Spring is Here! Winter is gone. But which is better?

Biceps and I have argued for years about what season of year is the best. He’s partial to the Fall-light jackets are necessary, trees are turning yellows/reds/oranges and the beverage of choice is coffee.

I personally love the Spring time.

But, I’ll be honest-the biggest reason that I love the Spring is that it means my birthday is right around the corner.

I will be making my case as to why Spring is the “Superior Season”. I would like for you to judge the facts, and see if you don’t come to the same awesome conclusion.

Besides my birthday (which I may need to remind you that you only have 59 shopping days left),I love the reminder that we once were dead and now we are alive in Him-seen as the naked trees bud, the brown and prickly grass turns green and soft, and the dormant flowers are in bloom.

But, on a less philosophical note, I also know this time of year means the lovely and delicious Cadbury Easter Eggs will be placed strategically at every cash register in America. Yum.

But, I digress.

When the weather starts getting warmer, the neighbors venture outside, shielding their eyes from something we haven’t seen in months-the sun.

One of my favorite neighbors will sit out back with her precious little white dogs and read for hours.

I know that there is always some out there to talk to, share gardening tips with or chat over Bicep’s latest adventure in firefighting.

Doors and windows are left open, giving the breeze full reign. Shorts are dusted off and legs are shaved. The garden will be planted soon-which promises a harvest and a physical measure of hard work.
The neighborhood is alive with strollers, bikes, dog walkers and runners. There is life, shared life, as we smile at each other, catch up on the other and enjoy the sun.

I think I have made my case. In my opinion-Spring wins the “Superior Season Contest”. But Biceps says the jury is still out.

The Eleven Year Non-Itch

Biceps and I will celebrate 11 years today as a married couple. This amount of time is just a hair longer than we’ve actually known each other.

Let me tell you, this boy moves fast when he finally comes to a decision. (If you want to know more about our backstory, read “How I met Biceps“. It’s good bathroom reading.)

Eleven years ago today, we said our “I do’s”. And here are eleven things that I’ve learned about my marriage since that wonderful moment we became one:

1. Mumbling under your breath gets you absolutely nowhere except into more anger.

2. Men, no matter who they are, want to hear that they are
A) Hot-not handsome, cute or sexy (although these are good things to say, too) but HOT,
B) A good provider and
C) Able to beat up Daniel Craig.

3. If you want anything to change in your marriage, prayer is the first thing you do, complaining about it is the last.

4. Don’t present a problem in your relationship without a viable solution.

5. Never call your husband’s hands “small” or “cute”. Trust me on this one.

6. If you want your husband to be your best friend, do the things he enjoys doing (within reason and within the boundaries of the law)-including watching that horrible army movie when you would rather watch Alvin and the Chipmunks.

7. A good meal, a clean, peaceful home and a presentable self may seem archaic, but they are magic to a marriage’s soul.

8. If you are your husband’s biggest fan, he will be yours.

9. Never insult your husband in public-only offer praise of the man you chose to marry.

10. If he doesn’t like the shirt, the pants, the shoes, etc.-what’s the point in wearing them? Who am I dressing for anyways?

11. If he screws up, be his confidant, not his condemner.

I love you so much, Biceps. Thank you for waiting for me, for choosing me, for honoring me and for loving me every single day of our married life. I know you aren’t perfect, but you are perfect for me.

Homemade Household Green Cleaners

Along with my more than month long challenge to rid my house of pricey and nasty cleaners, I wanted to share with you some easy recipes for around the house cleaners.

I’ve shared with you so far my Recipe for Facial Moisturizer , DIY Organic Dishwasher Detergent, Cheap, Organic Face Wash and my Easy Homemade Laundry Soap.

I am concocting my own household replacements with little more than what I have on hand or what I can find at the organic market.

But the replacements must meet or exceed three important expectations for this frugal gal:
1. It must be easy to replace-no beakers or science lab experiments. Thank you.
2. It must be just as good or better than the current product I’m using and,
3. It must cost the same or less than the current product I’m using.

photo source unknown

If the product I create passes the final test-me using it for over two plus weeks to make sure it does its job-then I’ll be sharing it with you. I will break down the cost for you, provide you the recipe and give you my honest opinion of the final product.

For household cleansers, I have a theory: If I can eat it, then I can clean with it.

This theory doesn’t work all that well when I come to vacuums…

If you have hair on your head like I have hair on my head, you need this recipe.

Green Drain Cleaner:
1/2 Cup Baking Soda
1/2 Cup White Vinegar
Boiling Water
Pour Baking Soda down the drain. Add white vinegar and cover the drain, if possible. Let set for 5 minutes. Pour the boiling water down the drain.

We are dusty people. We like to leave the doors open for fresh air, but then regret it when we wipe our fingers along the coffee table, leaving a stripe behind. You win some, you loose some.
This recipe has restored life to most of our vintage finds, too!

Green Furniture Polish and Cleaner:
3 Cups Olive Oil
1 Cup White Vinegar
Mix together in a jar and pour onto a soft cloth. Remix every so often by shaking the jar again.

If you restore old homes, or parts of old homes, this recipe is a must. I have removed years of gross crap off of fixtures, fireplaces and doorknobs.

Green Brass Cleaner:
Lemon Juice
Baking Soda
Make a paste the consistency of toothpaste. Rub onto brass with a soft cloth. Rinse with water and dry.

Lime and gunk will magically disappear. I use this on all of my faucets and chrome baking tins.

Green Chrome and Stainless Steel Cleanser:
1 Cup Vinegar
1/2 Cup Water
Mix in a recycled spray bottle. Spray solution on the chrome/stainless steel and let sit for a minute. Wipe off with damp sponge and dry with a soft cloth.

I know we don’t like to talk about toilets. Or their bowls. Or the funk that grows inside. But, you gotta clean it. Why not do it green style?

Green Toilet Bowl Cleaner:
Baking Soda
Vinegar
Sprinkle baking soda into toilet bowl. Add vinegar. Scrub ‘er down with a toilet brush.

That’s mainly everything I use around these har parts. Let me know if you have recipes for cleansers. I would love to try them out, too!

Linking up to this and other parties:
The Thrifty Home

Defeated, Pampered and Waving the White Flag

I hate being sick-show me someone who likes it and I’ll show you a first grader trying to get out of a spelling bee. And I hate taking medicine. Taking medication is almost like admitting defeat to me-plus, it usually leaves me very wigged out-tired, dizzy and nauseous.

So, I do everything that I can naturally before I start to pop those pills–hot baths, eating foods like blueberries and oranges, steam inhalation, chiropractic adjustments and prayer (usually with a lot of begging involved).

But, when the coughing, hacking, mucus, and muscle aches get to be too much for me to just “tough it out”, I wave the white flag and call my doctor. His first question is usually, “WHY DIDN’T YOU CALL ME SOONER?!”, and I make up some lame excuse that we both know he’s not buying.

Due to some unknown infectious carrier that contaminated my otherwise holy immune system, these four items have been my BFF’s for the last week. (Well, these, my bed, hulu and my favorite yellow Ponca City t-shirt.)

The one upside to being sick is the amazing amount of clout that I have to eat my favorite snacky foods. Biceps runs to the store at the drop of a hat, so carefully I make my requests known all at once.

This is one of my favorites when my throat is scratchy and stomach is upset. My mother instilled in me that this was a miracle food (it’s not) and that it’s good for me (it’s not). But, it does make me feel better…

Oh, dear. These salty, cheesy, little whales are heaven. Add a glass of red wine and you have a classy evening ahead of you.

When my stomach is really upset, this is all that I can stand to eat…simple and good.

This is a new treat for me. I could only eat half of the can-meaning Biceps reaped all the leftover rewards. He is one lucky man.

And finally-my “vegetables”. So dang good.

I am on the upswing of whatever it was that I had, and I lovingly shared this infectious nastiness with Biceps. He is in the final days of recovery himself. The weird thing is, he never needs any “treats”. He wants to eat oatmeal, oranges and drink healthy smoothies. Doesn’t he realize this is his one chance to get out of the guilt associated with aforementioned treats? Geesh. Men….