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Thursday, June 22, 2017

4 Simple Steps to Clear Kitchen Counters

We have all seen them, those neat and tidy kitchens without a stray spoon or spatula in sight. Here are 4 simple steps to clean counters that I swear by:



1. Completely clear your counters. Remove everything and place it on your kitchen or dining room table.

2. Wipe your counters with your favorite cleaner ( I use a solution of 1 cup vinegar to one cup water with a 5-6 drops of Dawn dish soap), or you can use a sponge with warm, soapy water.

3. Look at your appliances that you placed on the table-- is there anything that you don't use daily that can be put in a different place, or in a cabinet or pantry? Is there anything you can donate or give away? Before you move everything back, take stock of your counters for a few minutes. If you only use your toaster or blender once or twice a week and if you have limited counter space (like I do) maybe it would be better stored someplace else. A little space on the counter is a good things, there is no need to clutter it up!

4. Now, put the remaining items back on your counters and think about zones as you are returning the items. For example, it you keep your baking goods (like flour and sugar)  on the counter, put them where you store your mixer and measuring cups. Put your coffee maker by the mugs and so on.

Once you have returned all of your items to the counters, make a conscience effort to keep them clean. After every meal put things back where they belong, don't pile dishes on the counters and empty your sink and/or dishwasher (if you have one). My number one suggestion to keeping your kitchen clean and your counters clear, is to develop a kitchen cleaning routine. This will help immensely and you will feel much better in the morning when you wake up to clean counters.

Wednesday, June 21, 2017

What's Up Wednesday

Hi Lovelies!

It's been quite a while since I have done a What's Up Wednesday post. I thought tonight would be a great time to bring it back!

What I'm eating this week:  I have a meal plan full of easy meals that won't heat up the house.

What I'm working on this week: I'm working on planner bands, planner clips, and planner inserts. I hope to have these listed soon in my new shop. I'm also working on a meal planner.

What I'm watching/reading: Right now I am watching Gilmore Girls Season One and I'm re-watching The Ranch.




What I'm listening to: The TV (Gilmore Girls)

What I'm loving: Everything Summer! Bring on shorts and tank tops, flip flops, and Dallas Cowboys training camp!!!


What are you up to this Wednesday?





Friday, June 16, 2017

June Goals

It has been awhile since I have done a goals post and this post is long overdue. I have completely let the chaos that is my life take over. I haven't touched my planner in a couple of weeks, which explains the chaotic life. Whoops!!!

But now that I have our summer routine established, I am excited about setting some goals and I am really going to push myself this month. There are a lot of things that I would like to accomplish so hopefully by the end of the month I will feel good about things. Here we go!!!



Personal Goals

  • drink more water
  • meditate for 5 minutes before bed. Stretch for a few minutes when getting up.
  • get better quality sleep by going to bed earlier
  • workout consistently
Family Goals

  • Adapt to our summer schedules. Create a morning, afternoon, and evening routines for the summer.
  • Celebrate Father's Day.
  • Cross off items from our Summer Bucket List
Blog Goals

  • Post at least 3x per week.
  • Make a new list of blog post ideas
  • Schedule posts until the end of the June
  • Create an editorial calendar for the rest of summer 
I hope your June has started out as a fantastic month. Have you set any goals yet? Any fun summer plans? Have you started to cross things off of your Summer Bucket List? 




Wednesday, June 14, 2017

Memes on a Wednesday

Hi Lovelies!

Today has been a busy day with Girl Scout Day Camp (Day #3) and a trip into town to buy a new phone. I promise to have a proper post up tomorrow!

Since it's been busy I thought I would share some memes with you.

Have a great evening!









Tuesday, June 13, 2017

15 Summer Blog Post Ideas

Even though summer is still a couple of weeks away, it's already starting to feel like summer around my neck of the woods. Summer plans have been made and some have already been accomplished. Summer is my favorite time of the year. Not so much for the heat, but for the slow pace and more fun attitudes that most people seem to have. So, tonight I am giving you 15 summer blog post ideas so you will have tons of fun things to write about during these summer months.




  • favorite summer activity
  • a summer recipe
  • summer reading list
  • June, July. August goals
  • summer must haves
  • kids crafts; summer ideas
  • favorite summer TV shows
  • recap of your favorite movies you saw over the summer
  • share a summer playlist
  • labor day/plans recap
  • a full summer recap
  • healthy eating tips/tricks
  • favorite outdoor activities
  • what's in your pool/beach bag
  • Memorial day plans/recap 

Monday, June 12, 2017

Happy Homemaker Monday 6/12/2017

Good evening Lovelies!! Welcome to another edition of Happy Homemaker Monday!! 




The weather:::

Hot, windy, and oh did I mention hot!

On my reading pile:::

Since I have decided to sign up for the summer reading program with my daughter, I have been re-visiting some of my childhood favorites!! I'm also going to read a few Mary Higgins Clark novels.








Movies or Shows I watched this weekend:::

Dawson's Creek. Orange is the New Black, and Party of Five

On my TV:::

Gilmore Girls
Safe Haven
The Ranch
Party of Five
13 Reasons Why
The Crown

On the menu for this week:::

Monday- Cheeseburger Hamburger Helper, carrots
Tuesday- Chicken and cheese quesadillas chips, rice, veggies and fruit
Wednesday- Sandwiches, chips, veggie and fruit
Thursday- Beans and cornbread, fried potatoes
Friday- Pizza, breadsticks and salad
Saturday- Chicken, mashed potatoes, veggies, and fruit
Sunday- Beans and cornbread with fried potatoes

On my to do list:::

Laundry
Schedule blog posts for this week and next week
Vacuum
Clean bathrooms, bedrooms, and laundry room
Set up a day for my daughter's fundraiser that she's wants to have for our local library

What I am sewing, crocheting, knitting or creating:::

Working on some new inserts for my planner
Working on the format for my cookbook
Working on my new shop
Work on website for newspaper

Happening this week:::

Grocery shopping for the week
Summer reading program
Girl Scouts Day Camp

Looking around the house:::

The kitchen is clean and the living room needs to be picked up

What I'm wearing today:::

black shorts and a red t-shirt

One of my simple pleasures:::

Spending time with my family

Bible verse, Devotional::: 


Sunday, June 11, 2017

Sunday Musings 6/11/2017

Hello Lovelies!

Welcome to another edition of Sunday Musing!


This week's musings:

1. When do you take time for you?

When my 1 year old is napping and my 7 year is having her quiet time, I enjoy reading.

2. What do you find to be your biggest weakness?

My need to keep things neat orderly.
 
3. What is your biggest attribute?

I'm a very trusting and loyal person.

4. What is your favorite place to shop online?

I would have to say Amazon.

5. What is your favorite place to kill time?

I would have to say my local mall.

Next week's musings:

1. 4 favorite phone apps
2. 4 favorite Summer TV shows
3. 4 things you would NEVER do
4. 4 items you carry with you no matter what
5. 4 blogs we should follow

Make sure to join on the fun down below in the comments, have some Sunday Musings fun and make new friends!!!

Happy Sunday!

Wednesday, June 7, 2017

Self Care Tips for Stay Home Moms

I'm ashamed to admit, but I have been running on empty and nerves are beginning to show it. Stress is rising and I need some relief. I sometimes have a short fuse with my husband and an even shorter fuse with my kids.

I am ashamed of myself for even thinking like this. I often apologize for this, but I realize that the damage is already done. I mess up to, friends.

We are in this together and I need grace just like you, so I am sharing my tips and tricks on how  to implement some simple ways to keep yourself nourished  so that you can be the mom your kids need and even the wife your husband deserves.

Self Care Tips for Stay at Home Moms 

1. Get outside. 

Try to make it a habit to get outside at least once a day either alone or with your kids.



2. Exercise.

Pick your favorite. You can do yoga, stretching or walking. The point is to get your body moving as much as you. 



3. Take a bath.

Just soaking in the is relaxing. It releases the tension in the neck and shoulders. Light some candles, listen to some relaxing music or read a book. 



4. Take a nap.

This is a great idea that I just recently implemented. Even resting for 15 minutes can make a difference in my perception of the day and how much energy I have until bedtime. 



5. Read for pleasure.

A good story is so refreshing. I love reading, especially mystery and suspense novels. I love when I can pick up a book and lose myself in the story.



What would you add to this list? 


Tuesday, June 6, 2017

Ten Tips for a Clean Home

You can drastically stretch the time between weekly and daily cleaning just by following these 10 simple tips for a clean home. 

1. Make your bed

As the focal point of the bedroom, an unmade bed can make the whole room look messy. By making the bed, the room instantly looks tidy. Strive to do this every day, it makes a world of difference.



2. Empty the dishwasher each morning

If you have ever timed yourself then you know that emptying the dishwasher takes only about 5 minutes. Empty the dishwasher while the coffee is brewing or while the kids are getting ready for school. An empty dishwasher lets you put breakfast dishes in so they don't pile up in the sink all morning.


3. Clean up after each meal or snack

Dishes, pots and pans, food containers and spills all make your kitchen look messy since you already emptied your dishwasher. Load dishes after every meal or snack and then wipe down your counters with a homemade all purpose cleaner.


4. Do a load of laundry daily

No one wants to spend their weekend doing laundry and you won't have to if you do a load everyday.  Can't decided what to wash first? Use a laundry sorting hamper and grab the one that has the most clothes. Worried about mildew? Use your washing machine's delayed start (if your machine has one) so that the load is finished when you get home and transfer to the dryer.


 5. Wipe your sinks and faucets

Toothpaste spatters and hairs in the sink look gross. Food spills in the kitchen eventually stink. Grab a disinfecting wipe and spend a few minutes cleaning the sinks and faucets before you leave for work in the morning. Or use a microfiber cloth and a daily sink spray to clean, disinfect, and shine your sink as you go.



6. Sort and recycle paper right away
  
Keep papers from piling up on the kitchen island and dining table by dealing with the mail when you walk in the door. Run junk mail through the shredder, then put bills and letters in your mail sorter to pay or answer.

7. Use floor mats at every exterior door.

Even if you can’t train your family to not wear shoes in the house (which really reduces household dust) you can keep some of the dirt out by placing floor mats both inside and outside of each exterior door. Vacuum or shake the mats outside every few days.

8. Tidy counters before bed

Before you head to bed give the kitchen a quick glance and put away any clutter. Wipe the counters down with an all purpose disinfecting spray.



9. Nitpick your carpet.

We’ve all heard that we should vacuum high-traffic areas at least every other day, but not everyone has the time or energy for that. Get in the habit of looking over your floor and picking up small messes (cat hair, scraps of paper, etc.) between regular, weekly vacuuming and it will look nicer all week.

10. Run a kitchen sweeper or sweep the kitchen floors nightly 



Let’s face it, brooms and dustpans are a hassle and, thanks to their cords, vacuums aren’t much better. Use a multi-surface sweeper each night to pick up crumbs and pet hair from the kitchen floor so your kitchen always looks company-ready.

Performing these tips to keeping a clean house takes only a few minutes a day but they’ll keep your house looking constantly clean and make your regular, deeper cleaning tasks much easier.

What are some of your tips for a cleaner home? Please share in the comments below! 

Monday, June 5, 2017

Happy Homemaker Monday 6/5/2017

Good Morning Lovelies!!  Welcome to another edition of Happy Homemaker Monday!! 




The weather:::

I haven't looked at the weather, but it seems like it will rainy again.

On my reading pile:::

Since I have decided to sign up for the summer reading program with my daughter, I have been re-visiting some of my childhood favorites!! 








Movies or Shows I watched this weekend:::

We're watching Dr. Strange on Netflix and I have discovered Dawson's Creek on my streamer.

On my TV:::

Gilmore Girls
Safe Haven
The Ranch
Party of Five
13 Reasons Why
The Crown

On the menu for this week:::

Monday- Beans and cornbread
Tuesday- Chicken and cheese quesadillas chips, rice, veggies and fruit
Wednesday- Sandwiches, chips, veggie and fruit
Thursday- Beans and cornbread, fried potatoes
Friday- Pizza, breadsticks and salad
Saturday- Chicken, mashed potatoes, veggies, and fruit
Sunday- Beans and cornbread with fried potatoes

On my to do list:::

Laundry
Schedule blog posts for this week and next week
Vacuum
Clean bathrooms, bedrooms, and laundry room

What I am sewing, crocheting, knitting or creating:::

Working on some new inserts for my planner
Working on the format for my cookbook
Working on my new shop
Work on website for newspaper

Happening this week:::

Grocery shopping for the week
Park play date

Looking around the house:::

My house is actually clean!!!

What I'm wearing today:::

black shorts and a red t-shirt

One of my simple pleasures:::

Sitting on the couch and reading a good book
 
Bible verse, Devotional::: 













Sunday, June 4, 2017

Sunday Musings 6/4/2017

Hi Lovelies!

Welcome to another edition of Sunday Musings!

 This week's musings:

1. Introduce yourself and your blog to us: Hi! I'm Angie and my blog here is Life with The Vanns.
I hope you like it!!!


2. What is your favorite form of social media and why? Right now I am really loving Instagram. I love how you get to small glimpses of other people's lives.


3. What made you start a blog? Truthfully, I just wanted to see if I could do it and stick with it. I had some other blogs before starting mine and they really inspired me to start one.


4. What do you feel is the most meaningful post you have written? My oldest daughter's birth post. (I will have to link it later).


Next Weeks Musings:
 
1. When do you take time for you?
2. What do you find to be your biggest weakness?
3. What is your biggest attribute?
4. What is your favorite place to shop online?
5. What is your favorite place to kill time?

 Make sure to join on the fun down below in the comments, have some Sunday Musings fun and make new friends!!!

Happy Sunday!