Everyday Easter Egg Fun

It is sad that Easter is only one day.  I get all teary-eyed just thinking that the joy of opening plastic easter eggs only lasts one day.  So I thought, why does it have to be this way?  Why can't we stretch the holiday a little longer.  

This year, I started a new tradition that does just that - stretch the holiday fun.  I started off small, because I didn't want to be too overwhelmed with my busy schedule and not have fun creating holiday fun.  I will hopefully add new traditions each year until my holiday is really egg-stravagant.

For a week before Easter, I put a center piece on my table consisting of plastic eggs, a little easter grass (you know the stuff that gets everywhere and floats mindlessly around the house), and a bowl of yummy - cadbury mini-eggs!

Easter Center Piece

Here comes the fun part.  Every morning before breakfast, my babies get to pick an egg that has been filled with trinkets, candy, or little easter toys of some sort.  Then after they eat their breakfast - they can have two cadbury mini-eggs before going to school.  Let me tell you, I don't even have to shake them awake anymore.  All I do is turn on the light and bam - they are up and dressed and ready to choose an egg.  They get to shake them and roll them, but they can not open until they have chosen one.  It is sooo much fun to see them all excited.  This year, I put starburst candies, lifesaver gummies, and all sorts of $1 toys from the Easter aisle at the local walmart.  They have bubble rings, pop-up eggs, pop-up bunnies, bouncing balls, and bunny erasers.  The fun part is that they never know what they are going to get.    All the extras leftover can be used to fill their Easter Bunny Baskets on Easter Sunday too!  

Here are my thoughts to add to traditions for years to come: 

1. Add a slip of paper with a love note from Mommy and Daddy

2. Cook a special easter breakfast every morning (bunny-shaped pancakes for example)

3. Put a note on their doors - that makes them find their eggs hidden in the house (especially for the older one who is getting to be quite the reader)

4. Mini-easter egg hunt every morning

5. Easter color booklet to do a little every morning

6. Read an Easter book every morning

 

Continuing Kitchen Clean-up

So you have reorganized your kitchen, but how do you maintain it? How do you keep it from getting to that everything's in the kitchen and I can't cook stage?  Is there any hope to a happy healthy kitchen space?

Sure is.  Its called continuing the kitchen clean-up.  A daily routine that can be completed in the short space of the commericals of your favorite T.V. program.  Simple easy steps to maintaining a clean spotless kitchen.

Complete these simple steps everyday to insure kitchen cleanliness.

During Morning Breakfast - while cooking the morning breakfast - sweep the kitchen floor.  Doing this every morning prevents the nasty build-up of crunching crumbs under your tired feet.  Also empty the dishwasher from the night before - put away the clean dishes so it is free for the daytime dishes.

After Morning Breakfast - clean any dishes or rinse and put them in the dishwasher.  Doing this after every meal keeps your counters and sinks from getting run over with grimy dishes and keeps the task of dishwashing to a minimal chore.  Also wipe down the table and cooking area you just used.  Making a habit of this keeps counter maintainence easy as pie.

During Lunch - Clean pots and pans as you finish with them.  This makes the task of pot duty seem easy as can be. 

After Lunch - Clean any dishes and wipe down the table.  Continuing the clean-up.

During Supper - Clean pots and pans as you finish with them (continuing the clean-up).  Wipe down counter spaces for any debris and dust.  Pick up miscellaneous items that have strayed and do not belong in the kitchen - return them to their proper place.

After Supper - Load and start dishwasher or finish washing dishes.  Swiffer or sweep kitchen floors if necessary (I only do this every three days or so).  Clean cooking areas. 

Here is a short list without all the explanation:

Morning 1. Sweep

              2. Empty dishwasher - store clean dishes

              3. Clean dishes 

              4. Wipe down the table and cooking area

Midday  1. Clean pots and pans

              2. Clean dishes

              3. Wipe down the table and cooking area

Evening  1. Clean pots and pans

              2. Wipe down counter spaces

              3. Pick up misplaced items

              4. Load and start dishwasher

              5. Swiffer (2-3 times a week)

              6. Clean cooking areas.

None of these task take a lot of time - really only a few minutes each and area split up into times you are naturally in the kitchen anyway.  The job of kitchen clean-up becomes easy when you keep the task small and manageable.

Kitchen Organization - Storing and Usage

The kitchen is the hub of any well organized home.  Everything happens in the kitchen.  For that reason, it can also become the most disorganized area in a home.  Here are some tips to bring sanity back to your sanctuary.  

TIP #1: Know what you have to have in the kitchen.  

             This depends on what you do in your kitchen.  This will be different for every person.  Make a list of things you do everyday in your kitchen and a list of items that must be readily available to get these tasks done in an efficient amount of time.  For example - if your children do homework in the kitchen - it might be beneficial to have items like pencils, erasers, scissors, colors, etc. in a portable basket or tote.

TIP #2: Designate cabinets for storage.

            Count the number of cabinets you have in your kitchen.  This is the number of different types of items you can store in your kitchen.  This will help you keep a manageable amount of stuff in your kitchen.  Make a list of cabinets and what will be stored in each.  Just remember some items like pots and pans may take more than one cabinet to be used as storage.

TIP #3: Locate items near where they will be used.

             Make sure that you store items near the area of use.  For example, seasoning would probably be best stored in a cabinet near the stove since this is where you will cook food.  Homework materials would probably be best stored in a cabinet nearest a table.

TIP #4: Remove items that are not used in the kitchen.

             Once your list are made and you have sorted through your items.  Remove those items that don't belong in the kitchen.  Store them in the room that is closest to their use area.

TIP #5: Daily Pick-up and Removal

             Keep up with keeping your kitchen organized by daily picking up of items and moving and removing them from the kitchen.  Be diligent in returning items to their proper location and soon your kitchen will be in tip-top shape.

DIY Ribbon Wreath/Bow Holder

I thought it might be beneficial to those of you with a creative whim to let you know my latest creation.  I created a ribbon wreath that doubles as a bow holder for that special little girl in you life.  It was so easy, it only took about and hour and a half of actual trial and error before I threw together something that really made me smile.   Pinterest gave me the idea of a ribbon wreath and a good friend of mine gave me the idea of a hair bow holder.  And a little later - the two just merged into one. This is the finished product - the steps to create your own will follow with tips of course!

DIY RIBBON WREATH AND BOW HOLDER

Items needed: ribbon (lots and lots)
                      foam wreath
                      cut-out letters - I used "chip board" letters from Hobby Lobby
                      hot glue (lots and lots)
                      decorative items (flowers)

Step 1: Take your foam wreath and cover it in ribbon - this was the trickiest step for me because I had a squared type foam wreath - the round ones are much easier.  You can cut and individually hot glue the ribbons which is what I did, because I was afraid that eventually the ribbon would move and not stay in place.  I used coordinating ribbons of brown and pink, but you can do it all one color or many different colors.  I wrapped the ribbon and cut it into sections then hot glued it.  *****TIP****** Make sure you get plenty of ribbon - I had to make another trip to the store :(

Step 2: Center and hot glue your letters onto the wreath.  *****TIP***** Plan this out before you glue - once they are in place - they are in place.

Step 3: Add decorations and hot glue them into place.  *****TIP***** Same as above planning saves a lot of aggravation.

Step 4: Add hanging ribbons at bottom and hot glue them into place.  These are for the hair bows that your little one will wear for years to come.  *****TIP***** When cutting the ribbon melt the edges with a lighter to have a finished edge, be careful not to burn them though.

That's it! Four easy steps and you have a beautiful hair bow holder, personalized and everything!