Wow, I didn't even realize I was going to be guest posting today.  I'm spouting forth over at In Be-Tween Moms about the importance and benefit for showing appreciation for your teen (works on husbands too, or really just anybody!). C'mon over and have a look.  This is a great forum for teen parenting run by my friend Melissa Smallwood.  





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One of my friends who read my blog reminded me that I've overlooked something fairly major in my life lately.  My husband had surgery a couple of months ago - rotator cuff surgery.  I'll tell you, this is about the worst surgery I've ever heard of.  


Most surgeries you have, you're pretty sore for a week or two, but then you're able to get up and around pretty well after that.  I mean, I had two C-sections with 9 and 10 pound babies, and I still was able to take care of myself, a newborn baby, my husband and our pets in about a week.  But shoulder surgery like this is a whole different deal.  He had his surgery in mid-October and I think it was nearly Christmas before he was able to even use his arm for even the slightest thing.  You have to be sling-bound pretty much 24 hrs a day for about the first 8 weeks.  


I sort of thought the doctor was kidding when he told us that before the surgery.  Just imagine taking your dominant hand and arm and strapping them to your side.  Now you don't get to use them at all for the next two months.  For anything.  No, not ANYTHING, not even a little sneak to pick up a french fry or balance your cereal bowl.  Someone (guess who?) gets to help you shower, dress, put your shoes on, open your pills, fix your meals, drive you around, just about everything!  


Even better, you can't lay down.  For months.  Literally.  The poor guy has spent the last 3 months sleeping in the recliner.  This weekend was the first time he was able to sleep laying down for more than 2 hours.  I tried to sleep in the recliner once when I had bad heartburn.  It was pretty comfortable for about the first 3 hours, but after that, I wanted to lay DOWN.  I can't imagine how he did that one.  Fortunately, I realized BEFORE the surgery that our recliner had a right-handed lever - oops!  We managed to find a La-z-y Boy Sofa on Craigslist with a recliner on each end for a whopping $30 bucks!  It's butt ugly and pretty worn out, but it's been a lifesaver.


Then there are the exercises.  The only way to get the use of your shoulder back is to do these horrible, painful exercises - six times a day starting the day after surgery.  I wouldn't wish that on a dog!  Even now, they have him lifting weights every day.  A whole 2 pounds and he can barely lift it, but that's all the therapist will let him do.  


They say he's going to be able to go back to work in a couple of weeks, but I think it's still going to be a part-time, very limited situation for a while.  We're just lucky they've managed to hold his job open.  He works as a the only welder at this tiny little company that makes truck bodies, but they've been really good about it and have kept his job open all this time.  

Plus we've had a lot of help from our friends and neighbors.  I've had to work most of the time through this whole thing, so we've had friends and family who have provided meals for us, helped with his therapy, driven him to appointments, etc.  Our son even moved back in to help us with all the stuff Tony can't do - lawn moving, snow removal, carrying heavy things around, etc.


There have been some benefits to having him home all the time though.  Once he got his sling off, he's been doing most of the cooking and some of the cleaning.  I managed to guilt him into wrapping almost all the Christmas presents.  He's been able to make Blake do his homework when he gets home from school.  And once he could drive, he's been able to run a lot of my little errands for me - bank, post office, etc.  


But on the other hand, it's kind of like retirement - half as much money and twice as much husband!  I think he's picked up a major TV addiction.  I swear he watches that thing for about 20 hours a day - mostly reruns of old shows, and reality shows like Pawn Stars and Pimp my Ride.  Even when I was on maternity leave, I managed to do a ton of stuff and take care of a newborn baby besides.  Oh well, guess it's a guy thing.  


The weird thing is that we don't really know how he even hurt himself.  I think it's a combo of work, bowling, moving furniture and stuff around the house, and working in the yard.  He's always digging up sprinkler lines, or trimming trees or some darn thing.  It's a wonder he doesn't hurt himself more often!  


Word of advice - take good care of your shoulders.  Warm up well before sports, and watch yourself on ice.  Just like when you buy a new brand of car and find out everyone else is driving it, we've met dozens of people who've had this surgery and some who've even had it in both shoulders - ick!  Oh well, we're almost through this and hopefully, he'll take better care of himself in the future.  He'd better, or next time he is going to be a rotator cuff/lobotomy combo surgery!  




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Every once in a while, I run across an article that is really worth sharing with you.  I've mentioned before that I am not a Costco fan.  I know there are some savings to be had there, but it just isn't for me.  I never once when in there when I didn't spend at least $100-$200 in addition to my regular grocery budget and I had no willpower to resist the movies, books, clothes, and other goodies to be had there.

But I've always wanted to research it and actually PROVE that it isn't as good a deal as everyone says it is.  I've just nevre had the time to do it.  However, this blogger did a great job of researching dozens of items and proving exactly which items were better or worse deals.  If you are a Costco shopper, you definitely want to have a look at this article over at SquawkBox.

Stop by on Thursdays for my Smart Money posts.  To see additional posts on the subject, click on the Smart Money link below for a complete list.  


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Just after Christmas I got an invitation I was really excited about.  My local bloggers group was sponsoring an event at our local El Pollo Loco.  Well, it's not exactly local for me, it's in Lehi, which is about 20 miles from me, but what's a bit of a drive for some good food?  

When we lived in California, El lPollo Loco was one of our favorite places to eat and we've missed it.  So when they invited us to enjoy a delicious complimentary lunch with a great group of our blogger friends, I was there.  I even begged to bring my husband because he's missed our trips to El Pollo Loco too.  


This is my darling friend Kathy from Danish Mama with her two cute kiddos.  


This was my husband's first blogger event and he thought it was hilarious when we all whipped out our cameras when the food came.  I told him it was kind of a rule in the blog world to take pictures of your food so you can blog about it.  I don't care if he thought it was funny, this was a meal worth taking a picture of.  I had the dark meat special with the corn cake and the best sweet potato fries ever!   I also had the flan for dessert which was done just right, very sweet and creamy.  I'd forgotten how good their chicken was - it's done in a special fruit juice marinade that makes it delicious without all the fat of frying - you don't find something this yummy at the Colonel place!


Tony dutifully took a picture of his meal too.   He went the traditional route with a 3 piece chicken, rice, beans, salsa, and tamales.  He gave me a bite of his tamale.  I didn't think to order one.  I haven't had one since our friends used to make them for us for Christmas - yum!


 I'm kicking myself because I didn't think to grab a picture of the two of us while we were there.  The closest we got was a closeup of my fancy New Year's nails - gold 'n silver. 

Tuesdays are the best day to visit El Pollo Loco because KIDS EAT FREE on Tuesdays.  Kids 13 and under get a free kids' combo with every regular combo you purchase.  That's a great deal and they usually have some special activities for the kids on that night also.  Last week, they had Karaoke Night.  You don't get that at that "Golden Arches" place - ha!  And did I mention the big screen TV with kids movies?  That'll keep 'em happy!  If you want to bring your sports team, they can even watch their game replay on the big screen TV's.  This is a fun place!

If you're looking to have a fiesta any time soon, they cater as well.  I know my friends would enjoy a nice El Pollo Loco spread and I'll bet yours would too.  It's muy delicioso!


I'm hoping that they will be able to open more restaurants soon - hopefully closer to me.  But for now, the only one is this one here at 88 N. 1200 E State in Lehi, right in front of the Costco.  C'mon down and check it out. 




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I am guest posting today over at In BeTWEEN Moms where I share my method of turning your teen into a smart shopper.  It may be the best lesson you've ever taught them.  Pop over and check it out.




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How much time do you spend cleaning every week?  Whatever it is, it is probably more than you need to spend.  Time is literally the most precious and irreplaceable thing we have, and I don't know about you, but I can think of 50 things I'd rather be doing than spending mine cleaning the house. 

If I could tell you how to clean a bathroom in 12 minutes, would you be interested?  And I mean actually clean, not the way my 13 year old son cleans a bathroom in 12 minutes - ick.  With his Clean Team method, Jeff Campbell claims his 3 person teams can clean an entire HOUSE in 42 minutes.  He should know, his company has cleaned literally thousands of homes over the years and they have studied and refined their methods and now they are passing them on to us.  OK, you might not be able to clean your whole house in 42 minutes, but if you can clean it in less than a whole Saturday afternoon, I think you'd still be interested.  I certainly was. 

I will share some of the basics of his plan, but if you really decide to give this method a try, you're probably going to want to find one of his books - he's written several.  Here's an Amazon link to the one I think is the best one.  I bought his books probably 10 years ago and I have incorporated his methods into my cleaning habits.  I never quite hit the 12 minute mark on a room, but I know I have speeded up my time considerably. 

Basically, speed cleaning seems to come down to two factors - tools and methods.  It's really not all that complicated and you can get started in just one day if you like.  The main benefit for the tools is to keep everything in one place, preferably right on your body as you move through a room.  So Jeff has designed a special Clean Team apron for that purpose.  He sells them on his website or you can get something similar from Home Depot.  It needs to have several loops for holding spray bottles, and a number of good sized pockets for holding your other tools.

Once you have the apron, it is time to fill it.  Start with spray bottles - you will need 3 good, sturdy spray bottles.  One of them is to hold what he calls "red juice" - basically 409 or Kaboom, whatever liquid cleaner you use for your non-mirrored surfaces.  If you prefer an organic cleaner, you'd probably use diluted vinegar or a vinegar/peroxide solution.  This goes on your left apron loop.  On the opposite side, of course, goes the "blue juice" - Windex or whatever liquid cleaner you use on mirrors.  The 3rd spray bottle is for a weak bleach solution used for getting out stains.  I use diluted lemon juice with baking soda as I'm terrified of bleach.  Someone dribbled a few drops of it on my hallway carpet and ruined it forever.  It's powerful stuff.  The bleach bottle goes in a cleaning tray which we'll get to later. 

In the apron pockets, you need the following things - a toothbrush, a plastic paint scraper (or credit card), a razor blade holder, a Magic Eraser - stored in an open ziplock bag held in place with a binder clip, a 2nd ziplock bag (also held with a binder clip) to hold small trash items, and a stack of good sized cleaning cloths - large cloth diapers are ideal.  Each item goes in a specific pocket and is always returned to it's same location - that way you can reach for things and find them quickly without digging around. 

When you have an apron stocked like this, just about everything you need for cleaning a room is right on your body enabling you to move efficiently without digging around under the sink for additional cleaning products or tools.  However, you will also need a large plastic open carryall with a handle for more specialty items, such as Lime-a-way, cleanser, brushes, furniture polish, and floor cleaner and extra cleaning cloths.  You'll also need a good heavy-duty vacuum with a 50 foot extension cord (you plug it in one place and leave it alone), a feather duster (in your back pocket), and a professional quality sponge mop. 

Now for the methods - first of all, everything goes with you into every room, so you have all the tools you need right at hand.  Then you enter a room and work in a clockwise path, always cleaning from highest to lowest.  That way, you aren't knocking dirt and dust onto the lower surfaces you've just cleaned.  You also have to make every move count as you clean each surface and move on to the next area.  Use both hands - wipe with one as you move things with the other.  Don't rinse until it's clean, and don't clean it unless it's dirty.  Get things clean, but don't obsess over cleaning every switch plate and line of grout.  That's what slows you down - give it a spritz and a good wipe and move on. 

Using the right tools is important.  If there is stuck-on gunk on the counter, don't even try to clean it with a cloth, start right in with the plastic scraper.  If it doesn't come up easily with that, immediately move to the razor blade, being careful not to scratch the surfaces.  Wipe crumbs and dust onto the floor - you will get them on the last step when you vacuum (not sweep!) the floor.  Pay attention to what you're doing and track your time with a stopwatch or timer.  That will encourage you to move faster the next time. 

For an example, let's say I am cleaning my kitchen.  I put my apron on and make sure all my tools are ready and in place.  Grab my carryall and take my plugged in vacuum and leave it by the door.  To the left of the door is my first stop, the fridge.  Take my feather duster and give the top a quick swipe, then use my red juice and cleaning cloths to wipe off the finger prints - done!  Move onto the first section of counter.  Wipe down the cupboards and back splash with a little red juice and I'm ready to start the counter.  Work from left to right and back to front - sweep the crumbs onto the floor, lift and replace each small appliance with my free hand and wipe, wipe, wipe.  Trash into my trash apron pocket and anything (spices, dishes, mail) that doesn't belong is moved onto the next area or somewhere out of the way.  Done!  Stove is next - left to right, back to front, use my toothbrush or scrapers for anything caked on, and liberal use of red juice - or blue juice if it's a shiny surface. 

Yank off the used kitchen towels and lob them over by the door - you'll get them on your way out of the room.  Another section of counter and cupboards - treat same as the first and we're halfway done.  Spritz a little bleach in the sink and let it work while I use my toothbrush to clean around the faucets and edging.  Hopefully you don't have any dishes piled up.  If you do, stack them on a section of counter and come back to deal with them later.  Now you're halfway done! 

Finish the rest of the counters the same way and move onto the dining room table.  Hopefully, it is clear.  If not, sweep everything off onto one of the chairs for later attention.  Move the chairs back away from the table and whisk broom the seats.  Wipe half the table as you're going, then circle around to the other side, wiping the crumbs onto the floor as you go.  Use your red juice as needed and refold or swap your cleaning cloths to get a fresh surface.  When they're completely used up - lob them over on top of the dish towels to be washed. 

Then finish up with a quick dusting of the desk (we have a desk in our kitchen) and a swipe of the pantry doors.  15 minutes and your kitchen is already looking pretty.  Time to vacuum.  Grab the vacuum and start back in front of the pantry you just finished.  Working carefully and quickly, whisk over each section of the floor in a forward, then diagonal motion to make the most of each pass - no need to go back and forth multiple times.  Snake around the kitchen in a counter-clockwise rotation, getting under and around the table being careful not to tangle your cord.  As you pass the sink, put the plug in and start filling it full of hot water and ammonia (or your preferred floor cleaner) for mopping.  Finish your vacuuming and swap the vacuum for your mop.  Soak the head well, squeeze off most of the liquid and start at the point in the furthest corner.   Mop, mop, mop using your Magic Eraser or scraper for black marks or ground-in mess.  Rinse the mop head often, especially after the dirtiest areas - by the door, and in front of the stove/fridge.  Leave an exit strip down the center, so you can get out without slipping on the wet floor or getting dirty footprints on your clean floor.  And you're DONE!  Note the time so that you can improve your speed next time. 

This is just a very basic overview of the Clean Team method.  To really understand it, you need to read the book.  Happily, it's quick and easy reading, with lots of pictures.  I buzzed through it in about 30 minutes this last time.  I think its time well spent since you will easily knock that 30 minutes off your first week's cleaning and many times thereafter.  


Come back again soon for a fresh dose of Clutterbugs.  To see past posts on the subject, click on the Clutterbugs label at the bottom of this post for a complete list. 



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