One Week to Go

I have just a little over a week left before I make the switch from a working mom to a stay at home mom. I have to admit it’s all a little bitter sweet.

I suppose I should tell you what I do for a living. I work for a pediatric hospital in a department that treats patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder. I work with the little peanuts (ages 3-6 years) and help facilitate a preschool program that focuses a lot on language development and social, cognitive, and play skills. After working with some of these families for 2 years it’s kind of sad to have to say goodbye (however, I’m sure I’ll get over it quickly).

As I count down my days, I’m trying to get the house ready for regular daytime inhabitants. I’ve found it’s much easier to keep a clean house clean, as opposed to clean a dirty house, when you are also trying to entertain, feed, keep safe, a ten month old.

This weekend was no exception. After we went to Choo Choo's Restaurant for breakfast. 

 Ezra loves sitting outside at Choo Choo's.

He loves his daddy too. 

 I ventured to Kroger to get some grocery shopping done. Then it was cleaning time. With much help from Pinterest I discovered a tip that assisted me in this deep cleaning process. I wish to share it with you.

Cleaning a Microsuede Couch:

When my husband and I were buying furniture to put in our new house we had this crazy idea that a beige microsuede couch and recliner was something that we had to have. We were horribly wrong. It shows every little water mark, drip and spot. Our couch was a mess. We were on the verge of throwing it out until I found this post on Pinterest. With as simple as it sounded (spray bottle + rubbing alcohol + light colored sponge + soft brush) I thought I’d give it a go. It worked!! It looks almost as good as new. If you have microsuede furniture please check it out. If you are smart and did not purchase beige hard to clean furniture I applaud you. The only thing I did a little differently was that I sprayed the alcohol on the sponge as opposed to directly to the cushion. I thought I had a little more control over where the alcohol went that way. You definitely have to let it dry all the way. I was able to clean the stove burners, load and unload the dishwasher, wash bottles all while the cushions were drying. Which brings me too…

My Reward for Staying on Task:

With Fall rapidly approaching (okay so it's creeping along taking its sweet time) I have been searching for fun Fall recipes. I have found a few that will be making an appearance in the next few weeks: Apple Butter, Crock Pot Apple Sauce, Pumpkin Butter and Saturday’s recipe: Ginger Apple Ale

Ginger Apple Ale:

Ingredients:

Ginger Ale

Apple Cider

Bourbon

Directions:

Mix 2 parts ginger ale

       2 parts cider

       1 part bourbon (or as little or as much as you like)

Pour over ice

My husband and I both preferred less than 1 part bourbon. It was 3 in the afternoon after all.

My plans for the upcoming week: (because it won’t get done if I don’t say/type it out loud)

At Work:

Write up end of summer reports

Train replacement

Clean out desk

Prepare for 2 parent conferences

At Home:

Bake a Pie for Father –in– law’s birthday

Making Apple Butter

Wage war against the Laundry Monster

Clean up craft table down stairs

Put Baby Boy’s “too small for him” clothes into storage

Purchase new Fall weather jammies for Ezra

Write Letter back to dear friends in Baltimore

Until next time…

There are two things to aim at in life: first, to get what you want; and after that, to enjoy it. Only the wisest of mankind achieve the second. ~Logan Pearsall Smith, Afterthoughts, 1931

~Sarah