Fall Cleaning Checklist Week Two

in , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Friday, October 24, 2014

I have been making headway on my fall cleaning checklists and hope you have too. If you aren't as far along as you'd like to be, I've got you covered! Start with Week One Checklist then come back here. This week to expedite our Fall cleaning efforts I’ve compiled a roundup of some of my favorite Fall Cleaning Checklists to share with you.  Let's keep going through the mild days of October and get our homes sparkling clean!



Sparkling clean kitchen sink
To me, nothing says welcome to my home and my kitchen like a sparkling clean kitchen sink. Scrub yours today and see how awesome you feel!




Fall Cleaning Checklists:

From RealSimple.com.  The great thing about the RS checklist is you can save your progress online, or just print it out and check the boxes as you go. 
To use this checklist visit Real Simple here. 



 From MarthaStewart.com:

Homemakers everywhere love Martha and I'm no exception. She makes everything seem do-able.

Beautiful, #clean #home for fall
Source


MarthaStewart.com has an endless supply of homemaking checklists, so be warned: you may need to pry your fingers from your mouse when you visit this site.

To use this checklist visit MarthaStewart.com here



Now let’s take our cleaning efforts outside with these two handy checklists.



From ThisOldHouse.com:

I enjoy watching This Old House with my husband on weekends when we have the time. I’ve come to enjoy their website as well. If you haven’t visited This Old House.com let me be the first to share this site with you starting off with their Fall Landscaping Checklist.

Fall landscaping #chores
Source
Each of the 11 tasks on the list are broken down in quick, easy to follow directions and the why behind doing it, so you get so much more than a cleaning check list here, you get easy to digest tutorials as well.

To use this checklist visit ThisOldHouse.com here



From BHG.com:

Next, we head over to BHG.com for their Fall Cleaning Checklist that covers everything from cleaning your gutters to inspecting your driveway for wear and tear.

BHG Fall #cleaning checklist
Source

 The thing I love about this checklist is Better Homes and Gardens has added a link to a step by step guide on how to do each task. 

To use this checklist visit BHG.com here



That’s it for our Fall Cleaning Checklists. I hope you find them helpful.  The weather is supposed to be perfect in my area for getting lots of these chores done this weekend.  I can’t wait to open up our windows and air out the house one last time before we hunker down for cold weather.  

I hope you are enjoying great fall weather too and please stay tuned for my organizing tips next week as I start working on closets and pantries. Plus, I’ll be adding a Giveaway for some amazing Eco friendly cleaning clothes soon!


Please share in comments: What one Fall Cleaning chores do you want to tackle this weekend?

Patriot Fire Pit Giveaway

in , , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Thursday, October 23, 2014

There's just something about a roaring fire on a brisk fall evening.  My family enjoys having bonfires where we circle the fire ring with our chairs, make S'more's and do a whole lot of talking and laughing. 

Being able to have a bonfire is a perk of country living, but never fear city dwellers, you can have the same fun with a Fire Pit. I've teamed up with a bunch of great bloggers to share this giveaway with you today. 





Ohio Flame #FirePit
Patriot Fire Pit Giveaway


Patriot Fire Pit
Hosted By:

Holiday Contest and Sweeps


Co-Hosted By:

The Stuff of Success

Simply Sherryl

Michigan Savings and More

My Devotional Thoughts



Proudly Brings You The



Ohio Flame


Patriot Fire Pit Giveaway



1 - Lucky Winner



Patriot Fire Pit



Holiday Contest and Sweeps  along with myself and a group of other awesome bloggers has the pleasure to bring you all a great a great giveaway from Ohio Flame for one if it's Patriot Fire Pits. There is nothing like setting next to a crackling fire in your back yard or camp to relax with family or friends.




"The Patriot” American Fire Pit by Ohio Flame combines sleek and modern styling with tough American quality and durability. With no parts to break or wear out over time, this Fire Pit is built to last a lifetime. 


 “The Patriot” is crafted from thick carbon American steel that is sourced from local steel mills. No maintenance is required for this Fire Pit, as it’s designed to withstand the elements year-round. “The Patriot” features a substantial Rain Drain to allow for water drainage. 

 The “Natural Steel Finish” will develop a natural iron oxide patina and gradually darken over time. This Fire Pit is 100% American Made and is crafted by a local artisan. “The Patriot” is backed by Ohio Flame’s Lifetime Warranty, guaranteeing that the Fire Pit will last a lifetime.



 A Big Thank You To Our The Sponsor

Ohio Flame

Ohio Flame

Entering to win this beautiful, well made Fire Pit is easy using the Rafflecopter form below. Please read terms and conditions below and Good luck!


Terms:

 This giveaway is in no way endorsed affiliated or associated with Facebook, Twitter or any other Social Media Networking Site. This giveaway is valid in the Continental United States Only. This event will end on 12:00 AM (EST) 11/14. My WAHM Plan is not responsible for prize fulfillment.





Disclosure:  


My WAHM Plan or Holiday Contest and Sweeps did not receive any form of compensation for this giveaway. Ohio Flame will be responsible for awarding and shipping of the prize
directly to the winner.

Weekly Fall Cleaning Checklist- Week One

in , , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Friday, October 17, 2014

I have been a busy little bee around the home office this week, but now it's time for me to turn my focus back to domestic pursuits, cause folks, you just can't decorate an unclean home anymore than you can entertain in one. 

I've looked at several Fall Cleaning Checklists, but found them to be to generalized, so I decided to make a weekly checklist of what I'm doing and share it here with you. I hope you find this list helpful. If you do,  please feel free to print out a copy for yourself and pin it for others to use. Now, let's roll up our sleeves and get some fall cleaning done.


Weekly Fall Cleaning Checklist Week One

Checklist for Weekly Fall Cleaning


Inside: Bedrooms:
  • Clean ceilings, walls, ceiling fans and light fixtures
  • Flip mattresses
  • Wash mattress and pillow covers
  • Bring cold weather linens out of storage, wash if needed
  • Vacuum baseboards
  • Vacuum behind beds and dressers
  • Clean window treatments as needed (don’t wash windows yet!)
  • De-clutter nightstands, recycle reading material as needed
  • Hang/put away all clothing
  • Find proper home for anything out of place


Helpful Tips:

  • Wrap your broom with an old tee shirt and secure with a rubber band to clean ceilings and walls.
  •  Always clean from top to bottom going clockwise around the room.
  • Put a laundry basket at the door to place “found* items in to take to their proper home later.
  • Turn on your favorite upbeat music and go!


Be sure to check back next Friday for week two's Fall Cleaning Checklist where we will tackle the living room and other common area's of your home and start working on some outdoor fall cleaning projects. 



Are we friends? Be sure to follow My WAHM Plan on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.  I'd love to see your Fall projects, so be sure to tag me or leave a comment here on your recent Fall posts. 




This is a Lunchbox sponsored post. All opinions, love of Crystal Light and Miranda Lambert are my own. 


Being Nashville TN. residents, my husband and I tuned in loyally to Nashville Star, never suspecting we’d get hooked on the show or that in 2003, we’d be rooting hard for a young lady by the name of Miranda Lambert.  Fast forward a decade or so and Ms. Miranda is a leading lady of country music and we still root for her.  We are fans all the way!  Are you#RanFan too? 

I’m also a big fan of Crystal Light products. One of my favorite treats is a tall, chilled glass of Crystal Light Pink Lemonade.


#CrystalLightWM Pink Lemonade


No matter the season I’m always up for a glass of Crystal Light Pink Lemonade and now I have even more incentive to buy it. 

Crystal Light and Miranda Lambert have partnered to bring you a fantastic way to earn rewards when you buy when you buy the Crystal Light products, Platinum Points!



                                 Banner Eight

The program is simple to use! 

Create an with Platinum Points, buy participating Crystal Light products at #Walmart, scan your receipt and earn your reward points! Be sure to use Promo Code: mirandamw  when you sign up for Platinum Points! You’ll earn 30 points!


#CrystalLightWM #RanFan #Walmart


I earned 100 points when I bought my Crystal Light Pink Lemonade and I’m sure I’ll have loads of points soon because there are so many Crystal Light products to choose from. Some of the other Crystal Light flavors I want to try and earn points on are:
Raspberry Ice
Peach Iced Tea
Classic Orange
Fruit Punch
Raspberry Lemonade
Lemon Iced Tea

Earn Platinum Points on:

CRYSTAL LIGHT Sugar Free on the Go Packs = 100 pts each
CRYSTAL LIGHT On the Go Multipacks = 100 pts each
 CRYSTAL LIGHT Canisters = 100 pts each
CRYSTAL LIGHT LIQUID = 100 pts each
CRYSTAL LIGHT Jumbo Products = 200 pts each
Miranda Lambert Platinum CD = 300 pts each

So what will your Platinum Points get you? Lots of Miranda Lambert goodies like:

Redeem Points for Rewards:
100 pts = Miranda Lambert Automatic (Acoustic) Song Download
800 pts = Miranda Lambert Platinum CD
800 pts = Miranda Lambert Platinum Mug
1000 pts = Miranda Lambert Platinum Tumbler
1200 pts = Platinum Rhinestone Ladies T-Shirt
5000 pts = Miranda Lambert Logo Guitar
8000 pts = Miranda Lambert Signed Guitar

This is a fun, easy way to earn great Miranda Lambert gear so be sure to share this with your friends! Not only will your friends earn 30 Platinum Points instantly for signing up, but you will also receive 10 points for each friend you refer who signs up. 

So what are you waiting for? Head on over to Walmart and purchase your favorite Crystal Light product. You only need to buy one product to redeem the exclusive Miranda Lambert song download! Don’t forget to sign up here and use the promo code I shared above. 

Please share in comments: Are you a Miranda Lambert (#RanFan) fan? Share your favorite song with me. Love Crystal Light too? Share your favorite flavor!

Disclosure: My thanks to Lunchbox and Crystal Light for sponsoring today’s post. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. 

The Power of the Heart book review

in , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Thursday, October 09, 2014

While I am an avid reader, self-help books aren’t normally on my TBR list, so when SheSpeaks sent an email asking if I’d like to receive an advanced copy of The Power of The Heart- Finding your true purpose in life; I almost passed. 

Until I saw that Maya Angelou was a contributor.  I have found great peace, solace and enlightenment in Maya’s words and teachings so I decided to open my heart and mind to this book. My thanks to SheSpeaks/Power of the Heart for sponsoring today’s post. I appreciate receiving a complimentary advanced copy of this book and a thank you gift for my time. All opinions expressed are my own.


#Poweroftheheart book #review


About The Power of the Heart: Written by Baptist De Pape for Atria Books:

The Power of the Heart book is a compilation of thoughts, ideas and exercises from eighteen of the world’s greatest spiritual thinkers, writers and scientists who reveal how you can overcome limitations and fulfill your highest potential. Since the beginning of recorded history, the great teachers of the world’s spiritual traditions have described the heart as the source of true power and understanding.


How Do You Connect With Your Individual Heart’s Power? 

“There are many different ways to connect with your heart’s power and intelligence. The book explains how to listen to your heart’s voice and hear its wisdom. It also explains ways, in which you can develop your intuition, create synchronicity, clarify your intentions, and exercise the power of gratitude. All of these – intuition, intention, gratitude, and synchronicity – are also powers of the heart.”


My Thoughts:

Each chapter of The Power of the heart is relatively easy to read and get through. There are exercises or contemplation's throughout the book to help you get in tune with your true purpose in life and your heart’s power. Some of the writers/teachers words I could align myself with easier than others. For instance one such contemplation is The Three Blessings Exercise.

For this exercise you are supposed to write down three blessings or things that went right for you that day. I found that by following this exercise I actually had more than three blessings for each and every day. I found that to be very life affirming!


 My Favorite Quotes:

If you don’t know what to do, do nothing. Don’t fill your time with trivia. Simply do nothing. Don’t do anything and you may be able to hear your heart. – Maya Angelou

It’s important to allow moments of silence into your life, because silence can let you escape the mental noise we call “thinking”. – Eckhart Tolle

Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. – Steve Jobs

Personally, I found this spiritually enlightening book to be helpful in that it made me stop and “contemplate” on two key issues for me, Intention and Gratitude


The Take Away:

This book is beautiful and would be a welcome resource for anyone who is asking themselves the big picture questions about their life and their purpose in it. Be prepared to think and feel your way through it.  


Spoiler Alert: The circle design feature on the front of the book jacket glows in the dark! What an unexpected touch.

You can learn more about The Power of the Heart, including ordering a copy by visiting their website here and by following along on Facebook and Twitter.


Please share in comments: Which of my favorite quotes above speaks to you? 



Disclosure: My thanks to SheSpeaks/Power of the Heart for sponsoring today’s post. I appreciate receiving a complimentary advanced copy of this book and a thank you gift for my time. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. 


From a very early age, my daughters have enjoyed spending time with me in the kitchen.  They have graduated up the ranks over the years and can cook a number of things on their own, but there is one appliance that is still a bit intimidating for them to work with; a hot oven. 

As adults, we know that getting hot, bubbling food out of the oven without getting burned is tough sometimes, so I was happy to work with our sponsor today, BrylaneHome, who sent us their 6 slice convection- toaster oven to review and share our thoughts. All opinions are my own. 


About BrylaneHome 6-slice Convection- Toaster Oven:

Convection-toaster oven #BrylaneHome

Their Toaster oven is a multi-use kitchen appliance you will be happy to have on your kitchen counter! Not only is it a toaster, it’s a rotisserie and a convection oven.  You can bake, broil, toast and roast a variety of dishes. It’s small enough to fit on our counter, but big enough to hold a nice size casserole dish. 

I really like the fact that you can set this toaster oven to a low 150 degrees, set the timer and walk away. The toaster oven will automatically shut off.

This is perfect appliance for my kids to use. With the BrylaneHome convection-toaster oven they can make a quick batch of cookies, muffins, or warm up a leftover cheddar drop biscuit or two after school without the hassle of working with the big oven. 


warming up cheddar drop #biscuits

We will be putting this toaster oven to good use come Thanksgiving when oven space is at a premium. I won’t’ have to do the pull, squeeze and shuffle this year when someone else arrives with a dish that has to go in the oven to keep or warm or finish cooking.

The warming feature has quickly become one of our favorites on this Toaster oven. It’s just as easy as using a microwave and you get the feel good warmth of food pulled from the oven.  That’s a win here.


If you are hosting a special holiday meal this year, you may want to save yourself the oven shuffle hassle and head on over to BrylaneHome and check out this convection- toaster oven.




Thank you to Depend for sponsoring today’s post about the #dropyourpants for #underwareness movement. All opinions and dropped pants are 100% my own.


Have you seen the Depend T.V. commercial where normal, everyday people like you and me are walking down the street just getting from point A to point B. At first you don’t know why the onlookers are staring.  Everybody looks normal enough.  

Then the camera pans out and we see that nobody is wearing pants! They are all proudly walking down the street in Depend products to prove a point. That point is that everybody at some point, no matter their age may experience bladder leakage and it’s nothing to be ashamed of. 



#dropyourpants for #underwareness


The first time I saw that commercial I thought, I could never be that brave! I couldn’t just show myself like that. Then I learned that the commercial is part of a greater social movement for a charitable cause, so I did it!  And it was all in good, clean fun for such a good cause! You should #dropyourpants and join the #underwareness movement too.


my #dropyourpants for #underwareness


Why join the #underwareness Movement: 

Depend will donate $1, up to $3 million, over the next three years to charities that advance the research, education and awareness of bladder leakage  for every photo or video uploaded and shared online with the hashtags #dropyourpants and #underwareness. 


I’ll be honest here and tell you right up front that I have never used a Depend product, but I’ve purchased them several times for a senior member of my family. She relies on them daily now and actually started needing them a bit here and there as she says in her late forties.

Recently she fell and could no longer do her own shopping and I can remember the pained look on her face when she had to ask us to buy her Depend products for her bladder leakage issue.

 I felt so bad for her in that moment, not because she has bladder leakage, but because of her embarrassment at having to admit it to us.  I told her there was no call to feel this way, we were family and we would treat these bladder leakage protection products as we would any other personal hygiene need and be as discreet as possible.

Speaking of discreet, that is exactly why she prefers Depend® Silhouette® Briefs for Women. They allow her to get dressed for her day confidently, knowing that her Depend briefs look and feel like real underwear, they give her a level of protection she can trust. 



Get involved:

Think you are ready to #dropyourpants for #underwareness too?  Visit the Underwareness site and join the #underwareness movement and help Depend reach their goal.


#underwareness charity goal




Get a free sample:

Claim your free samples today by visiting the Depend page and clicking on the "Get a Sample" button located at the top right-hand side of the screen. Then, select which sample you would like to receive and wait for them to arrive. 

Be sure to share this with family and friends too. As the Depend #underwareness commercial points out, you can never tell who needs bladder leakage protection just by looking at them.
 



Disclosure: Thank you to Depend for sponsoring today’s post about the #dropyourpants for #underwareness movement. All opinions and dropped pants are 100% my own.I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. 

Easy kids birthday party craft using upcycled packing paper

in , , , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Thursday, October 02, 2014

From time to time my husband receives supplies for his cabinet business wrapped in long sheets of white packing paper.  He knows better than to recycle this paper (or any packing paper really) before asking me if I want it for craft and D.I.Y. projects.

This thrifty do it your self-er usually says yes!  Sometimes I get brown paper, sometimes I get tissue paper, but my favorite of all is the perfectly white pieces of packing paper.  I roll them up and squirrel them away for special occasions.

Inspiration struck when we were planning my tweens birthday party. Anybody who has ever hosted a birthday party/sleepover knows these wonderful tweens can power through activities almost as quickly as they can hoover a bag of Doritos. Almost. 

So a Mom’s got to be on her A game or she will hear the dreaded “I’m bored” or “what else can we do?” words. Not good when one is celebrating a birthday. So my daughter and I jammed packed their schedule, but my ace in the hole was letting them write on the table!


easy birthday party craft for tweens #upcycled paper
Doesn’t this paper just beg to be drawn and written on? Even our cat couldn’t resist it.


 Craft Set Up:


Setting this craft up was easy-peasy.  First, we placed a festive plastic table cloth on our dining room table. Then rolled out the white packing paper and taped it down on the ends and sides. Don’t worry if your upcycled paper has a hole or two in it, just tape over it. Next, set out your writing supplies. We had a bucket full of markers and a pencil case full of colored pencils and pens. There may have been a few crayons in the mix as well.


bucket of markers for craft time


You are good to go! Once all the guests arrive, let the birthday child announce that they can write on the table and be ready with your camera for their reactions! The girls attending my daughter’s party practically knocked each other over to get to the table to start. 

Out of respect for privacy, I won’t share their happy faces here, but I will show you the end product.


happy craft table


As you can see, these girls LOVED this craft. They came back to it again and again. They wrote and laughed and talked their way through dinner and dessert here. They came back after playing flashlight tag and they sat here again doodling while eating their breakfast and waiting to be picked up. 

The best part for me was seeing their faces. Once the party guests had gone home, my daughter and I saved a portion of the paper with special birthday messages on it. 


Finding free packing paper ideas:

If you haven’t started recycling the packing supplies that come in with your products, now is a great time to start with the holidays rapidly approaching. You can also ask your family members to save longer sheets of packing paper for you.  You could even ask a local business if they receive boxes with packing paper. I’m sure they would be happy to give you some as most businesses just recycle it.  

However you come by your paper, I hope you and your kids will get a chance to write on the table soon! 


Please share in comments: Do you set up craft/activity stations at your kids birthday parties? If yes, what kinds?
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