Iced Coffee Cubes

Good morning Monday!

You know there are mornings where you finish all the coffee and consider the drive through later, but occasionally there's a cup or two left in the pot.  Pour the remains into an ice-cube tray to use later for a cup of iced coffee.  Pop the cubes out and put them in a labeled freezer baggy.  I use this same method with left over broth, pesto and sauces.  Save now, enjoy later!

Prep for Back to School: Outfit Planning

 It's back to school time!  For my family this means an adjustment from relaxed summer mornings to a pretty rigid schedule.  One thing that helps with the chaos is having our outfits pre-planned.  My son? Well he basically grabs a top and a pair of pants and he's good to go.  But for us ladies in the house, sometimes it takes more time.

Glass Bottle Display in China Hutch

You may remember my China Hutch Evolution I blogged about a couple months ago?

                                       Now it's time to peak inside.....

Wedding Picture Display

What I appreciate most about photography is the stories it can tell.  When presented with our wedding photos 9 years ago, we really couldn't pick just one and sure didn't want to plaster the walls with them.

Toddler Self Hygiene - Montessori Style

I'm always on the look out for ways to have my kids learn independence, responsibility and self hygiene.

Towel Hooks vs Towel Bars

Keeping bathrooms tidy is a chore. Have you ever tried to teach a three year old to fold their towel over the towel bar when they are done with their bath? And if you have, is it hanging evenly? Folded in thirds? or at least in half? Forget the three year old, how 'bout your husband? Can he put the towels over the bar? I'm really good at putting the blame on everyone else and not mentioning my own pile of towels that seemed to gravitate to the floor.

Postcard Collection

Guest Room Accessories

We have overnight guests at least once or twice a month at our home. Having a well equipped guest room helps save me the trouble of finding forgotten supplies last minute, or trying to describe where something is located in my house while cooking dinner and holding a crying toddler. (But don't get the wrong idea, we're not a full service bed and breakfast, I will make you help if you stay here!) All I have to say to my guest is, "It's in your room." I have little labels in my cupboards, baskets full of extra toiletries and a full medicine cabinet. One of my favorite little guest items is this jar I have on a shelf above the toilet. It contains pens, scissors, tape, eye wear screws, super glue, note cards, stamps, etc.

Organizing and Displaying your Children's Artwork

We have a lot of artwork in our home. My kids draw and paint at school, at home and at art class. I'm always working on the method to the madness and currently my method is the following:

Organizing Vitamins, Herbs and Supplements

Organizing Children's Art Supplies - Lazy Susan

Suction Cup Tooth Brush Holder

My kids bathroom can get cluttered real easy, real fast. Between the tubes of toothpaste they neglect to put away and the bowls of water filled with rubber type animals that promise to increase their size by 600%, space becomes minimized. In search of a suction cup toothbrush holder at Target, I came across a couple suction cup razor holders. Stuck to the medicine cabinet, it holds both the toothbrush and flosser, clearing up the counter for more important experiments. Another bonus is that keeping the kids' toothbrushes separate will cut down on the sharing of germs.

Color Coordinated Home Library - Books organized by color

Books Organized By Color

Bookcase Dollhouse

Rake Head Necklace Hangers

Whenever my mom comes to visit she brings me goodies. A few years ago she showed up with a rake head she said I could use for my necklaces. "Hmm, interesting idea mom," I thought. I love it. Or should I say, I love them, as I have doubled my display space with two rake heads. I love that it not only keeps my necklaces separate from one another and in plain view for selection, but that I am finding a new use for an old gardening tool.

Morning and Evening Routine Chart part 2

So its the night before the first day of orientation week at school and I finally finished our morning routine chart. Unable to leave well enough alone I spent far too long today revising and adding to the charts' pictures which are available here. We now have an evening routine chart as well. Both are hanging in acrylic magnet frames on the kids' bathroom wall. I wonder if it would be better if the pictures were in a complete vertical line. Perhaps it would be good if I had one for each kid and they could cover the picture with a magnet as they completed the task, however I have a feeling that in my family this would be a huge distraction. 


 I have a miniature version of the charts hanging on our communication center in the kitchen as well. Hopefully this will help my kids stay on task. Nothing is officially glued down so that I can change it as needed.

Communication Center with Magnet Paint