Friday Favorites

When I find something I really like, I just want to share it with everyone. So I decided that I am going to try, "try" being the key word, to tell you about some of my favorite things on Fridays. I hope you will enjoy it, and maybe some of my favorites will become favorites for you too.

I wear the professional title of "Homemaker." I feel honored to wear this badge. And with it, cleaning my house is part of the job description. I used to hate cleaning (dusting - blerg, mopping - boo). Don't get me wrong, I LOVED the finished project. I just kind of dreaded my cleaning day but did it because I knew I needed to.

Until about 6 years ago.... with a 1 year old in the house I started to feel the need to change some of my cleaning products in the house - less chemically more earth friendly, you know the drill. And with that, I started to realize that there were great products out there that smelled amazing and were less toxic. I thought, "Geez, if I could smell this while I am cleaning, maybe the task won't be so bad." So I purchased this product. After the first use (mopping my floors) I was sold and I actually enjoyed, yes! enjoyed, mopping my floors. I decided then and there that one of my splurges in life would be cleaning products.

Friday is my cleaning day. I actually look forward to deep cleaning my house! I am really pleased with the things that I use to clean my house right now. So for my Friday Favorites, I will let you in on my personal cleaning favorites.

*My FAVORITE product is this:

CALDREA BASIL AND BLUE SAGE ALL PURPOSE CLEANER


I dilute it and use it to mop my floors (it works great on wood floors); I mix it with water in a spray bottle and use it as an all purpose spray to wipe down walls, counters, etc.; and I also dilute it to scrub down surfaces and the toilet. It smells SOOOOO good and when people walk into my house after cleaning day they always comment on how good it smells. Caldrea has other scents too that are great, I am just addicted to this one. I highly recommend going out and getting a bottle of it.

*The best way to clean windows and glass:

NORWEX ANTIBAC CLOTH AND WINDOW CLOTH





You wet down the Antibac Cloth with water, wring it out and wipe down the glass or mirrored surface, then take the Window Cloth and wipe down the surface. It is amazing. No streaks! No smudges! It's just sparkling clean and all you used was water and microfiber cloths. NO CHEMICALS!! Did I mention that I love these?



This mitt grabs all the dust so you don't feel like it's just flying all over in the air and I swear my surfaces stay dust-free longer than when I was using other things for dusting.

*For scouring sinks and things:

MRS MEYERS LAVENDER SURFACE SCRUB


This product works really well and I can actually breathe when I'm using it.


Well, there you have it. My favorite cleaning products. Now I am off to use those products since it is Friday, and Friday is deep cleaning day in our house. Let me know if you try any of these, I'd love to know what you think. And, if you are interested in Norwex products I know two great consultants (one in Northern Minnesota and one here in the Minneapolis/St Paul area).

Happy Cleaning!




What's For Lunch?



Today I tried a recipe that I have been dying to try. I got it from one of my favorite blogs.

Carmelized Onion and Cauliflower Tart



Let me tell you, it was so creamy and delicious I savored every bite. Thank you Smitten Kitchen, this will become a regular in our house.

Many Have Asked, And Here's The Answer...


I have had so many people ask who took the pictures that I have recently posted on my facebook page. Well, Christina Teichroew of Teichroew Photography did. And let me tell you, they are amazing!!



She is creative and she made the shoot fun for the boys.



She captured my sweet boys so beautifully. I will treasure these pictures.



Thanks Christina!

She Looks Like a Five Year Old


Östen is 4. Östen loves a girl. He has loved her his whole life. Yes, his entire life. That's what he'll tell you. Her name is Maren and he left her in Nashville, TN when we moved 4 years ago. It doesn't matter to him that she lives so far away, he still thinks that she painted his "beautiful moon."

Today two of Tyler's friends were helping him paint in our basement. I was chatting with them about life and love when Östen chimed in, "I have a girlfriend." I think he felt cool, like the guys were really impressed. As he ran to get a picture of her to show them he stopped at the top of the stairs and said with a sweet grin, "She's 4, but she really looks like a 5 year old!"

Yinghua Art Fair

A friend of mine who makes amazing, beautiful things is organizing a craft/art sale at the Chinese immersion school that her son goes to. Come and check it out!! I will have a table there as well as a few of the other Brighton Market regulars.



More details to come....