posted December 11, 2003 01:42 AM         

i try to practice attachment parenting and he is a high needs child as well....and that leaves little time for keeping up our nest.

so part of my labor of love is keeping my home a warm and nurturing place....and that means clean!

please, help with clues and secrets about how to accomplish this....

how do knowflakes keep their homes sparkling and magical?

posted December 11, 2003 10:26 AM         

Floors, a daily swipe with ammonia and water. Keeps it sparkling and four leggeds hair and prints disappear. The new Clorox Cleanup spray keeps the kitchen & bath sparkling & relatively germ freeas which keeps deep cleaning to a minumiun.

I have 9 critters in my home and family so it saves time to do a daily once over rather than a weekly "oh my god it`s filthy" deep clean.

juniperb

P.S. maybe it`s all just my Virgo moon

posted December 11, 2003 12:50 PM         

thank you juniper...that's good thinking. i like to clean with natural cleansers, preferably those concotions i brew myself, but on your advice, i'm going to try those clorox wipes and daily 'swipe', just to get up to speed.

i have big furry critters in my household too...including one of the human male species....

my challenge lies partly in my parenting style....no playpens and as few baby holders as possible. i try not to use mommy substitutes...and presently my little babe needs constant contact with me. nursing takes up a good part of the day as well.

i'm seeking a good dose of magic i think!

love,
desert-rain

posted December 11, 2003 01:40 PM         

Anything natural that works is a bonus and should always be used first. My lifestyle merits some shortcuts. Ones that I always pray arn`t harmful in any sense. Clorox, if used incorrectly, can be a hazard as any bleach can. Use it wisely and safetly, keep it way out of reach and you should be able to utilize it`s benefits. I love the wipes .

Dust is my pet peeve I have a woodstove, live on a dirt road, no mud room and critters in/out all day long. There was no escape til Swiffer put out their tool

juniperb

posted December 13, 2003 01:23 PM         

The Kitchen Witch's Creed

In this pot, I stir to the sun
an' follow the rule of harming none.

Banishment of bane when goin' widdershins;
an' with water and salt negativity is cleansed.

Household duties are more than chores.
Magick abounds when mopping floors.

With this broom, I do sweep
to clean my house and safely keep.

Marigold, Basil, Thyme, and Yarrow
my spell is cast for a better tomorrow.

Lemons for joy and apples for health
the pow'r within brings great wealth.

And, in this kitchen I do pray
To truly walk the Witches' Way

Copyright 1998, 1999 E. Zeigler

posted December 14, 2003 11:00 AM         

juniperb

posted December 17, 2003 10:54 PM         

house is not clean....meals are barely homemade. meaning....frozen veggies tossed in the wok...lots of store bought pasta...canned beans and soups...etc.

when i would so love to be serving up fresh-from-scratch nurturing meals....sans microwave!

my babe keeps me running on the best of days....and lately, i've had some fluish days....some complications remaining from the birth, and it's those days that just throw me weeks behind -- in everything.

my first priority is his health and mine....when you're a mom nothing is more important than your health. i carry him in a sling backpack to accomplish some tasks, but that's when i'm feeling strong....

anyway, we take one day at a time, and try to make it full of love and laughter as much as possible.

but a clean home makes it so much nicer!

does a stay at home mom seem like an appealing proposition to you?

posted December 18, 2003 09:45 AM         

when i see your name, i think of DESSERTS-RAIN!

i wish you well and ask for the love of an to watch over you and baby. yes, i can totally understand that health is most the important to monitor and maintain. i'd been sick for the past month with infections back to back. i just recovered from bronchitis.

"does a stay at home mom seem like an appealing proposition to you?"

yes and no. my mother was one and *today* i understood how much she did to cope and overcome a lot of challenges as a single mom. i was a sickly toddler and mom was always by my side at the hospital.

for all mothers!

posted December 18, 2003 03:12 PM         

here are some things i do to reduce labor . . . :

- i have a bagless vacuum cleaner that works both on carpet and floors. it also has hose-brush attachments i use for sucking up dust.

- i have a sponge mop that has a plastic press with a handle to squeeze out the water.

- i only sort two ways: dry clean or machine wash. i head to the laundry mat and set off, like 5 washers at the same time on warm water, regular cycle and toss the machine wash clothes in. i use liquid detergent to avoid powder crystals that don't dissolve and stick on clothes. i dry on HIGH heat. saves time and money.

- food staples on sale, since it's just me, i buy 3 or 4 packs/cans/jars etc.

- chicken stock: i skin 1 whole chicken and make a large pot of chicken soup. i like only onions as an addition, including the yellow outside peel (gives a nice color). i freeze the stock in batches in empty 32 oz containers (yogurt, cottage cheese, etc. whatever plastic packaging that can be re-used).

- i do a cleansing in the house every once in a while with a bundle of dried white and green sage, and wormwood.

- cooking helps me relax and de-stress, and it's a good way to get something done. may be you could find something you enjoy, while at the same time produce something that helps you out.

hmm, i don't know if this is helpful . . .

posted December 20, 2003 08:57 PM         

I once made peanut butter vegan cookies with rice, to get the chewy moistness the butter and egg variety has.

Turned out good, except I didn't cook the rice all the way through and each bite had crunchy bits that were asked about.

posted December 23, 2003 01:23 PM         

The oven went kaput last night with half baked cookies.

So I put the tray into the broiler to get the tops cooked.

posted January 30, 2004 10:41 AM         

i'm also trying to incorporate flylady into my life, but that requires forgoing some of my treasured spontaneity, lol.

familar with flylady? she can really help!