance pair. So how can you get rid of one without the other? Well I've been attempting that in the past few days.

It seems like everyone has different ways they express themselves. One of mine is painting my house. It started off when Rod and I were broke newlyweds and I discovered paint was cheap and doing it myself was even cheaper. Almost nine years later we still can't afford a professional painter but I've painted so many rooms and cabinets and doors between our first condo and this house I've actually come to enjoy it. If I ever could afford a professional I might just still do it myself. Well maybe I would invite the pro over for some tips.

So here is my new front entry. It's not finished yet. I still need to put a coat of varnish on it to protect it from the weather and make it nice and shiny.

It's just funky enough to make some people look at it and question why and nice enough to make me happy when I drive up to my house or look out my front door.......not completely happy until that iron door goes away.