Microfiber Couch Cleaner- Easy as Pie!

So our couches have gotten pretty nasty after 6 years and 2 kids. I try my hardest to spot clean as I see messes being made but let's be real here- no person in the world can keep up with 2 kids under the age of 4 at all times.

I looked on pinterest and combined some recipes to make the almost perfect couch cleaner.

What you will need:

1 bottle of rubbing alcohol (size of the bottle will depend on the size of your couches)
1 pack of sponges (I choose a color that was close to the color of my couches, you should try to do the same)
1 soft white brush for after
Elbow grease (think of this as an arm workout)
Spray Bottle

Disclaimer- always test a small spot on your couch first

You will want to leave windows open as the rubbing alcohol has a pungent smell. Rubbing alcohol is used as it evaporates much quicker than water and is able to remove inks/ water rings. You can also spot clean with rubbing alcohol as long as you thoroughly scrub the area.

This removed water rings, crayon, marker, ink, greasy hand prints and whatever else my children smear throughout my house.

before

Thoroughly spray the rubbing alcohol on your your couch cushions- they should be visibly wet but not dripping by any means

comparison of wet versus dry sides

Now using your elbow grease and sponges, begin scrubbing your cushions, You don't have to use any particular pattern (strokes versus circles) as long as you are through. I used the soft side of the sponge initially but decided that wasn't good enough so I switched to the rough side and am very pleased with the results. 

TA-DA!!

We also implemented a new house rule- no sippy cups or snack hands on the couch. 

CHEAP and EASY Toy Organizer!!

So I have no qualms about asking people for free things- especially if I get the sense that the item is going to be thrown out anyways. I was browsing at my local Walmart killing time when I noticed wooden shelving units in the garden center. Come to find out these are the units used for the succulents and cactus displays. There were 3 of them just sitting in the corner so I asked an Assistant Manager what the store does with them upon being emptied of the product.
**I think the key here is to find a manager who has decision making power**
He shared with me that if I were willing to make a donation to the Children's Miracle Network they would be happy to part with the shelves. So I ran home, found some cash and came back with my truck.

Upon unloading the shelving unit at home I searched in our basement to find some fun paint that I knew we would not be using anytime soon. This color was actually in a children's bathroom at our old house so it was perfect.

I painted 2 coats on the unit. I then measured the height between the bottom and middle shelves and ran to Lowes to find small bungee cords that would fit in the space without being too far stretched. The measurements are approximately 10 inches which the bungee cord was 8 inches.

I drilled small holes in the top of the middle shelf and bottom of the last shelf and then stretched the cords across the gap, spaced evenly- instant ball storage.

The only change I would re-do and could still do would be to buy some plastic shelf liners with durability. Some of our smaller chalk buckets are able to slip through the spaces between the wooden slats if not positioned perfectly.

Summer Spaghetti with Goat Cheese and Vegetable Medley

I have loved this recipe since I first tried it. I believe that it originated from Cooking Light when I was a teenager, however I have since revamped it to suit my taste buds.

Ingredients

1lb spaghetti
1 pint cherry tomatoes cut in halves
1 broccoli spear chopped into bite sized pieces
4oz Vermont Creamy Herbed Goat Cheese-room temperature
1T olive oil
1 clove of garlic chopped
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Bring water in a large pot to a boil and cook spaghetti as directed- drain pasta
Warm oil in a large fry pan and saute tomatoes and broccoli until al dente
Saute garlic
 Using the pot from the spaghetti combine spaghetti, vegetables, goat cheese, chicken broth and Parmesan until spaghetti is fully covered.

Enjoy!

Fuzzeez Toys

We received 2 of the Fuzzeez Toys compliments of the company in exchange for this review.

This is not a toy that I would purchase. My children were not able to complete the project themselves as it required a lot of water and soap which can be quite messy but also the buttons to close the templates together were somewhat difficult for my children to close on their own.

My husband and I followed the directions and then washed and dried the product as directed. Upon removing the products from my drier my husband did a little repair work to "reattach" the limbs and then dried them again in attempts to secure the limbs to the body.

Well suffice to say, the stuffed animals did not last more than 5 minutes. They ended up looking like toys that my dog had a grand old time with rather than something that we just made 5 minutes ago.

mine

the box...

slightly different 

SparkleUps Cupcakes review

We recently received the SparkleUps Cupcakes craft and let me tell you- My daughter LOVED it!

The kit comes with 8 stickers of various shapes (cupcakes, strawberries, cherries, candy etc.) and more than 550 jewels as stated on the package. It was very easy for a 4 year old to do on her own and occupied about 1 hour of her time which is great for a mom trying to get some things done. She was easily able to remove the gems from the plastic backing- think stick on earrings.
The stickers stick nicely to our windows and are able to easily peel off with no residue left behind. This is a craft I would buy again for my daughter as well as kiddos her age to keep them occupied!

Excuse the glare in the picture.

Easy Asparagus and Ravioli

This is one of my favorite dishes to make for dinner, it is easy, light and delicious. I especially enjoy making this during the summer months or fall months when you can purchase a variety of raviolis (butternut squash, pumpkin...).

Ingredients:
1 bag ravioli- fresh or frozen
1 bunch of asparagus, washed and chopped
1T olive oil
1T lemon juice
1/4c Parmesan cheese

Directions:

In a pot bring water to a boil and cook ravioli. When you have 2 minutes remaining to cook the ravioli, drop the asparagus into the boiling water to blanch for 2 minutes. Drain both ravioli and asparagus.

In a separate fry pan warm oil and dump your ravioli/asparagus mix into the pan, allow to cook for 5 minutes, occasionally flipping ravioli. Pour lemon juice and Parmesan cheese into the pan just before serving.