Spring has sprung! I now completely understand the whole spring cleaning thing…what is it about this time of year that makes you realize how much you need to do and gives you the desire to just clean. I mean, I randomly cleaned my desk the other night just because I was in the mood. Isn’t that weird? So, in honor….a little spring cleaning five!

1. For all sorts of help…here is a website I love but rarely can follow for too long because I am so not the cleaner in our family. Thankfully God knew my limitations in cleaning and gave me a husband who is OCD about it:) I clean when I feel like it and get the urge, Brad cleans because it’s scheduled in. Anyways, Flylady rocks!

2. I have flowers to plant! I’m not that big of a green thumb but luckily have a mother who knows a little of what she is doing and an aunt who has a greenhouse:) So, gave mom some moula with the instruction to pick up something I can plant and not kill and wha-la…I have flowers to plant! Typically I go to Lowe’s, get all giddy with excitement about what I can do, buy a few things, bring them home and realize I bought completely the wrong stuff for soil, sun, etc. Now I just have to find time to plant my fun new flowers!

3. We have a list of to-do’s for the house with the amount of money it would take to do them. Half of this list wouldn’t cost us anything but time and about $20. I really need to get working on these things! Little things that you just never think to do on a Saturday but would get done easily if you planned them in and just did it. Here are some of our items on the list: pressure wash carport, clean rugs, fix faucet handle, paint trim on door in bedroom (have the paint already). What is on your list!?

4. We need a patio so bad…but alas, maybe later we will actually get to it:) I look at some and drool but I can’t commit to what exactly I want. The bed, bath, and beyond catalog got me drooling a little on some patio sets though!

5. With our new bed in the bedroom I have been wanting to get the room done…hang curtains, finish the closet door, new molding to match the rest of the house…that sort of thing. Things that we should have done when we moved in about 3 years ago:) Then the bargain hunter in me who doesn’t want to spend that much for all of this thought….yard sales! My goal is to get the majority of it at yard sales this summer. Curtains, curtain rods, door? Who knows what we’ll find:) I’m starting this Saturday and going to a couple. I may get into it and realize its not working and just go for sales…but hey, worth a shot!

this week for a little fun. things I learned and loved from the recent Parents magazine

1. I‘m loving these make you own shirts from Poloppo . What great presents they would make! Now I just have to wait until Beans is drawing a little more…then, these shirts are happening!

2. I learned another way to use sweet potatoes and hopefully get Beans to participate:) Sweet potato spread. Puree a couple of cooked, peeled sweet potatoes and blend with a sauteed small onion, diced cooked carrots, and a spoonful of tahini. “Just a quarter cup of sweet potatoes gives your kid more than half a days work of vitamin A.”

3. I love some of there ideas on birthday parties. Got me looking into some Dora b’day ideas…even though we have until August…just wanting to be prepared for some ideas:) Dora Birthday Party Lets just hope she doesn’t decide to not like Dora anytime soon:)

4. I learned how to make an awesome parfait for the Lenabean. Layer rice cereal (I may use oatmeal…) between mango and blueberry purees. Yummy!

5. I love that I now have a plan to get Lena completely done with a bottle (yes…we are way past due for this but she drinks from a cup alot…just loves her bottle to go to sleep) …then its on to the battle of the potty! Next week we are implementing our new nighttime regimen, sans bottle.

ok…its off to the weekend. I’ll have limited access to email over the weekend so hang in there for the replies if you email me:)