My Embarrassing Secret

After much consideration, I've decided to share a secret with you (linking up with Nan's "Making Your Home Sing" Meme)

It's quite embarrassing actually, but I'm going to share anyway. Maybe you have the same issue I do and can relate in some way.

And here it is...my problem.

I am addicted to this Youtube video.




Yes, it's a cleaning lady washing a kitchen sink, narrated by a fella with a thick, heavy accent that I can't quite identify (sounds to me like Billy Crystal doing Fernando Lamas, "You look mahvelous!")

Strange, huh?

I'm not sure if it's the running water in the sink (I love the sound of running water, but feel too guilty to actually do it in my own kitchen. I always feel like I'm wasting. So, I live vicariously through Ms. Boston Quality Cleaning Services...she can run all the water she wants as far as I'm concerned.) that is so relaxing to me, or the anticipation of hearing Mr. Boston Quality Cleaning Services say, "Not only clean, but sparkling clean" just one more time, but there's just something about this video that keeps me coming back. I watch it nearly every night before bed because it makes me sleepy.

I know...it's weird.

But it's not a complete waste of time. I've gleaned some usefulness from this video as well. I tried scrubbing my sink the way the amazing lady in the video does. AND IT'S NOT EASY! She really does work so fast and efficiently. When I tried her water tossing and rinsing technique, I got water all over myself, the counters, the floor, everything! And she rinses off all that soap in one fell swoop! It took me twenty minutes to get my sink all rinsed out! I even put on a pair of rubber gloves like she wears. But I got so much water in them, by the time I was finished making a mess cleaning the sink, my fingers had turned into prunes! I need more practice!

And if I were her, I may not have been able to keep my cool while Mr. Camera Man kept getting all up in my personal space and snatching my paper towels (Betcha didn't even notice that did ya? See! I told you I've watched this too many times!). He also snatches the the hand soap pumps...I hope he returns them before he leaves the offices of Metric Corporations in Brighton!

And my "polishing method" needs work. Or maybe my sink is just old. But it DID NOT "shine like a mirror" when I was finished.

However, it did end up "sparkling clean" so I think Mr. Boston Quality Cleaning Services would have been pleased. Because it was, "Not only clean, but sparkling clean." Again, you want it, "Not only clean, but sparkling clean."

You really can't emphasize the importance of "making it sparkle" enough. ha!

Do you have any favorite Youtube videos that you like to watch over and over? If so, feel free to share! Or keep your self-respect intact and keep it to yourself (unlike me).

Have a great week everyone! And shine those sinks (or just watch Youtube videos on shining your sink)!

A Day in the Life of ME...A SAHM's Daily Routine and a Home Tour!

So as promised, I finally got to work making some You Tube videos for you! I didn't really know what to start off with, so in PUT IT ALL OUT THERE FASHION as I tend to do, I decided to let you see me first thing in the morning, see my house (apartment), my messes, my unpacked boxes (2 months later), my laundry, and you get to see my heart a little as well...oh, and you get to see me right out of the shower looking truly unbelievable...and not in a good way (i.e. red, blotchy skin, hair in a towel, etc.).

But this is me ya'll. If you know me, you know I don't hold back and I keep it REAL!

But really, is there any other way to be?

So there are 9 (yes, count them, 9) videos in all that cover my day and routines (or lack thereof) from waking up to going to bed. I will share one of them here for you, but if you'd like to see the rest, visit my You Tube channel here....
Please like and subscribe to my You Tube channel...it would mean so much!!! :)

Enjoy....

I Want You to be CHUBBY!

Since moving to this new apartment with 3 floors, I have had some serious problems with my knees. After going up and down stairs a million times a day, they really hurt. Not to mention, I'm completely exhausted by 3 pm.

We're either going to have to move again soon to a single level home (really hate moving) or I'm going to have to just conquer the real reason why these stairs bother me so much.

I need to lose weight, and that's that.

So, I was talking to my daughter about my knees hurting and how carrying around a lot of weight is bad on your bones and your joints. I told her that I was going to get skinnier and I wouldn't have so many aches and pains and I would have more energy to play with her.

Well, she had a meltdown! 

She got really upset at the thoughts of having a "skinny mommy." 

It was so cute and I'm so glad I caught it on video.

Check it out....

Supporting a Brother in Christ in His Music Ministry

Tonight I went to hear my bro in Christ, Elijah Rogers sing at a venue/ministry called KYOVA. He was really amazing! It's important to me to support my friends, so every chance I get to be there for them, I will!

Elijah and I sang together in our former group Crossfire. But, due to my moving, and his living so far away to begin with, we both stepped away from the group. It was a tough decision to make, but one that was best for me and my family. He jumped right back into singing, moving forward with recording a solo CD and booking places to sing like crazy! Me, on the other hand, I've been much more cautious. When you're a wife and a mom, those obligations take priority, so I haven't wanted to do anything that would be a hardship on my family. We've had enough stress, what, with the my husband's job loss and the move and all. I just want to be careful, that's all...do things in God's perfect timing.

But back to Elijah and KYOVA. First of all, Elijah really shines as a solo tenor. He has a very unique testimony (he has a child with autism and is a very young husband and father) and shares so beautifully how God has "brought him through the fire" many times. He gets the crowd going and really ministers...that is truly a gift (check out his website HERE)!

And I just love KYOVA, which stands for "Kentucky Ohio Valley Association" (I think). It is a ministry that provides a place for Christian folks to go every Friday night to enjoy food, fellowship and music. Each Friday night, they have a crowd of around 200 or more! It's incredible! Sometimes it's standing room only!!! The dinner is around 5 bucks and the entertainment is free. They give away door prizes and everyone just has a good time hanging out. I think it's just great. Every little town needs a ministry/venue like that to give folks a place to get out of the house and enjoy the company of others.

I sure enjoyed a night of good ol' gospel singin' and the company of these brothers! Me, Pastor Dale (Elijah's pastor from their church, Lighthouse Baptist in Shelbiana, KY...man, they are gettin' people saved and baptisin' like crazy over there!) and Elijah.

And the dinner they served! UH-MAY-ZING! I was expecting a hot dog or a burger, but they had full-on soup beans, fried potatoes, kraut, cornbread and home made cobblers and pies. It was incredible (thanks Pastor Dale for dinner!). I highly encourage you, if you live in the Huntington/Ashland area to check it out (take your grandparents...they'd love it!).

And have Elijah Rogers come sing at your church or event sometime. You will be blessed!

Rockin' the Red and Enjoying Autumn Fun

Today started out on a bad note...

So, I decided to perk up my mood.

Some ladies love a dangly earring, some love a great hairdo or a spritz of their favorite perfume.

But If you read this blog, you know that nothin' makes me happier than rockin' a punchy red lip! 

And it worked...

Red is definitely my color. 

It perked my mood right up!

And then I got silly...

Crazy eyes!

Scary smooch!

Which then put me int the mood to play around in the leaves with little G.

she calls this her "big smile..."

...and this is her "little smile..."

We chased each other around our neighbor's oak tree and had a ball 

throwing mounds of leaves on each other.

Such a great day!

This is what the fall is all about....

I'm a Morning Hag...

This is how I feel in the morning....

Like Grendel from Beowulf...

Like a junkyard dog...

Like the Wicked Witch of the West...

Like a venomous snake...

Like an evil old hag...

Like a prickly cactus...

Like a man-eating shark...

Like a zombie....

This morning, when my little girl came bouncing in at 7:00 a.m. (on a Saturday mind you), I exacted all the wrath of all of these terrible, fearsome creatures onto her. I was yelling and stomping around in a sleepy, growly, fumbling fog, ordering her back to bed. 

It was ugly. 

I felt ugly.

I had to apologize. 

My husband finally had to intervene and get up at that ungodly hour because I was in no mood to deal with breakfast or cartoons or opening my eyes. 

At 10:00 a.m. I finally arose to a fresh pot of coffee (saved by my man again!) and began to feel human.

(what is it about this black, magic elixir that soothes the savage beast  first in the morning? 

I'm not sure, but I sure do thank God for coffee)

This happens way too often and I'm so tired of feeling this way every morning. 

The beginning of a new day is an opportunity to start fresh, to enjoy the quiet, to thank God for his new mercies. 

But quite often, for me anyway, it's more like a, "Who gets their head bitten off first for waking me up?" start to the day. 

Not good for me, or the recipient of my hatefulness.

I know that I set the tone in my home and it's my job to build it up, or tear it down. Proverbs 14:1 says,

A wise woman builds her home, but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands.

I don't want to be the one responsible for the tearing down of the people in my family. I want to work to build them up! They deserve better...

and so do I.

So, I'm making a proclamation...

I'm getting up early this week!

But getting up early starts with NOT burning the midnight oil writing books or writing blogs or surfing the net or reading, or watching old movies. 

To get up early, you have to go to bed early. It's nothing for me to stay up til 1 or 2 o'clock in the morning, but I am committing to going to bed this week, no later than 10:30 p.m.

And I'm going to try my level best to get up by 7 or 7:30 a.m....hopefully before the munchkin, who is usually bright-eyed and bushy-tailed by 8 a.m. at the latest.

So here's the checklist...

1. Set coffee pot to brew by 7a.m. (after dinner the night before)
2. Go to bed by 10:30 p.m.
3. Set alarm clock for 7 a.m.

There...not so bad.

I will keep you posted on how this goes.

But it has to be done. 

Because who likes waking up to "Grendel" first thing in the morning? :/

"Discipline Your Image!"

This video has been overwhelmingly inspirational to me. I've really been listening to "marketing experts" when they talk about making sure you have the right "image" and it made me think of the ULTIMATE PACKAGE... 

REX KWON DO!

So lets DO THIS! Let's

DISCIPLINE OUR IMAGE!!!!
"Forget About It!"
(sorry it's bad quality...but it's still hilarious! Napoleon Dynamite is one of my favorite movies!)