Ask The Helpful Housewife

Extreme Couponing: Let's Get Real

Have you seen the new show on TLC, "Extreme Couponing"? I've watched a couple episodes, and honestly I just can't watch anymore.  It just is not realistic.  First of all, it is promoting a hoarder's mentality.  Really, what are you going to do with 150 yogurts? And why do you have 75 2-liters of Mountain Dew in your closet instead of your clothing? Come on, people! Second of all, if you are someone who uses coupons faithfully you know that this show HAS to be scripted because stores have coupon policies in place that would never allow these situations to exist! I would love to see a store that lets you use 35 of the same coupon, all worth over $1.00 off, and then double all of them?  Yeah, right....  in whose alternate universe is that happening in?

So, let's get real about it.  Right here, right now.  Full disclosure on my part: I've read several of the books out there on using coupons, and there are some GREAT tips to follow.  But all of these books give you the cardinal rule up front: follow the stores' coupon policies.  Learn them, know them, memorize them.  Keep up to date on changes to them.  AND these books are also quite honest in that they say you'll probably save 30-60% off your grocery bill on average over time.  That is more realistic. And the results I've had are about that when I average it out.

I've been able to find my own system, and I will try to put it in a nutshell here for you.  Obviously, everyone has to find something that works for them, but this is what I have found works the best for me.  The results have been good: last week my total bill was $358 at Kroger, but I only spent $91 when all was said and done.  No, I didn't have over $1000 in products in my cart and only spend $1.38.  Does anyone even believe that? Anyway, here's how I do it.

Each week, when my Sunday paper comes, I go straight for the coupon flyers.  If they have a good selection, I will go out and buy 5 or 6 more newspapers.  Never any more than that, because there are limits on the number of coupons you can even use in the first place.  For example, at our Meijer store, only the first 2 coupons double, and after that each coupon is only good for face value.  And those that double are only doubled up to 50 cents.  At a Kroger about 20 miles away (each Kroger has it's own coupon policy - you need to check with each one to find out what it is), they double manufacturer coupons up to $1.00 everyday, but only the first 3.  After that, they are only good for face value, and you can only use 5 max.  Cellfire is an online tool that lets you load coupons onto your store loyalty cards, but Meijer is not a partner, and even though Kroger is a partner, I DO NOT USE THEM, because they changed their policy.  If you scan your loyalty card, the cellfire coupons will count before your regular coupons and you can't use the regular ones.  And cellfire coupons are usually very low value anyway.

So, I go through my coupons, and cut all of them out.  YES, I cut ALL of them out.  I then put them into a three ring binder, organized by section of the grocery store, and stored in the plastic pages that are used for trading cards.  Once they are organized and put away, it's easy to find them when I need them.

As I then go through each sale flyer, I match up every item on sale to a coupon.  If it isn't on sale, and doesn't have a coupon, it doesn't go on the list.  Simple as that.  It has to  be both. This maximizes the savings.  I try to use the larger value coupons at Kroger, since they double a higher value. If a coupon is valued over $1.00, I use it wherever the item is on sale.

Once I have my list of items on sale that have coupons, I put those coupons in an envelope with the list, grab my binder and head off to the stores.  I take the binder, because often there are unadvertised sales, and you never know when you'll have a coupon for one of those items!

Here's an example of how I made it work on some of the more expensive items I buy on a recent trip:

I had 7 coupons for $1.00 off any Colgate variety toothpaste, 4.0 oz or larger. Kroger had their 6.4 oz Colgate marked down from 2.98 to 1.98 with Kroger card.  I also had 6 coupons for .75 off any Colgate toothpaste, same conditions.  Since only 3 coupons double at a time, I had to split my order up to maximize it.  This ultimately created 3 transactions, but worth it since 7 tubes ended up being free, and 6 of them were only .48 each!   A total of 13 tubes for about $3 - the regular price of one tube of toothpaste!. With 4 kids, we go through a lot of toothpaste, so that was a great deal.

That same trip, they had Bounty paper towels on sale - an 8 pack, normally 10.19, was 5.99 with Kroger card.  I had 6 coupons for $1.00 off any multipack.  So, with two transactions to get the maximum doubling of coupons, I ended up getting them for 3.99 each.  Savings of 6.20 per package!

Laundry detergent is another big expense in our house.  Kroger had the 50 load liquid Tide, all varieties, on sale with card for $3.99 each. HUGE DEAL without the coupons! But I had 8 coupons for $1.00 off any Tide detergent.  So, three transactions later, I had purchased them for $1.99 each.

I had a total of 3 transactions for all my coupons in groceries, cleaning supplies, etc.  One cart, but well organized.  I did find a few items on sale that were 10 for $10, get 11th free that I had coupons for as well.  These are great deals to watch for.  It takes some time to develop your own system, and be able to recognize the deals and savings.  At first it would take me 3 hours to shop; now I am in and out in no time at all because it has become second nature to me.

I ended up giving some of the laundry detergent and toothpaste to our church for the personal needs closet portion of our food pantry.  Along with a bunch of B1G1 deodorants that I had purchased with coupons.  I also gave my mom some of the paper towels.  So I don't have stacks and stacks of stuff in my house like a hoarder.  I spread the savings to others.  But I still don't have to pay a ton at the store for essentials. 

The concepts I gave above work the same with any item.  Pasta, canned goods, coffee, you name it.  If you have coupons, use them! 

For more in depth help, try these two books:  "The Coupon Mom's Guide to Cutting Your Grocery Bills in Half" by Stephenie Nelson (love this one), or "How to Shop For Free" by Kathy Spencer (another good resource). 

It takes some work, but not 40 hours a week cutting coupons and building on an addition just for your filing cabinets and extra storage! Like I said before, let's get real.  The television show is not realistic, and is not promoting responsible consumerism. And sometimes what people do to get the "too good to be true" deal is actually illegal.  Both books I mentioned cover this as well...

Good luck!  I know this was pretty vague, but a blog post isn't nearly enough space to really detail it!

What Time Is It?

Child (any, pick one!): "What time is it?"

Me: "7:30."

Child: "Oh. What time is that?"

Me: "Halfway between 7:00 and 8:00."

Child: "What's 8:00?"

Me: "It's bathtime! Stop asking me questions about the clock!!!"

Child, running off to siblings: "It's bath time!"

See, there is a benefit to having a schedule!  It really shortens THOSE conversations.  Until kids are old enough to comprehend time, say, at about 33 years old and they are late for work, they just don't understand what anyone means when they tell them the actual TIME. And when you have a set schedule, it's just easier to tell them "It's bath time" or "it's time for lunch" or "it's quiet time, because Mommy is about to break into the vodka if we don't have quiet time."

I get so many emails asking me about routines and schedules. I get more hits on the link to the routines posted here than on any other part of the site!  Apparently, this is an area that is a quandry for so many people.  And it's easy to see why.  There is a mindset that once you set a schedule, that's it.  It's written in stone, and it needs to be followed.  That's just not realistic, folks!  I know I have my detailed schedule that I posted out here, but it isn't a letter of the law document!  If something comes up, then the schedule gets tossed out the window until we can come back to it.  And it's more of a general guideline anyway, to keep me progressing through my day.  I don't walk around with a stopwatch! (Unless the kids are brushing their teeth or cleaning up the play room!)

So, you want a schedule of your own. But where do you start?  It's kind of like the analogy of filling the jar with stones and sand to make them all fit.  You start with the biggest and end with the smallest, with the small filling in all the crevices.  To get an idea of how your day can be laid out, you first need to identify those things that you HAVE to do.  They are scheduled FOR you by others, or by needs you/others have.   And the things I'm talking about are daily things, not once a year events... employment would probably top that list!  Getting the kids to school might also be a non-negotiable????

Then you add in things like meal times, nap times (for kids), carpool schedules, practices, etc. Starting to look full, isn't it?  But you can still find those blocks of time that are open.  That's where you fill in the other stuff.  For example, up until today I had Monday through Thursday afternoons to myself while Andrew was at school.  From 12:15 to 3:15, I was on my own!  This is when I scheduled in the things I didn't want to do with kids in tow, such as grocery shopping, errands, and other things.  I made all of my doctor appointments during this time frame, and tried to get as much done as possible that would be easiest without the tribe.  Things like laundry and vacuuming and housework?  Those I can do anytime!  So I would fill in regular time slots on the calendar just to make sure I stayed on top of it.  But it didn't matter if everyone was home!  I can fold towels while the family has movie night.  I can vacuum and dust while the kids are working on art projects or playing outside. 

But if something comes up and I have a regular item  on my schedule?  Who cares!  I'll get to it the next go round! It's called flexibility.  And it's available BECAUSE of the schedule.  If you use a schedule to stay on top of everything, when you do have to break routine it won't completely disrupt your life.  You'll be ready for whatever life throws at you...

 

Musty Linens Must Get Clean

I had the incredible fortune of buying several vintage quilts for only $10 each.  I don't think the seller knew their worth?!  Usually these quality of vintage quilts go for a couple hundred dollars or more. 

Anyway, they all had that old musty smell to them.  They smelled of dust and damp, like an old attic.  And I really wanted to keep them out with my collection of other vintage quilts.  But with the smell, I just wouldn't be able to!  So, I got to work.  And they are now smelling fresh and lovely!  This method can be used for just about any fabric that needs to be rid of unwanted "old" smells.  If it is dry clean only, then DON"T do this, take it to a professional.  But if it is a washable fabric, then by all means give it a whirl!  For especially stinky fabrics it may take 2 or 3 times through the process to really get the ick out.

Fill the bathtub with cool (not cold or warm) water. 

Add about an 1/8th of a cup of a mild detergent, such as Ivory or Dreft, and slowly swirl it into the water to disperse it well.

Add about 1/8th cup of Arm & Hammer washing soda and dissolve by stirring.

Add in 1 cup of vinegar.  (The smell will dissipate, I promise!)

Gently lay the quilt, blanket, etc. into the water.  Using your hands, softly press it into the water, pressing in different areas each time.  Slowly turn it over to the other side and repeat.  Let it sit for an hour or so.

Drain the water from the tub, and refill with cool plain water.  Then repeat the process above with the quilt, pressing the suds out of it into the plain water.    Repeat until the water is  clear, and no more suds come out of the fabric.

Roll the quilt tightly while still in the tub to squeeze out excess water.  Then take it outside into the sunshine and hang it to dry.  Over a railing will do if you don't have a clothesline. 

The combination of the vinegar, washing soda and the fresh air should remove the musty smell and leave it fresh and bright.  The soap and washing soda will remove any dirt or dust that is keeping the odor in.  And the washing soda will leave it nice and soft.

Tie a String on Your Finger

Don't forget to sign up for HK101.... begins on June 7th!

A Generation Lost

The email I get in my inbox never ceases to amaze me.  So many of them begin with a phrase similar to "My mother never really taught me how to keep house...." and go on to detail how they have no idea how to do even the simplest tasks or when to do them.  So many emails are just pleas for help on getting started making a home!

It has become apparent to me that our current social climate is not conducive to homekeeping.  With the need for more and more women to work outside of the home (a perfectly wonderful thing!), there is a lot less emphasis on learning the things that used to be second nature in bringing up the next generations.  I should probably interject here and state for the record that this should NOT inherently be a female arena.  Men should be learning how to take care of themselves as well, and fathers are just as important in passing along information to daughters and sons alike.  But for the most part, this has been a feminine area.

I am only 35 years old.  So I am part of this generation that has never been exposed to homecare lessons.  We were not given the home-ec curriculum in school, as it was already being phased out in the 80's and 90's.  Our parents were dual-income earners, and therefore there wasn't time at the end of a workday to fit these lessons in.  As it were, they didn't have as extensive a background as their parents did!  Along came the concept of the "cleaning lady".  Even though there have been maids and cooks in wealthier homes across the spans of time, the idea of having someone come into your home on a weekly or biweekly basis was relatively new.  And at first it was a luxury for only the most affluent.  But as time went on, it became more commonplace.

Now, practically everyone I know has a cleaning service that comes on a regular basis.  Hey, I'm all for it!  If you can afford it, and it gives you more time for family activities, then more power to you!  But shouldn't we all know the basics?  What happens when the cleaning service is no longer affordable?  And what about the kids that are going to be heading out on their own, with low-paying, entry level jobs who can't afford this?  Shouldn't they know basic homekeeping to keep them afloat?

We have become a society of convenience.  We rely on computers, cell phones, ATM's, and the like for our daily activities.  There are a plethora of gadgets and gizmos on the market that promise to make things easier and faster.  A microwave is no longer a status symbol; it is an expectation.  And with all of these changes, homekeeping has become even more of a 'life sucker'.  No one wants to spend the time on it because it takes too long, isn't "fun", and never seems to really be complete.

So now I belong to a generation that has no idea how to do even the most simple tasks.  And has no ability to even schedule their day.  One woman actually emailed me, asking me when she should take her shower because she had a new baby and didn't know how to even fit that into her day!  My answer was simple:  when the baby sleeps, jump on in and soap up!  And if the baby wakes and starts crying, it will still be OK, because you'll be out in a minute anyway. 

My mother did not teach me how to keep house.  In fact, my mother loathed housework.  Now that she is retired, she seems to like it a LITTLE more, but while I was growing up it wasn't exactly a lesson a day atmosphere.  Don't get me wrong- our home was cozy and clean and we had home made dinners almost every night.  But I don't recall her ever taking me aside and showing me how to do laundry or clean a toilet or vacuum.  You just figured it out.  I learned by osmosis, I guess.  To this day, we still tease her, though, about the refrigerator experiments!  Poor mom!

But when I moved into my first apartment, I fell in love with housework.  Every Saturday, I would move the frig out away from the wall and scrub the floor and vacuum the condenser coils.  I would polish and shine every surface, and wash every stitch of fabric.  The smell of clean was something I wanted to bottle as a perfume!  I don't know where this love of all things domestic came from.... perhaps it's the association with the family dinners and the cozy house we lived in as kids.  Or perhaps it was the newfound sense of responsibility and excitement of having my own little abode. 

But not everyone has had that same infatuation with housework that I have.  Some would like to; others just want to be able to keep their heads above water and move on.   And this generation is very ill prepared for homekeeping.  The even scarier part?  The next generation will be even worse off! 

Perhaps the best way to solve this problem is to change our viewpoint of the dreaded housework into one of pleasure.  Instead of looking at it as a "chore", or "timewaster", maybe it needs to be looked at as a chance to unwind and renew.  I know that cleaning the shower isn't exactly glamourous, but why not focus on how it gleams when you are done?  And while you are scrubbing away, it can be very calming and soothing.  I think this is why I love housework so much: I tend to do my best thinking while in the middle of mucking out a mess.  I am able to take that time to be reflective and meditative while still being productive.  I lose myself in my thoughts, and by the time the jobs are done, my head is clear and I feel renewed.  And when I come out of that state of mind, I snap back into a reality of sparkling clean and calm! 

Once we change our mindset, the learning process becomes fun and easy.  Then the implementation of those skills becomes enjoyable.  Even rewarding.

So, please keep sending me those emails.  I will continue to answer all of them.  And I will never ridicule anyone for any reason.  It's not anyone's fault that we don't have the tools and information we need.  But we can bring society back to home base.  Let's all just slow down a little, cook dinner for our families once in a while, and enjoy the fact that some things take a little more time to complete. 
 

HK101 Sign Ups Going on NOW!!!!

I have finally declared a start day for Housekeeping 101:  June 7th!  If it begins that Monday, it will finish just in time for the Fourth of July weekend, and your home will be ready for patriotic fun and games.

Here's how to join in the fun, and get signed up for the course....

Please send me an email to [email protected] and in the subject line, type "Summer 2010 HK101".  All I need is your email address for the course.  Please submit it NO LATER than Friday, June 4th.  Then, beginning on Monday the 7th, you will receive a daily email with your lesson for that day.  Simple as that!  Each day will have a new topic/lesson for you to complete.  Once you have completed all 20 of them, you will be armed and ready to care for your home.  I send the emails daily, Monday through Friday, for four weeks.  You get the weekends off to play and spend time doing whatever you like!

I hope you will enjoy it - the interest in this has been very high again, and I predict another record breaking enrollment.  Let's have fun, and remember, this is only for enjoyment.  You won't have to turn in homework or send in anything.... it's all for you to do IF YOU CHOOSE.  But I have had enormous numbers of past participants tell me it was a lot of fun, and that they actually learned a lot along the way. 

So, get those emails in to me ASAP!

Revisiting A Mom's/Housewife's Net Worth

About a year ago I posted this, but I wanted to put it out here again after a lengthy conversation I just had with my mother and a friend.  I also frequently have this conversation with my husband, because at times I feel like a "kept woman" after leaving my job.  I get a guilt trip over not contributing financially, and he always jumps to the other side of the fence and is very adamant that I contribute way more by staying home.  No, he's not a chauvanistic neanderthal; he's just a great husband who is very supportive of me!

What is the salary of a mom/housewife worth?  The figure they keep tossing out there is $120,000 per year.  Not a bad figure, hey?  About 4 or 5 years ago, Andy got his USAA magazine in the mail, and they had an article in there on this very same topic, and they actually estimated it at around $140,000 I think.  I like that number better.  I wish I could find that archive in his office!!!  Counting for inflation and cost of living increases, I bet it would be more by now!

Whichever number you assign to it, it still isn't enough, but let's assume it's a fair amount.  When you think about all we do to keep our households running, we just couldn't afford to be without us housewives/moms.   We do the cooking, cleaning, laundry, managing of the budgets, shopping, caretaking, and more.  To pay a chef, drycleaner, accountant, personal shopper, daycare, and and other professionals to do these jobs for us, we would be spending three to four times more. 

Want to know the main reason why I left the engineering field when my oldest child was born?  Most of my paycheck would have gone to daycare.  Once we had all of our children, there was no point in going back to work.  Even when I had opened my own business, I was spending over $600 per week for PART TIME daycare for 4 kids.  And I still was doing all of the household management anyway.  No wonder I broke down and had Molly Maids come in once a month to do a good cleaning!  That was $100 well spent in my eyes!  For us, it is more fiscally intelligent for me to stay home. 

Moms are still undervalued today.  I hate the feminist movement; I am a firm believer that you should never feel bad about the choices you make for yourself.  If you want to work, great!  It shouldn't be because you feel like you have some bra-burning legacy to live up to.  On the other hand, if it means providing for your family, then yes, you must do it, and do it proudly!  And if you do it because you simply enjoy it and it makes you sane and happy, I applaud you!  On the other hand, if you want to stay home because you like the lifestyle of being at home with the kids and doing the housewife thing, I applaud that too.  Don't let anyone make you feel guilty or like you aren't contributing.  Because believe you me, you are.  At a rate of $120,000 per year. 

But for those of you who think that even though you love being home with the kids, and you love nothing more than a sparking clean home and freshly baked cookies coming out of the oven, you are just playing house and not really doing anything with your life?  There truly is value in what you do.  And when you can't see the emotional and spiritual value in what you do for your family some days, realize this: you are saving your family a whole bundle of money on those professionals who could be doing it for you!  As my husband loves to remind me....

Updated Housewife Schedule/Routine for the Helpful Housewife

It's been ages since I uploaded an up-to-date schedule for the Roman family!  Obviously things have changed drastically since 2006 in our household.  In the last four years, our schedule changed to accommodate me owning a store, to me being back home full time; kids getting older and having new school schedules; and just plain refining it. 

Here is the schedule we will be following until mid-June (the end of the school year):

Download Daily_schedule_for_the_roman_family_3

Download Daily Cleaning Master Checklist

Download Cleaning Schedule

I hope these documents actually embed in the blog... it's been a long time since I did this, and I can't quite remember how to do it!  I am putting them out here, because when I get around to peeking at where everyone is coming from when they arrive at my blog, the majority of hits come from google searches for 'housekeeping schedules' or 'housewife routine'.  Perhaps these will inspire those of you looking for information on forming your own schedule.  And keep in mind, I am a very structured person.  I need this type of detail.  Please don't think it is a requirement for all homemakers!  You need to do what works for you...

Green Clean On The Cheap!

Yes, I missed Earth Day on the blog.  I know!  But to atone for it, here are a couple cleaning recipes for you!  These are really easy on the wallet and really hard on dirt and grime.  I know that it's tough sometimes in this current economy to stay green while taking care of your home and family, but you don't have to shell out for the expensive green cleaners.  Simply use these cleaning products that you can whip up on your own in a matter of minutes for only pennies!

Glass Cleaner

1 part white distilled vinegar

1 part water

Simply pour into an empty spray bottle and use just like the more expensive glass cleaners.  Works better, in fact, and if you use a flour sack towel instead of paper towels you not only save trees, you don't have that pesky lint that is left behind by the paper!

All-Purpose Cleaner

1/2 cup white distilled vinegar

1/2 cup warm water

2 tsps borax

Mix until the borax is dissolved, and pour into a spray bottle.  Antiseptic, works great, cuts grease and grime, and safe for food surfaces, too!  Use caution when pouring out the borax, though, that you don't inhale it. You can even add a drop or three of essential oil to this to give it a lovely fragrance.  I happen to like lavender and geranium oils in mine!

Dishwasher Detergent

1 part washing soda

1 part Borax

Combine in a plastic, sealable container.  Use 1-2 tbsp per load in the dishwasher.

Toilet Cleaner

1 cup white distilled vinegar

1 cup baking soda

Pour each into toilet bowl.  Let sit for 1/2 hour, then scrub clean and flush to rinse.  Sparkling!

The costs associated with these cleaners is so much less than commercial cleaners!  I can buy a box of Borax for about $3.89, and a box of Arm & Hammer Washing Soda for about $2.89.  A gallon of white vinegar is $2.67 where I shop, and baking soda is super cheap when you buy the big box of the generic brand.  I have found plastic spray bottles for .98 cents.   And I use an old, large, plastic butter tub for my dishwasher detergent and have it labelled clearly under my kitchen sink. 

If I total all those things up, I have about $11 invested, and these cleaners will last me forever!  I have two spray bottles, and it works out to less than a penny per cleaning session with them.  Even the dishwasher detergent recipe saves a ton of money.  The typical box of name brand detergent can be on average $6 per box.  I get four to five times as much for that same price by making my own!

I hope these little tips help you.... Your home will be sparkling and germ free without any dangerous toxins and chemicals.  Open the windows once in a while, and get the fresh air moving, too, by the way!

Housekeeping 101 in 2010

Wow!  I finally weeded through all the junkmail and advertisements in my inbox, and I was astounded at the number of new emails that were left that had topic lines regarding HK101!  So many of you are requesting another session that I think it may be time to consider it. 

Just in case some of you don't know the drill, here is how it works:  Once you sign up, I then begin sending you email lessons.  They are sent every day, Monday through Friday, for four weeks.  It makes it a little easier to break it up into daily lessons, and daily tasks.  There is no test at the end, it's just a fun and informational series.  You can participate or not; your choice! 

Let me think about when the best time would be to start the next session, and when I have that figured out, I will post an announcement for sign ups with instructions on how to get the course emailed to you.

I can't believe that after a couple years, this is still popular!  It warms my heart....

Happy dusting!

The Deadline is Tomorrow!

WOW!!!!  I cannot BELIEVE how many have signed up for this next round of Housekeeping 101!  The deadline to sign up is tomorrow, so be sure to email me and get on the list for the session beginning on February 4th!

On January 26th, I will be sending out emails to all who have signed up so far.  I'll let you know the details of the course and what you'll be doing.  I'm really looking forward to starting up this session;  even though I've always enjoyed keeping house in general, this always sparks that renewed excitement and I end up curled up with all of my old housekeeping manuals every evening like that favorite novel you read over and over again...  Can't wait!

Housekeeping College Registration Form

As you may have noticed in the sidebar, Housekeeping 101 will be enrolling again!  The link for the form doesn't seem to be working, so please send me an email beginning in January if you are interested in signing up.  I will reply with all necessary details. 

Of course, Housekeeping College has evolved over time.  It's now a four week course of basic information that is easier to condense.  There's no pop quiz, but there have been lots of fun emails to read in response to the lessons!  It's really informal, and definitely an optional thing; whether anyone actually does each lesson is something I'll never know.  But as more time passes, I get the itch to develop it more.  To bring it into more detail and perhaps print an actual booklet, or create a binder, for participants.  Maybe just put it on cd-rom?  Who knows!  But thanks for all of your enthusiasm for the homemaking arts! 

I've really missed being home full time the last year, and now that the shop is settling in and I have more and more employees, my schedule will be changing for the better.  I'm going to be home more now than ever, and will be able to get back to polishing my silver and blogging with more regularity.  I'll never give up my little fabric and yarn shop (aren't sewing and knitting part of Home-Ec anyway?) but I'm finding that balance I have always worked hard to have.  Next on the agenda is redoing our daily routine that is mapped out here.  Maybe it will help the other housewives who also work outside of the home find their balance if they see how someone else is making it work? 

Anyway, I've gone off on a tangent as ususal....  Get ready for the next round of HK101! Email me to sign up!

An Ailing Refrigerator Has It's Benefits...

Our refrigerator died.  On the hottest day of the century.  Of course.  Thankfully we have an old 1950's Westinghouse model in the garage we use for extra gallons of milk, the odd soda, and other miscellaneous items.  (With four little kids, you tend to buy milk 6 gallons at a time!).  So what do you do when your frig goes out?  In this order:

1.  Curse KitchenAid.  (I can't stress enough at how miserable these appliances are... after 2 dishwashers, a microwave, a stove/oven, 2 coffee makers, a toaster, and now the frig, I am completely avoiding this brand as if it were the bubonic plague!)

2.  Call KitchenAid to schedule a repair visit.

3.  Curse KitchenAid while emptying said refrigerator.

4.  Clean it til it sparkles!!!!!

I know it's a pain to have to go through dealing with a dead refrigerator, but on the upside, it's a great opportunity to clean it out!  No condensation building up because it's still cool inside, no stuff in the way...  it's great!  Now I have the wonderfully clean appliance you see above!  Take note, those of you in Housekeeping 101 -- this is a valuable tidbit to file away for future reference!

Housekeeping College Info, Update and Kickoff

First and foremost, to all of you who have emailed me in the last couple of weeks:  I am so sorry I didn't respond!  Thanks to hotmail, there was a server issue and I wasn't getting my email properly delivered.  As it is, I'm trying to get them caught up and send out responses to all of you, and it's still hiccupping and not letting me reply to the messages in some cases.   Please be patient. 

For those emails requesting more information because they couldn't download the registration form:  the link to the file is broken , and since I wasn't getting your emails, I couldn't fix it for you!  Ahhh... double edged sword, ain't it? 

Anyway, school is now in session, and I will try to get your lessons emailed to you before midnight, I promise.  Wish me luck!  Otherwise, you'll have two in your inbox tomorrow!

HK 101 Certificates

Hi everyone!  No, I haven't forgotten about the certificates!  I am putting them together over the long weekend to mail out on Tuesday when the post office re-opens.  Once we get past the Labor Day holiday, I will be back to posting regularly again.  But since it's the end of summer and we all have been so busy, we're just taking a little break here in the Roman household.  We need to get in a few last fun memories before the seasons change once more!  I'll see you all back here shortly, I promise!