Oh My, It's May...

Time is certainly flying by... So much has been going on. Of course, I'm still on the job hunt. Not over eager about finding a new one, but I know it needs to be done, and soon. I really need to find something while the boys are gone for the summer so that it will as smooth of a transition as possible.
I am officially the mom of a 5 and 7 year old... Holy crap, does that mean I'm getting old? I certainly don't feel old. I can't believe that next year they'll be in kindergarten and second grade. No more having to hunt around for schools and staying on waiting lists for Thing Two, he has to be accepted now. That is a great feeling.
The boyfriend and I have unofficially been together for 3 years now... You know, there was those 10 months that we didn't even speak to each other... And there was also that time period where we were trying, but it just wasn't working. Now though, I think I'm safe to say that we couldn't be happier!
There are only two weeks left now until the boys are out of school and a few days after that they'll be leaving for the summer. I'm a little bummed about that, but I'm excited for the possible changes that could be coming this summer and to be able to better mine and the boys lives!
Well, I've gotta run... I need breakfast.

Cleaning... With Vinegar!

Today has been quite... boring. I've been cleaning my home and trying to prepare to leave it while my kiddos are gone to their dad's for the summer. As most of you know, I'm broke, and I'll use any excuse to clean a little greener, so I've challenged myself to clean using just vinegar instead of tons of chemicals... Then, I started thinking, "I wonder if my readers know everything that vinegar can be used for..."

White distilled vinegar is a popular household cleanser, effective for killing most mold, bacteria, and germs, due to its level of acidity. Cleaning with white distilled vinegar is a smart way to avoid using harsh chemicals. You’ll also be glad to know that it is environmentally friendly and very economical.

To shine chrome sink fixtures that have a lime buildup, use a paste made of 2 tablespoons salt and 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar.
Make your own scouring cleanser by combining 1/4 cup baking soda with 1 tablespoon liquid detergent. Add just enough white distilled vinegar to give it a thick but creamy texture.
Clean counter tops and make them smell sweet again with a cloth soaked in undiluted white distilled vinegar.
Clean and deodorize a drain by pouring in 1 cup baking soda, then one cup hot white distilled vinegar. Let this sit for 5 minutes or so, then run hot water down the drain.
Deodorize the garbage disposal by pouring in 1/2 cup baking soda and 1/2 cup hot white distilled vinegar. Let sit for 5 minutes then run hot water down the disposal.
Deodorize and clean the garbage disposal with white distilled vinegar ice cubes. Make them by freezing full-strength white distilled vinegar in an ice cube tray. Run several cubes down the disposal while flushing with cold water.
Clean the microwave by mixing 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar and 1/2 cup water in a microwave-safe bowl. Bring it to a rolling boil inside the microwave. Baked-on food will be loosened, and odors will disappear. Wipe clean.
Clean the shelves and walls of the refrigerator with a half-and-half solution of water and white distilled vinegar.
Cut the grime on the top of the refrigerator with a paper towel or cloth and full-strength white distilled vinegar.
Avoid the bad smell when you heat up a newly cleaned oven by using a sponge soaked in diluted white distilled vinegar for the final rinse. To clean a grease splattered oven door window, saturate it with full-strength white distilled vinegar. Keep the door open for 10 to 15 minutes before wiping with a sponge.
Remove soap buildup and odors from the dishwasher by pouring a cup of white distilled vinegar inside the empty machine and running it through a whole cycle. Do monthly.
To prevent good glassware from getting etched by minerals, wash then spray with full-strength white distilled vinegar. Give the glasses a hot water rinse before letting them dry or drying them with a towel.
For cloudy glassware, soak paper towels or a cloth in full-strength white distilled vinegar and wrap around the inside and outside of the glass. Let sit awhile before rinsing clean.
Get rid of lime deposits in a tea kettle by adding 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar to the water and letting it sit overnight. If more drastic action is needed, boil full-strength white distilled vinegar in the kettle a few minutes, let cool and rinse with plain water.
Remove mineral deposits from coffee makers with white distilled vinegar. Fill the water reservoir with 1 cup or more of white distilled vinegar and run it through a whole cycle. Run it once or twice more with plain water to rinse clean. (Check the owners’ manual first.)
Remove stains from coffee and teacups by scrubbing them gently with equal parts of salt (or baking soda) and white distilled vinegar. Rinse clean.For stained and smelly plastic food containers, wipe them with a cloth dampened with white distilled vinegar.
Remove odors from a lunch box by placing inside a slice of bread that has been soaked in white distilled vinegar. Leave overnight.
Remove ugly film in narrow-necked glass jars, flower vases, and bottles by letting undiluted white distilled vinegar sit in them for a few hours. Add a little rice or sand and shake vigorously to loosen stubborn stains. Repeat if necessary.
Easily clean your mini blinds by wearing pair of white cotton gloves.  Dip gloved fingers into a solution of equal parts white vinegar and warm tap water, and run your fingers across both sides of each blind.
To clean tarnished brass, copper, and pewter, use a paste with equal amounts of white distilled vinegar and table salt.
Make a metal cleanser by adding enough white distilled vinegar to 2 tablespoons of cream of tartar to make a paste. Rub it on and let it dry on the surface. Wash it off and dry with a soft cloth.Polish brass and copper with a mixture of 2 tablespoons of ketchup and 1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar. Rub it on with a clean cloth until dry and shiny.
Remove dark stains on an aluminum pot by boiling a mixture of 1 cup white distilled vinegar and 1 cup hot water.
Discourage ants by spraying undiluted white distilled vinegar outside doorways and windowsills, around appliances and wherever you find the pests coming in.
Get rid of fruit flies by setting out a small dish of undiluted white distilled vinegar.
Clean the wheel of a can opener using white distilled vinegar and an old toothbrush.
Remove the smell of spoiled food from a refrigerator by first rinsing the area with soap and water.
Spray surfaces with full-strength white distilled vinegar and wipe them down with a damp cloth or sponge. Fill some containers with baking soda and place inside. Close the door and leave for a few days.
Wipe grease off exhaust fan grids, the inside of your oven, or anywhere grease gathers with a sponge soaked in white distilled vinegar.
To make cleaning the grill easier, spray a solution of half water and half white distilled vinegar on the cooking surface.
To remove a label, decal, or price tag, cover with a cloth soaked in white distilled vinegar. Leave the cloth on overnight and the label should slide off.
Renew sponges and dishrags by placing them in just enough water to cover them. Then add 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar. Let them soak overnight.
Get rid of calcium deposits on faucets by soaking a cloth or paper towel in white distilled vinegar and wrapping the area tightly. Let this sit for a couple of hours or overnight.
Remove soap buildup from faucets by scrubbing them with a solution of 1 part salt to 4 parts white distilled vinegar.
Rid a faucet of lime deposits by tying a plastic bag containing 1/2 to 1/3 cup of white distilled vinegar around it and leaving it there for two or three hours. If mineral deposits don’t wipe off, scrubbing with an old toothbrush should complete the job.
Shine colored porcelain sinks by scouring them with undiluted white distilled vinegar.Rinse away soapy film on countertops with a solution of white distilled vinegar and water.
Clean grout by letting full-strength white distilled vinegar sit on it for a few minutes and scrubbing it with an old toothbrush.
Kill germs all around the bathroom with a spray of full-strength white distilled vinegar. Wipe clean with a damp cloth.To remove grime, mildew, and scum from the tub, tile, shower curtain or door, wipe with undiluted white distilled vinegar. Rinse with water.
Spray shower doors with full-strength white distilled vinegar after you’ve squeegeed the glass, or before you step in and turn on the water. It will help release the hard water deposits so they don’t remain on the glass.
Mix up an inexpensive tile cleaner by adding 1/2 cup baking soda, 1 cup white distilled vinegar, and 1 cup ammonia to a gallon of warm water.Get rid of stubborn bathtub film by wiping it with white distilled vinegar and then scouring with baking soda.
Soak a sponge or loofah overnight in a strong white distilled vinegar and water solution to remove dirt and slime. Rinse several times with cold water and let air dry (in the sun if possible).Clean shower door tracks by filling them with white distilled vinegar and letting it sit for a few hours. Pour hot water into the tracks and wash and scrub away the scum with a toothbrush.To clean a scummy showerhead, pour 1/2 cup baking soda and 1 cup white distilled vinegar into a sandwich bag and tie it around the showerhead. Let this set for an hour after the bubbling has stopped. Remove the bag and then turn on the water.
Deodorize the toilet bowl by allowing 3 cups white distilled vinegar to sit in it for about a half hour before flushing.To make the toilet bowl sparkle, pour in a cup or more of diluted white distilled vinegar and let it sit several hours or overnight. Scrub well with the toilet brush and flush.
Freshen air in the bathroom by spraying into the air a solution of 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar, and 1 cup water.Get a shining finish on a no-wax vinyl or linoleum floor by cleaning it with a solution of one cup white distilled vinegar for every gallon of water.
Apply full-strength white distilled vinegar directly to tough linoleum stains. Leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes before wiping it up. If that doesn’t work, apply white distilled vinegar again and then sprinkle some baking soda over the white distilled vinegar. Scrub the area with a brush or sponge. Rinse clean with water.
For an economical and environmentally friendly floor cleaner, mix a solution of 3 drops dishwashing liquid to 1/3 part white distilled vinegar, 1/3 part alcohol, and 1/3 part water. Spray sparingly and mop for a fast clean-up.
Some carpet stains can be removed with a paste of 2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar and 1/4 cup salt or baking soda. Rub into the carpet stain and let dry. Vacuum up the residue the next day. (Always test on an out-of-sight part of the carpet first).
Bring out the color in carpet by brushing it with a solution of 1 cup white distilled vinegar for every gallon of water. (Always test on an out-of-sight part of the carpet beforehand).To reduce soap bubbles in a steam cleaner add about 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar. Use the same amount in the rinse water to remove detergent residue and make carpets stay fresh longer.
Wash indoor/outdoor carpet with a solution of 1 cup white distilled vinegar in 1 bucket of warm water. Scrub using a brush or a broom and then hose off.Clean up pet accidents by first blotting up the area and then adding a white distilled vinegar-and-water solution. Blot until it is almost dry. Then sprinkle baking soda over the area and let it dry. Vacuum up the residue the next day.
Create your own window cleaning solution by combining 1/2 cup non-sudsy ammonia, 1 cup white distilled vinegar, and 2 tablespoons cornstarch in a gallon of water.
Remove the wax residue left by commercial window cleaners with a solution of 2 cups water, 1 cup white distilled vinegar and 1 teaspoon of liquid soap or detergent.To remove paint from windows try using undiluted, hot white distilled vinegar. Give the solution time to soften the paint before removing with a razor edge tool.
To remove paint splatters from windows apply full-strength white distilled vinegar with a clean paintbrush.
Get rid of mildew, dust, and stale odors by wiping down walls with undiluted white distilled vinegar on a cloth or a sponge mop.
Clean woodwork and walls with a mixture of 1 cup white distilled vinegar, 1 cup baking soda, 1/2 cup ammonia and 1 gallon warm water. Wipe on with a sponge or damp—not wet—towel.Clean wood paneling with a solution of 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar, and 2 cups warm water. Wipe on with a soft cloth.Remove wallpaper easily by using a paint roller to wet the surface very thoroughly with a solution of equal parts white distilled vinegar and hot water. Or spray on until saturated.Get decals off walls or doors by letting undiluted white distilled vinegar soak into them for several minutes before trying to peel them off. Repeat if necessary.Remove white water rings from wood with a solution of equal parts white distilled vinegar and vegetable oil. Rub with the grain.
Remove fireplace soot and grime with undiluted white distilled vinegar. Use a brush to scrub and a towel to blot up the wetness and dirt.Clean fireplace glass doors with a solution of 1 part white distilled vinegar to 2 parts water. Spray or wipe on, then wipe clean with a dry cloth.To kill germs, spray full-strength white distilled vinegar on doorknobs and then wipe them dry.
Remove the smell of a dead mouse or other rodent (after removing all animal remnants) by wiping down the area with either white distilled vinegar or bleach. Then place a fabric softener sheet in the area to remove any lingering odors.Never use white distilled vinegar on marble. The acid can damage the surface.
Before painting old concrete, clean with full-strength white distilled vinegar. Let it air dry.
Clean hardened paint brushes by simmering them in a pot with white distilled vinegar. Soak them first for an hour before bringing the white distilled vinegar to a simmer. Drain and rinse clean.
Remove mud and stains from plastic, fiberglass, or aluminum sports equipment by applying a paste of 1 part white distilled vinegar to 3 parts baking soda. Wipe off with soapy water and rinse with clear water.
Clean your grill by spritzing white distilled vinegar over wadded up aluminum foil and scrubbing the grill vigorously with it.
To remove film in glass baby bottles, fill with equal parts hot water and white distilled vinegar. Let sit for at least an hour. Scrub with a bottle brush.To clean and disinfect baby toys add a good-sized splash of white distilled vinegar to soapy water.
Clean vinyl baby books or board books by wiping with white distilled vinegar. Wipe clean with a damp sponge or cloth.
Clean scissors that have become sticky (after cutting tape, for instance) with a cloth dipped in undiluted white distilled vinegar.Clean and deodorize urine on a mattress with a white distilled vinegar and water solution. Then sprinkle the area with baking soda and let dry. Brush or vacuum the residue after it is dry to the touch.
Shine pennies by soaking them for a couple of hours or overnight in a glass or bowl of undiluted white distilled vinegar. 

This is just a start of the things you van do with vinegar... Please comment with your own ideas! =)

My Sweet Sweet Child...

Many of you know a lot about my Things... You know Thing One and Thing Two? My sweet, pain in the ass, scary, exciting little boys?
What many of you may not know is that Thing One was diagnosed ADHD and OCD over a year ago. As long as he is on medication, he does great with the ADHD, and most of his OCD ways go almost completely unnoticed as he is not the type that has to have everything perfectly clean or anything of that nature. His OCD is more along the lines that he has to draw a letter or number (even if it's in the air with his finger) as he says it. He has to have a very similar routine every day, otherwise it's hard to cope. AND, in striving for perfection, he has to pass every level of his video games with three stars. These are all silly little things that we get along with perfectly because I never think twice about it...
Now, what happens when someone other than mom is in charge? Like say, his aunt... And yes, this would be my sister, whom I love dearly. Well... One might accuse him of being a spoiled brat because he will break down into tears not understanding why his world as he knows it is not right. I'll give the for instance... He ate a bowl of soup with crackers... This is obviously done with a spoon. In an effort to not have more dishes, when cake is served for dessert, he is told to use his spoon. In the land of Thing One, a spoon can only be used for chocolate milk, soups, and ice cream, with very few exceptions to the rule. A spoon can certainly not be used for cake. I arrived last night, to find my son, sitting at a table, cake in front of him, crying because he could not eat the cake. Sadly, it even took me a few minutes to put the pieces together on this...
Here's the ultimate sad part: We talked about it last night... He told me he thought his brain was broken. I asked him why and he said because he knew everyone else was eating with their spoons, and he wanted to, he just couldn't. He tried, but he couldn't.
My point is, not every child is a spoiled brat just out to get their own way... And many people look at it that way. Sometimes, there is a legitimate reason as to why they are acting out, and when we treat them differently/poorly as a result of it, it makes them think that there is something wrong with them, when in all actuality, they are just who they are supposed to be, there is simply something wrong with us for not learning how to cope with their needs.

Sexy?

Last night I was quite shocked to hear my five year old (aka Thing Two) come up to me and say "Mommy, Pepsi rhymes with sexy."
My jaw dropped. He repeated it. I'm still trying to figure out where a five year old picks up the word sexy when it's not a word routinely used in my or my family's homes.

Job Hunting: Like a Pro!

Something I didn't think I'd be doing again for a very, very long time is looking for a job... But guess who updated her resume today? This chick. Looks like Alicia In A Small Town is on the move again... I'll explain later, but for now, I feel sick and I think I'm going to curl my ass up in bed.

Makeover Time!!!

Today, in my boredom from being off work, I decided that it was time to work on changing some things around the house… Most of the furniture I have was either given to me, or something that I picked up at a yard sale… A rare exception is some end tables and a coffee table that the boyfriend and I put a lot of work into… These are all very pretty and unique in their own ways… The boyfriend’s table is one that he finished off in such a way that I will never attempt to sand it down and refinish it. This is not because it hasn’t crossed my mind (believe me, it has!) but because I know it would be WAY too difficult. Then there is my end table… It’s painted red, distressed, and has some horrible hand painted flowers on it. Yes, I painted the flowers… and I hate them. The coffee table on the other hand, has remained untouched. UNTIL TODAY!!! I have sat back and plotted and planned and tried to figure out my best way to paint it. Today, it finally came to me…

Before the makeover... Here is Plain Jane. She was pretty, but I just wasn't feeling the love anymore...

After the makeover... And she was quite the diva with not wanting to take her color...

Just because my after picture didn't show the color so well... I decided to snap another one real quick for ya...

Anywho... This was my day. Well, in between laundry, cooking, cleaning my kitchen, trying to donate clothes, and all that other stuffs... I hope you all had a wonderful Wednesday... I have to get ready to go back to work tomorrow.

By for now!

Laugh Until You Cry...

This will probably be the last post for a while about the boyfriend... As much as I love him, I realize that you all may not want to hear about him... AND, he likes his privacy, so I'm trying to respect that. This morning, however, he has made it nearly impossible for me to give him his privacy... Why? Because he has reminded me of why I love him... He makes me laugh. I'm not talking about a little giggle or chuckle, I'm talking laughing out loud so hard that your sides start to hurt and tears stream down your face... Is he a jokester? Not really... He does tell a joke much better than I do, but that's not really what makes me laugh so much... You could say that I laugh at him, but knowing him like I do, I know I'm laughing WITH him... Most of the time.
So... What does he do that's so funny you might ask? Well, here's a good for instance... We BOTH have a tendency to talk in our sleep... Not just random talking... Nope. We'll carry on full conversations with people in our sleep and have absolutely no recollection of it once we wake up. Well, he takes it a step further... Once, he gave out my phone number, my full phone number, while he was sleeping... Why? Because apparently he didn't want to wake up. He was asleep at his parent's house between shifts at work and his daddy needed a ride from the repair shop back home to get his other car... He tried to wake the man-child up for this, but instead, man-child started mumbling "229-886-XXXX". When his daddy wasn't sure he got it right, he said something back to him, and of course, the man-child repeated it, louder, and then started snoring... On other occasions, he fusses at me for not sleeping in, but then will wake me up at 4:00 in the morning saying "Baby, can you please fix me some coffee?" And we all know that COFFEE is my magic wake up word, so there is absolutely no going back to sleep once he's said that.
The greatest thing that makes me laugh though... He has some of the craziest observations of people... And the way he tells a story, it's just uncanny. Yes, that happened this morning... It's a story I cannot tell, but I will tell you this... My stomach muscles are in severe pain and I now have to go fix my makeup... Bye for now!