family, habits and routines, Health, routines

Momma’s….take care of YOU

Posted on December 6, 2022 by theselfcleaninghouse

For the last almost two years my Mom has had dementia. I am sure she has had it for much longer but that is how long my sister and I have been caring for both her and my Dad, who has Alzheimer’s, so that they can stay in their home as long as possible. This is not something that my Mom would have wanted. She was always so strong and smart and could fix anything. She knows she can’t remember and is confused. It’s so sad to see.

We can do so much to prevent dementia! It is not a game of Russian roulette. We can do something about it. The top leading causes of dementia are high blood sugar/diabetes and lack of good quality sleep. Diabetes can also be caused from a lack of good sleep. Poor diet and lack of exercise affects both blood sugar and sleep. More women than men have dementia. That means we have to be even more vigilant to take care of ourselves.

Alzheimer’s is a Lifestyle Disease

A great read from Dr Amen

If you are into podcasts (I am a podcast junkie!) take a listen to this one on dementia and Alzheimer’s. https://themodelhealthshow.com/steven-masley/

When Moms are stressed, frazzled and busy, what is the first thing that will be sacrificed? Sleep. We stay up late to clean, to do extra work we didn’t get done at work, to pay bills or do laundry. There isn’t enough hours in the day so we steal them from our night. Then we go to bed thinking of all the things still left to do and can’t sleep.

We do that because we are sacrificing for our families, for our kids! What we don’t realize at the time is where that wave is going to end up crashing. I am looking at it. This is not what you want for your kids.

It is absolutely vital to our health and our future to take care of ourselves and stop the chaos and stress and get good sleep. It can be done. Maybe not perfectly, but that is ok. Use daily routines to keep things in check and weekly routines to clean without killing yourself. Let your family know what is expected of them. They might grumble now but they will appreciate it later!

I wish my Mom had taken time for herself. I wish she had prioritized her health and happiness and modeled that for me. Unfortunately, I am sure I taught my kids that same thing, that being a mom means taking care of everyone except yourself. I am sorry girls!!

I can’t go back and change it now and neither can my mother, but I can tell you! Your grown up kids in the future are begging you to go for a walk, to do a little laundry everyday, not do it all till 3 in the morning. They want you to go to the dentist. They want you to get a massage and a facial. They want you to go talk to a counselor. They want you to be happy and have good healthy relationships. They want you to sleep in sometimes. They want you to ask them and dad for help. They want you to know that you are really important. They want you to take care of yourself. Please.

I miss you Mom. This is hard.

Momma’s, for the love of your children, take care of you.

XOXO

Elizabeth

cleaning

How Much Does Your Clutter Cost?

Posted on June 20, 2022 by theselfcleaninghouse

In the mid nineteenth century thousands of people journeyed west taking everything they had with them in a covered wagon. The covered wagon was the mivivan of the emigrant trails. It’s hard to picture just how much stuff you could fit in a covered wagon, but I am pretty sure it wasn’t a lot. I can’t imagine getting many of my possessions in a minivan or even suburban, along with the kids and dog.

(credit: State Historical Society, Columbia)

I am going to go ahead and guess that the pioneers of that time didn’t have a clutter problem. There were no “storage marts” or Pod containers to rent. Clutter is an issue that we created later on. An issue that has come at a cost!

The problem: we put more value on our stuff than on our space.
Francine Jay

So just how much does your clutter cost? Clutter costs us in more than just dollars but lets just talk about the dollars to start.

23% of people in America have a bedroom that is not being used for anything except to store clutter. 70% of the clutter in that room has not been used in 10 years. 20% of people can not use their garage for it’s purpose, a car, because it is too full of clutter.

Let’s figure the cost of the space being used. Say you have a 2000 sq ft home that is worth 400k. (That number is ridiculously low where I live but we are just going to use that number.) Take the cost of your home divided by the square footage. In this case $200 per square foot. If you are using a small 10’x10′ bedroom for your clutter then the clutter in that room is taking up 20K !!! Now let’s assume the garage is a very small two car garage, 20’x20′, 400 square feet, that equals 80k! One hundred thousand dollars of your home is being used to contain clutter!!!! That is absolutely mind blowing!!

Not only do we store clutter in our homes but we rent storage units to store our clutter as well. In the U.S., 65% of self-storage renters have a garage in their home, 47% have an attic, and 33% have a basement. This suggests that Americans have more things than their homes allow them…in other words, clutter. The average storage unit costs appoximately $150 a month, often more than that. Plus you need to pay renters insurance to cover the contents of the unit. That is a minimun of $1800 per year to house clutter.

We are now very aware of how expensive it is to keep our clutter. We haven’t even mentioned how much it cost us to aquire it in the first place…which is ironically the reason many people continue to pay more money to keep the clutter.

What other ways does our clutter cost us? Time for one. Did you know that we spend about one whole year of our lives looking for something we have lost or misplaced? If our homes are cluttered it is easy to lose things and harder to find them. Clutter makes everything take longer. Too many clothes makes it harder and takes longer to find something to wear. Too many piles of mail makes it hard to find that important paper you need. Too many knick knacks makes it too hard to dust easily. Losing your keys in clutter on the counter can cause you to be late.

Clutter costs us Space, like the bedroom full of clutter. That space could be used for a grandchild’s sleepover or a friend coming from out of town. It could be used as an office or a sewing/hobby room. Clutter robs us of those opportunities because it takes up space. It isnt that we dont have enough room… we have too much stuff.

Clutter takes more energy. Clutter has to be worked around, moved, shoved back, and dealt with in someway. Clutter makes 40% more housework and makes it more difficult as welll. First you have to clean….before you can clean!

Clutter affects our memory and our focus. Did you know that clutter affects your brain? Our brains like order, and constant visual reminders of disorganization drain our cognitive resources, meaning our brains have to constantly “do something” with what it is seeing. Clutter is like an app running in the background. We aren’t able to give other things our full attention, reducing our ability to focus. The visual distraction of clutter increases cognitive overload and can reduce our working memory.

Sleep is also affected when there is clutter. Clutter causes stress in your brain, because it has to continually process it. Stress raises cortisol which makes hard to sleep, makes us gain weight, causes anxiety, and many other physical issues. Research has shown that being in a messy room will make you twice as likely to eat a chocolalte bar than an apple and people with extremely cluttered homes are 77% more likely to be overweight.

Happiness and relationships are affected by clutter. All those things just mentioned are going to have a toll on our mental well being which in turn affects all our relationships.

Our home is not just a storage space. Our home is supposed to be our refuge from the world and stress around us. It is supposed to be our “happy place”.

So next time you are tempted to just toss those jeans that don’t fit in the extra bedroom… maybe take them to a charity instead. You will be accomplishing two good things at once.

Make a desicion to spend 15 minutes each day “decluttering”. Getting rid of clutter doesn’t have to be an event! Make it a habit!

One of the best ways to win the war with clutter is not bringing it home. Think about your purchases carefully. Do you really need it? Do you have a home for it? What do you need to get rid of if you buy it?

Things to remember as you go about your home. “Don’t put it down, put it away.” “Everything has a home and everything in its home.” “Don’t touch anything twice, put it where it belongs the first time.”

You can have a clutter free house! You deserve that. Do it for your wallet, your time, your energy, your brain, your health, your happiness and for your family! Don’t let clutter rob you anymore!

Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. ³³Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. ³⁴For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Luke 12:32-24

Happy decluttering!

Elizabeth XOXO

camping, cleaning, family, habits and routines, routines

Giving Myself Grace

Posted on September 12, 2019 by theselfcleaninghouse

Hi Friends! It has been so very long since I have written here. Six months in fact! I have missed it so very much! I have had so many things going on in my life that I had decided to put this on the back burner for a while, but I couldn’t stay away forever!

Honestly, I had been feeling like I am not very qualified to write a blog called “The Self Cleaning House”. I still don’t. Not sure how I thought I was! With a family of five, a large house, an in home day care with six children, two of them infants, doing laundry for two families, writing two blogs and starting an eCommerce store, and camping every weekend all summer, I feel very often that my house doesn’t reflect the image I would like it to. Yes, it’s tidy-ish. The bathrooms are clean and the laundry is done and well, the basics are done, but that is as far as it goes.

You’ll never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.” ―John C. Maxwell

Those daily routines…. I’m telling you, they are life! Without them my home would be in shambles right now. If you don’t know what those are, check out the routines page here. If you do, but need to dust those off and start again… DO IT!!

BUT…. my closet….not sure what has happened in there! The bathroom drawers… oh my! And then there is the garage….. so much. I want to cry every time I go out there.

Can you relate? I am hoping you can, because that is why I decided to jump back in to writing here as often as I can at least.

I hope that I can inspire you and ME to get to those things that are bugging you right now about your house. Yes! That thing that just popped into your head just now! See, I knew you had something too!. I know I am busy and you are busy. Crazy busy, in fact. Like, OMG, we have so much to do today we won’t be done with today until next Tuesday, busy!

But….. we got this! We can fine tune routines and knock things out in little five minute increments. So, without guilt and shame I am going to jump back into writing and sharing ideas with you. It helps to keep me accountable but I am also going to remember to try to give myself GRACE! You do the same!

I promise to be back again soon with ideas, encouragement and updates on that garage of mine!

Love you all! E

XOXO

Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
2 Peter 1:2

cleaning, habits and routines, routines

Routines, Wine and Pizza

Posted on March 18, 2019March 19, 2019 by theselfcleaninghouse

It was Friday late afternoon. It had been a long tiring week and I was very much looking forward to 5:30 pm, a glass of wine and pizza that I didn’t have to make! Don’t get me wrong, I love to cook but at the end of a long week of toddlers, chicken nuggets, diapers, and toys I am quite ready to have dinner delivered and put my feet up!

I was clock watching, getting kids snacks and preparing for parents to arrive when I received a text message from our landlord. We don’t hear from her much so I was surprised. She lives in Alaska and we live in Idaho. We take care of the house and don’t bother her unless we have to and she doesn’t bother us unless necessary as well. It is a good situation and she is a great person.I read the text…. “I am in town and would like to come by to see the house tomorrow morning if that is OK?” She hasn’t been to visit or see her property in about three or four years so I totally understand her wanting to drop by…. but, tomorrow?!!! Yikes!! Terror struck me and my mind started to race. What all needs to be done? Should I clean and organize the freezer? Clean the tops of the kitchen cupboards? Disinfect the garbage cans? Whoa…….. breathe…..

I may or may not have looked like this….

Ok…..what really needs to be done? I looked around. I decided the carpet needed to be vacuumed, dusting should be done, entry rugs shook out, the kitchen and entry should be swept, and a little extra tidying up in the bedrooms. My family pitched in and we had all that done easily in a half an hour! By 6 pm we were having wine and pizza!

The house looked fantastic! I didn’t go all crazy and do things that didn’t need to be done and with just a few minutes of normal cleaning it looked great. You know why it only took a little effort to make the house company ready? Routines!!! The bathrooms were clean, there were no piles of laundry, dishes/kitchen was done and beds were made, the house was tidy, the kitty litter and garbage had been taken care of. The house look good and smelled good!

She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.

Proverbs 31:27

Thank you, routines, for giving me a self cleaning house that allowed me to have wine and pizza on the Friday night before my landlord was to come see our home! Side note…. the landlord couldn’t fit stopping by into her schedule before leaving town so she never did make it. If you all want to stopover…..my house looks great!

If you haven’t already, go check out the routines page here on my blog!
You need to have your own self-cleaning house!

cleaning, habits and routines, organizing, routines, Tips and Tricks

12 Habits of People with Clean Homes

Posted on February 7, 2019February 7, 2019 by theselfcleaninghouse

We all know someone whose home we are in awe of. That home that always seems to be perfectly clean no matter when you drop in.

How do they do that? What kind of magic is it?! Their magic is in their habits!

Here is a list of habits that I have compiled that people with clean homes do. If you would like to have a home that is always in a state of “near company ready”, try adopting these habits.

Put it back, don’t put it down. When working on a project or even just writing a note or curling your hair, put it all away before you walk away.
Declutter. Live more with less. A home with less “stuff” gets less messy. You can’t clean clutter.
Everything has a home and everything in it’s home. If it doesn’t have a home, either make a home or toss it. Just like habit number one says, put it back. Always return things to their proper home.
Always make your bed. There are so many good reasons to make your bed, but most importantly it makes the room look better even if that is all that is done.
Empty the dishwasher ASAP. A dishwasher full of clean dishes is a sure fire way to have dishes left in the sink.
Never leave dishes in the sink. See above! Dishes in the sink spreads to dishes on the counter, none of which looks tidy. Your sink is just like your bed but in the kitchen. If it looks nice it helps the rest of the room look nice.
Never leave a room empty-handed. When walking about the house, always take a look around before leaving a room and notice if there is something that needs to go to the room you are going to. I have a saying…”Always improve the room you are in, even if it’s just a smile.” If you can’t find anything out of place in a room, just smile and make it a happy place to be!
Do it now! Don’t wait to pick up that receipt that fell on the garage floor, do it now. Don’t wait to hang up your coat, do it now. Don’t wait to sort through today’s mail, do it now… most of it goes in the trash anyway! Most things take far less time to do than we think.
Work smart, not hard. Clean the shower while you are in it. Keep cleaners where you will need them. Clean the fridge one shelf at a time instead of all at once. Use a shared app with the family for groceries and to do lists. Cozi is my favorite! Check it out here!
Do a load of laundry a day. Small loads of laundry done daily are much more manageable than mountains of laundry done on the weekends.
Reset. Before bed, before leaving the house, after the kids go to school or go down for a nap, Reset! Reset the room. Fix blankets and pillows on the couch, straighten books on the coffee table, put the slippers or shoes in the basket, and straighten the rug. Make it a beautiful place to come back to.
Respect your home and the people in it. Even if you don’t care about your coat on the couch or dishes in the sink, someone else does. A clean home is a peaceful home. Respect each other by picking up after yourself and helping out. Teach your children this from the time they are young. Even if it’s not our favorite thing to do, we do it to show respect and kindness to each other.

There ya have it! I hope you can pick up a few of those habits to help you have a super clean and happy home too!

Blessings! XOXO

Hey Friends! I have been using this CBD oil for quite some time now and I am loving the results! It helps a lot with the pain I have in my neck from some surgeries, it helps with keeping emotions in check because let’s be real…hormones can do a number on us ladies and this really helps! It helps keep me be calmer and able to handle the stress of a bunch of toddlers daily. It also helps me sleep well.

Below is a link where you can check it out! Please feel free to message me with questions!

You deserve a good night’s rest!

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as though you were working for the Lord and not for human beings.
Colossians 3:23

cleaning, family, happiness, memories, routines

Wanna know a secret??

Posted on October 12, 2018 by theselfcleaninghouse

Psssst…… Wanna know a secret??! My house isn’t ALL that clean. You can’t eat off my floors, and my fridge is crowded and a lot of the baseboards are dirty. My desk has kids workbooks and coloring pages on it and there are clothes to be mended on top of my sewing table. We won’t talk about the garage.

We live here. I have a daycare here. There is a lot going on in this house at all times. If you are looking for how to keep your house looking like Martha Stewart’s house, this is the wrong place.

If you want a seemingly effortless tidy home without stress, I am so glad you are here!!

It took me a long time to start this blog because I was afraid of being judged and afraid people would expect me to have a perfect home if I talked about ways to clean your home and keep it clean. I finally went for it, but I want you to know… my house isn’t perfect! In fact, there may be a lot of people reading this that have a cleaner home than I do!

The point of this blog is to help you not have house cleaning rule your life. To do house KEEPING, not house CLEANING.

I will welcome you to my home at any time of the day. My house may have toys in the living room and kids everywhere but the dishes will be done and the bathrooms will be clean. It IS possible to have a clean and tidy home with kids!!

The kitchen is clean after breakfast!

All the toys are picked up before we head outside to play!

The blinds are probably dusty….. I will get there. That’s ok. My routines keep my house clean. When I have a moment, if all six kids are asleep at the same time, I may or may not clean the blinds. The important things are taken care of.

My house will always be moments away from company ready and I welcome you all but don’t expect it to pass a white glove test! It will be tidy and mostly clutter free and I won’t mind at all if you want to use my bathroom. The oven may need to be cleaned and crumbs in the silverware drawer. I have routines for that too and will get to it. I am not going to knock myself out to have everything done all the time and all at once and I don’t want you to either!

So, if you are looking for ways to have your blinds clean and the slider track look brand new, there are lots of blogs for that. I am just here to help you have a tidy home you don’t have to stress about and to teach you habits that make that happen so that you can enjoy the truly important things in life! I promise you, it IS possible!

Check out my routine page and set your Self Cleaning House in motion! Once those basic routines are in cement then we will move on to things like slider tracks and oven cleaning!

Right now, go do your daily routines and then go play with your kids and make some memories.

cleaning, family, food, motivation, routines, self discipline, Tips and Tricks

Kids Routines and Chores

Posted on September 13, 2018September 20, 2018 by theselfcleaninghouse

The kids are back in school! My granddaughter is in 2nd grade this year. Time sure flies! The first week of school is always really exciting and she is anxious to get up and be ready for school and out the door on time. After that, it starts to get…. a little less exciting. Establishing good routines that first week is super important, and then making sure that they keep it up is important too!

Teaching life skills is one of the most important jobs we have as parents.

Teaching routines, goal setting, and self-discipline sets your kids up for success!

Even though I know my routines inside out and backward, I, as an adult, still like checking each item off and feeling successful first thing in the morning.

It is just as important for our kids to feel that way! Having a list, chart, whiteboard or some other way for them to mark off completed items, helps them feel successful, helps them to know exactly what is expected of them, keeps you from having to tell them over and over to do each item and it teaches self-discipline. Giving them some things that are super simple, especially at a young age, helps them feel good because it is not overwhelming and they have that sense of satisfaction right away. “Look Mom! I already have two things checked off my list!” Even though those two things were get dressed and brush their teeth, we need to let them feel that sense of accomplishment. It will encourage them to achieve more for that good feeling and a good work ethic is born! That sets them up for success later in life!

It’s up to you if you want to reward them for doing chores or routines. My own personal opinion is that it is important to teach them to feel the satisfaction of a job well done and get praise and or appreciation from you, not money. No one pays me to clean my house, unfortunately! It would be much harder for me to have a good attitude about doing it for simply the satisfaction of having a clean home if I had learned that everything I do demands compensation to be worthwhile. It’s extremely important to remember to praise and thank your children for the jobs they do. Don’t forget that we are trying to teach them to feel good about a job well done.

That being said, I think it is a very good life lesson when kids are compensated for doing things above and beyond what is laid out and expected of them. Their routines and normal chores should be expected, but raking the yard or weeding the garden may be a great way for them to earn money for something they really want. Money, or whatever has been chosen as payment for tasks, is a great way to teach them about finances and is extremely motivating.

Here is an excellent short read from Dave Ramsey on this topic!

https://www.daveramsey.com/blog/why-kids-need-value-hard-work

Take a moment to thank your child and praise him for making his bed or even brushing his teeth today and don’t forget to pat yourself on the back and really feel good about what you got done too! Good job!! You are teaching your kids habits that will benefit them for life!

I have been trying a new thing!! I had heard how great fermented veggies were for your gut health and digestion. I wanted to try it! I am always up for a new experiment. The first batch I did was Brussels sprouts. That was the only fresh veggie I had on hand. I wouldn’t recommend them! They were…ok. If you are a fan of raw Brussels sprouts then maybe you would like them. This batch I am very excited about! Cauliflower!

This is a picture on day 3. It is starting to get cloudy! That is just what it is supposed to do!

Fresh vegetable of choice: cauliflower cucumber, carrots, green beans, asparagus, radishes, whatever suits your fancy

2 cups good, filtered water

1 1/2 tablespoon sea salt

3 cloves garlic opt

bay leaf, peppercorns, jalapenos, or other spices you want to use.

1 leaf cabbage or small ziplock baggie of rice

1 wide mouth mason jar with lid

Stir the salt and water together until dissolved.

Pour the salt water over the vegetables leaving 1/2″ of headspace. Tap jar on counter and wiggle around to get rid of air bubbles and pockets.

Fold a small cabbage leaf and press it down on top of the vegetables so that it keeps the vegetables submerged in the salt water. or put a bit of rice in a snack ziplock bag removing all the air and place on top of vegetables to keep the vegetables submerged.

Close the lid on the jar tightly and place it out of direct sunlight in a relatively moderate temperature (68-75 degrees).

You will start to see some bubbling around day 2 or so. After day 2, over a sink (it will kinda fizz and leak as you begin to open it), gently loosen the lid to let some of the gas escape once or twice a day.

The vegetables are ready anywhere from day 4-10. The longer they sit, the tangier they’ll be. Taste them starting on day 4 to figure out your preference. I like them best around day 5 or so.

Once you decide they’re the level of sourness you’re looking for, place the jar in the refrigerator where it will keep for a couple of months.

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Cook’n is a next generation recipe app that makes it fun and easy to share favorite recipes.

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� DVO

cleaning, food, organizing, planning

September Is the New January

Posted on September 4, 2018September 4, 2018 by theselfcleaninghouse

We have had some really HOT dry weather here in North Idaho. The rain we had last week was a sweet relief! The forest fires have been raging and the smoke has been thick in the air. The last days of summer have been spent indoors in AC trying to stay cool and out of the smoke somewhat.

Today was a beautiful sunny day with cooler temperatures and blue sky that we could see!! That rain just washed the sky! It feels like fall is coming early.

With the beginning of fall comes school. The return of early mornings and routines, homework, sports practices and earlier bedtimes. Even if you aren’t in school or don’t have kids in school, it seems to be the perfect time to reorganize, plan, set goals, and make new routines. Maybe its the copious amount of school supplies that you can’t avoid at Target and Walmart?

white blank notebook — Photo by Tirachard Kumtanom on Pexels.com

Is anyone else obsessed with school supplies? I am literally giddy walking through those isles this time of year! All that fresh paper and index cards and folders and notepads!! It feels like so much yet to be written. So much hope and plans for things that haven’t happened yet. A brand new start. Fresh beginnings. Ok, maybe that is just me?!

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

It is truly the perfect time to create new habits, and routines though. You have the tools on sale all around you and the mindset is just there! So take advantage of those magnetic whiteboards for your kids’ chore list. Buy a new planner for next year. Start a new habit using post-it notes to remind yourself. Organize your housekeeping with index cards.

scrabble resolutions — Photo by Breakingpic on Pexels.com

Make your “New Year’s Resolutions” this year in September!

Check out these articles on making this September your new January!

https://www.inc.com/gretchen-rubin/why-september-is-the-new-january.html

https://www.forbes.com/sites/tamiforman/2017/09/06/september-is-the-perfect-time-for-new-year-resolutions/#1d8202464235

I have made these Chicken Burritos a few times. I got the inspiration for them from “OMG Chocolate Desserts”. Check them out! They have some incredible other recipes as well!

https://omgchocolatedesserts.com/chicken-avocado-burritos/

Here is my take on this recipe! Super easy, few ingredients and oooohhh soooo good!!

Chicken Avocado Burritos

Serves:
12Yield:
12Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 15 mins

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1	rotisserie chicken shredded
3 tablespoons	mustard
1 teaspoon	hot pepper sauce plus more for serving
	salt to taste
	pepper to taste
2 cup	shredded mozzarella cheese or Mexican blend cheese
2	avocados diced
1/2 cup	chopped cilantro divided
12	burrito sized flour tortillas
3/4 cup	sour cream plus more for serving
	salsa
	safflower oil or peanut oil for frying

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl mix shredded chicken with mustard and hot sauce. Stir to evenly distribute. Salt and pepper to taste. Mix in cheese, cilantro, and diced avocado.
Warm the tortillas in damp paper towels in the microwave to make them pliable.
Spread 1 tablespoon sour cream on each tortilla, add 1/4 of the chicken mixture, form a roll with ends tucked in. Secure with toothpick.
Heat oil in deep fryer to 375* (You can pan fry, I just prefer to deep fry. Less messy.) Fry one at a time until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Drain on a rack over a paper towel.
Serve on a bed of lettuce with sour cream, salsa, hot sauce and cilantro for garnish.
You can freeze uncooked burritos. Wrap individually in parchment and put in a freezer bag. Thaw before frying.

Cook’n is a next generation recipe app that makes it fun and easy to share favorite recipes.

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Get Cook’n

Cook’n is a next generation recipe app that makes it fun and easy to share favorite recipes.

Click here to get Cook’n (it’s free!)

Get Cook’n

Mexican / Mexican

http://emay.myctfocbd.com/

cleaning, family, food

Overwhelmed

Posted on August 22, 2018 by theselfcleaninghouse

I have not been as consistent writing lately as I’d like. There are a lot of thoughts in my head to write about but life seems to get in the way. There are so many things that require my time and I start to feel like I don’t know which of the many things should be taking priority. Do you ever feel like that? When you truly do want to do the right thing, and none of the “things” are wrong or unimportant, in fact, they are all extremely important and you WANT to do them all, but you can’t possibly do them all, and you can’t NOT do them all.

I should write to my Dad, or even better send him an hour-long cassette tape of me rambling. He would like that. I know he won’t be here with us long.

I should organize a family event so everyone can see each other.

I should go to a friend’s birthday party.

I should help my mother clean her house and yard and do her laundry and have coffee with her.

I should read some books and take a few online courses to better myself and my passion.

I should sell things we no longer need to clean things out and produce a bit of money

I should spend time preparing crafts and activities for the kids.

We should go to a wedding shower and a wedding that is coming up.

We really should make time to go for dinner with friends.

I should exercise.

I should post quality content on my Facebook group.

I should work on the book I am writing

I should work on the household system I am putting together

I should dehydrate the box of apples sitting downstairs.

I should make salsa with those tomatillos.

I should post quality content on my blog!

I should organize my craft supplies so I know what I have to work with this fall.

I should spend time camping with my family, practicing what I preach!

Those are just some of the things that are flying around my brain, screaming for attention. Not to mention the day-to-day duties and chores that have to be done and mouths to feed.

Those are some of mine. Yours are different, but we all have our “shoulds”.

For me, all those things taking up constant thought seem to create mental constipation! It’s hard to decide which “should” I should be working on when I do have a minute. When I finally decide what to work on, I start on it and all the other things come flooding into my brain and yell at me that I should have chosen them instead! All those thoughts and “shoulds” get all tangled up and I feel like I am not getting anything done very well. My thoughts feel all stuck in my head and nothing flows out. It makes it hard to accomplish anything at all, much less all that needs to be done!

Photo Credit: dorsetdivorcee

I can’t be the only one who feels this way at times, right? Normally I am pretty good at prioritizing and list making. I am not a “procrastinator” by nature. Lately, everything feels critical but I feel stuck and frozen.

I am grateful for the routines I have in place. During this time in my life of feeling a little “pulled six ways from Sunday”, it is so valuable to me to have a home where I can feel peace and order. That has helped me to stay grounded and gives me security. My routines are such habits that I don’t have to think about them. I do those on autopilot. My home has stayed clean and orderly which will help me to think clearly.

Photo Credit: quotesgram

I can’t say I have figured out how to do all those things I talked about or even in which order. I did feel compelled to write about it today though.

I am not complaining. I am grateful to have family and friends, a business and a passion that require my time and attention! It’s a good challenge to have!

If you are feeling overwhelmed, you are not alone. Life gets pretty crazy sometimes! The best way to keep yourself on track, keep at least one foot on the ground, is by continuing to do your morning and evening routines. If your house stays semi-clean and tidy it will go a long way to keeping you calm and help you through those times! It lets you focus on what needs to be taken care of.

Morning Routine:

*Make your bed when your feet hit the floor.

*Clean the bathroom before you leave it. Nothing major, just wipe the counter, sink and mirror and toilet seat.

*Empty the dishwasher and put any dishes in it.

*Take the trash out if necessary

*Get something out for dinner

Before Bedtime Routine:

*Start the dishwasher

*Tidy up the living room, put shoes away etc.

*Check the calendar and weather

* Pick out clothes for the morning

*Wash, moisturize and go to bed on time!

Those routines will keep your house in order when you feel your life isn’t!

I have been craving these meatballs lately and when chicken breast was on sale at my local grocery store I knew I had to make them!

I love using my Kitchen Aid Mixer and when I get to use attachments it’s even better! The meat grinder is so much fun and easy to use!

Of course, you can buy chicken already ground at the store, but I enjoy doing it and it is much cheaper.

I use an ice cream scoop to make my meatballs. Makes it so much easier!

I found this recipe on Day Dream Kitchen. It is absolutely fantastic! The bright flavor of lemon zest and the interest of the fennel seed (which just MAKES it and you don’t want to leave it out!) and the ooey gooey fresh mozzarella on top is just incredible. I may have eaten one or two all by themselves! I served mine over spaghetti noodles and a good marinara and garnished with fresh basil. To die for!

Here is my version of Chicken Parmesan Meatballs. Be sure to check out Day Dream Kitchen for this and all the other amazing recipes they have!

Chicken Parmesan Meatballs

Ingredients:

3 pounds ground chicken

1/2 large onion, chopped finely or ground with the meat

4 cloves garlic, minced or whole ground with the meat

2 teaspoons fennel seeds

1 lemon zest (zest from one lemon)

1 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs

1 cup Parmesan cheese

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper

2 eggs, whisked

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 (24-ounce) can marinara sauce

8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese cut into thin slices

fresh basil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F.

If grinding your own chicken, cut the chicken into strips that will fit into your grinder. Roughly chop the onion to fit as well. Put chicken, onion, garlic cloves, fennel seeds, and lemon zest through the grinder.

Using your hands gently mix in the bread crumbs, parmesan, salt and pepper, eggs and olive oil.

If using chicken already ground, mix gently with your hands first 11 ingredients.

Form approximately 2-ounce meatballs, using either your hands or a 2″ scoop. Place on a foil or parchment covered baking sheet that has been sprayed with oil.

Bake for 20 – 25 minutes.

Remove meatballs from oven and cover each with a slice of cheese. Return meatballs to oven just long enough to melt the cheese.

Heat sauce in a small saucepan. Cook spaghetti noodles according to package directions.

Serve meatballs on top of noodles and sauce garnished with fresh basil and more parmesan if desired.

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Servings:
6Yield:
Serves:� 6-8

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happiness, motivation, self discipline

Motivation vs. Discipline

Posted on July 12, 2018July 12, 2018 by theselfcleaninghouse

When the alarm goes off at 5am, what gets you out of bed to go exercise? Motivation or discipline? I can tell you for me it’s not motivation! I don’t “feel” like doing it! I am still working on establishing the discipline. I’m getting there!

Motivation is based on emotion, feeling and impulse. It’s helpful to have those things but not necessary to accomplish a task or achieve a goal.

We seem to want to put our feelings in the wrong place, backward in fact when we want to “motivate” to do something. For example, “I can’t seem to motivate to vacuum the house.” What we are saying is I am not having a good FEELING about the act of vacuuming. Instead, we need to CHOOSE to vacuum and then FEEL good about the vacuuming being done.

We could wait forever to get excited and worked up about vacuuming! It might never happen! Waiting for motivation causes procrastination.

Self-discipline is the key to achieving anything you have set out to do. More specifically, self-discipline is what will help you establish habits that will then not require motivation or self-discipline to do. The habit of brushing your teeth in the morning has been so ingrained in your brain that it doesn’t take motivation or self-discipline to do each day. In fact, I would bet most of us do it before we are fully awake! Its practically like breathing!

Self-discipline will be there when motivation fails you. Motivation is a fair weather friend. Discipline will conquer fear. It will overcome frustration. It will help you get up and keep going when you fall down.

How can you build self-discipline? discipline is like a muscle. It needs to be used to get stronger! The first few times making yourself get up at 5am is hard. After a while, it gets easier. (I’m still at the “its hard” part!)

Make it as easy as possible to make the best choices. If you are dieting, don’t buy a dozen doughnuts for the office.

Have a plan. If you are trying to resolve to have a clean house, put a system in place. Don’t just flounder.

Make small changes. Don’t decide you are going to go to the gym 6 days a week, never ever eat sugar again, lose 10 pounds by the weekend and start taking an online course at the same time! One thing at a time!

Take time to reward yourself or just enjoy the benefit of what you have done! This is extremely important! Our brains are wired to want to achieve a reward. Besides, you deserve it!

People who have good self-discipline are happier people! Be the boss of yourself! Don’t let your feelings tell you what to do!

Wisdomination has a crazy good article on this subject! “Motivation is trying to feel like doing stuff.” Discipline is doing it even if you don’t feel like it.”

Entrepreneur has a good article on how to develop self-discipline

“There are things you can do to learn self-discipline and gain the willpower to live a happier life.”

We love chorizo and I am always trying to find new ways to use it. Fried eggs on just about anything makes it better so this was a win-win!

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Chorizo and Egg Tostado

Recipe: Chorizo and Egg Tostado

Servings 6

Ingredients:

12 ounces fresh chorizo sausages

1 pound ground beef

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 seeded poblano chile diced

1 red bell pepper diced

5 green onions sliced

salt to taste

freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/4 cup your favorite salsa

1/4 cup water

6 flour tortillas or corn tortillas

oil for frying

6 eggs

mexican blend cheese

hot pepper sauce

avocado

sour cream

Directions:

Remove chorizo from casings. In a large skillet, cook chorizo and ground beef until browned. Drain off fat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet and add diced poblano, red bell pepper, and green onion to meat. Cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add salsa and water and stir to combine. Cook until reduced slightly.
In another skillet, heat oil and fry tortillas until crisp turning once.
Fry 6 eggs as desired. Divide chorizo mixture between the six tortillas, top with cheese, egg, hot sauce and avocado. Garnish with sour cream and more green onion.

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� DVO

This Ove glove is a must-have in the kitchen or outside on the grill!!

This is the curling iron I will be ordering come payday! Mine finally died after many years of service. I really like the “Hot Tools” brand so I will be getting another!