Embracing the Magic

I'm convinced the Magic Eraser was invented just to removed dog slobber from white painted woodwork.  And thank goodness for that.

Also, I found a solution for grease stains that works!  More to come.

Together is Better

I could probably count on one hand the number of times my husband and I have done dishes together.  We did it tonight.  I'm not even talking washing and drying, just loading up the dishwasher.  Finishing up my work for the evening and looking at the kitchen full of dirty dishes, I sighed, and then my husband offered to do them for me (shock, joy, love!).  Sold.  Then for some reason I decided to take a few minutes before bed and unload the clean dishes from the dishwasher.  Just a little help to get the process started.  As I was finishing up, hubby walked in, got to work, and said "If we do this together, we can get it done fast."  True.  And knowing in my heart of hearts my husband isn't the most efficient dishwasher loader (lots of wide open space), I agreed.  And it was fast.  In probably just over 5 minutes of working together rinsing, loading, and wiping we got a very messy kitchen transformed into pretty good shape. 

So often married couples work on separate tasks (cleaning vs. yard work) or work together on huge remodeling projects that can span days, weeks, or even months, with plenty of time for disagreements, grudges, and gripes to surface.  There was something sweetly satisfying about getting in there, working together for a few minutes, and getting a job done.  I can't quite put it into words, but it felt right.  Or, maybe it's my subconscious trying to glorify the experience so I don't have to be stuck with the dirty dishes for the rest of my life.  Or maybe it was just my husband's sneaky way of getting some extra help.  Damn!  He's good.

Making Progress

Sorry for the long absence. I don't have any great excuses, just life! I'm not quite as diligent in keeping the counters clean (as Traci can attest), but overall my house is probably staying at least 50% cleaner than it did 2 months ago. I call that progress! When I slide it's usually only for a day or two and then I feel a push to get back on track. The thrill of a cleaner house has worn off a little, which I attribute to my new higher standards. Darn you, higher standards!


I've been working my way through Jillian Michaels' 30-Day Shred. I realize based on when I originally started, I'm about 30 days in. I hit a road block early on with a stretch of travel, however, so I'm more like about halfway. I'll be the first to admit I'm not doing it every day, but I am doing it at least 4 or more times a week. Considering I didn't work out at all 30 days ago, this is great progress. I find the 20 minutes pretty manageable, even in my busy schedule. I haven't changed up my eating too much yet--just fewer sweets and better carbs, although I did chow down on taco pizza tonight. I've lost 3 lbs so far and have majorly toned up. My arms, which I usually try to keep covered as much as possible, are looking respectable (to me). I usually do a few extra minutes of abs at the end of the video (got that post-baby tummy to tighten up). My muffin top is already much less noticeable. In fact, while cleaning out my younger daughter's closet last night, where I keep my out-of-season clothing and stuff that's too small, I found 3 pairs of jeans and 2 pairs of shorts that now fit! Keep in mind this is my fourth summer in a row either pregnant or post-baby, so the little things excite me.

Better and more frequent posting to come! There. I just put it out into the blogger universe. I guess now I will have to follow through.