One of the best $100 I've ever spent!

Pardon the crooked photo. I can't be perfect all the time. Ha!

The Shark Lift-Around Portable Bagless Vacuum.

My house has stairs. I have not been able to vacuum my stairs adequately & to my satisfaction. For years, I attempted the handheld portion of my upright. Or, I attempted to balance my upright on every step while vacuuming back & forth (that was fun). Finally, I just had had enough! I wanted some-sort-of-something portable. So I went to Target. And found this. And it is amazing!

Not only do I vacuum my stairs, but anywhere & everywhere it is difficult to use my upright and/or its attachments. Now, I use the Shark! It is small, compact & I can carry it securely over my shoulder! Brilliance, I'm telling you! In addition to my stairs, I use it in my master bath. The upstairs bath. Blinds/shutters. Kitchen floor. Window ledges/wall/ceilings way up high. Landing ledge. No more pulling around my heavy upright! The Shark is simple to carry & simple to maneuver. Quick & simple to empty the canister. Great vacuum suction, too!

I am not being compensated for promoting the Shark. I just love it, it has made my life easier, so I thought I'd share! For all it does & how well it does it, I think it is well worth the $100!

Happy vacuuming!

Urban Decay Naked2.

This is still on my mind. Has been for a while. When something stays fresh on my mind, that tells me that this purchase is probably worth it. Do you have it? Do you love it? It was $50 then. It is $50 now. Ah! But the colors are so pretty! Anyone have a coupon? ;o)

Photo courtesy of Beauty Junkies Unite.

Beautiful, clean, disinfected floors without using chemicals!

This has been a day! Whew! I washed my kitchen floor today & wanted to show before & after photos. Geeze. I literally spent TWO stinkin' hours just trying to get good photos (& it only took me 15 minutes to wash the floor! Ha!)! I was so aggravated! I opened the curtains, I closed the curtains. I turned the light on, I shut the light off. I used the flash on the camera, I shut the flash off. Grr! This is the best I could do!

This is my high traffic area - six people, three dogs, a pool, Texas dry grass & dirt - it is challenging to keep clean.

Before:



After:



I wash all of my floors (hardwood/ceramic tile/real marble) with Shaklee's Basic H. I wanted to disinfect, so today I added a 'splash' of Basic G. I don't measure anymore - these products are concentrated, so I just added a few drops of Basic H & I poured in just a tiny tad of Basic G.

Evidently, I washed the floor & took photos at the wrong time of the day. When we came in tonight, once the sun had moved, the clean & the shine are beautiful! As a matter of fact, my husband commented on how good it looks the minute we walked in! That's just my luck. :)

*To clean floors with Basic H, the rule of thumb is 1 tblsp. per gallon. My bucket is 10 quarts = 2.5 gallons. So, originally when I began using Basic H, I added 2 tblsp to hot water. Oh holy bubbles, batman! Good Lord have mercy, I've never seen so many bubbles! Ha! So now, I just add some drops & it works perfectly. :)

How I clean my oven without chemicals!

Disclaimer 1: The only reason my oven is in this condition is because of Pinterest. I read on Pinterest that one can cook bacon in their oven. It's true! And it works! And it takes a really long time! And then your oven looks like this!

Disclaimer 2: I absolutely did NOT use my oven's self-clean. Which I have always done in the past. This time? On this nasty bacon grease? No. I used Shaklee Basic H Degreaser & Scour Off. And me.

Disclaimer 3: Our house was built in 1991. My oven(s) (I have two) is the original. My oven is 21 years old.

Before:





(On the door below, you can see where I first tested Scour Off to see how good of a job it would do. This is when I first ordered my Shaklee products & I didn't know then what I know now!)



First, I sprayed it with Shaklee's Basic H Degreaser & walked away. I went & did some other things & just let it sit. I then came back & wiped it off with my cleaning rag. I then grabbed my scouring sponge, Scour Off & got busy!



After:

Tada!











Disclaimer 4: See the spots? I kept scrubbing & scrubbing & scrubbing & those spots would NOT come off! Grr! It was at that time, my husband came over & informed me that those 'spots' are actually chips in the finish. Yes, due to being 21 years old, the finish has some chips. I didn't have my glasses on, so they looked like grease spots to me! I won't tell you how much time I spent trying to get those dadgum 'spots' off! Ha! He then informed me the only way I could get my oven any cleaner was to (& I quote) "sandblast" it. At that time, I wiped out the oven & called it a day.

Results? Beautiful. And clean. Just how I like it.

I will never again use my oven's self-clean. No more 2 hour minimum running time & no more disgusting, prolonging odor. Ew! Not to mention, the dangerous high temperature it always heated up to in order to self-clean. That always concerned me!

Think you need chemicals to thoroughly clean your home? Think again! Visit my Shaklee site here!

My cleaning products: then (chemicals!) & now (Shaklee!).

If you've known me long, you know I like to clean. My father instilled two characteristics in me that I am very grateful for: to work hard & to be clean. And I am proud to say, I do both. Those are two of the greatest gifts he could have given me. I am passing both of them on to my children.

Because I like to clean, I have tried & used many products. At the time I fell in love with Shaklee products, these are all of the cleaning products I had on hand.

(Btw, I sold all but 2 of these at my garage sale. And, 2 bars of soap. LOL)



That right there is a lot of harmful, smelly chemicals. I tried to go green before but resorted back to chemicals. So, this was my most recent stash. Even though I despised the fumes & despised the powder clouds, I used them. But never, ever again.

Now, I clean my entire home (inside & out!) with four, yes four, Shaklee products. They are concentrated - which means you use a tad (like a teaspoon or so, depending) of the product mixed with water but not only that, because they are concentrated, these bottles with last a very long time. A year, maybe? That is why Shaklee's cleaning products are less expensive in the long run! And don't forget, always non-toxic. Bonus! Your kids can now help you clean (mine do!) & you don't have to worry! It's a great form of discipline - have them clean something! Win/win!



(I use the sponge/scrub brush w/ Scour Off, the cloth diaper(s) to dust, the wash cloth(s) for bathrooms/counters/tile & the Shaklee Microfiber Window Cloth ($4.60 retail, $3.90 member) for windows & mirrors!)

Basic H is one of Shaklee's top selling products. Basic H ($12.15 retail, $10.35 member) cleans, literally, everything. (I even shaved my legs with it!) Shaklee provides (& sells) 3 labeled spray bottles - all purpose, degreaser & windows. They all use Basic H diluted with water, but the amount of Basic H used in each bottle fluctuates to create different strengths of cleaners. I use Basic H for dusting (LOVE! It's anti-magnetic & does not attract dust - oh yes, in my 'dust problem' house I have proven this to be true!! Amen!!!), washing my floors (all floors), cleaning my kitchen glass table that gets icky & sticky, spills, etc. Squirt, wipe & go. Done!

Basic G ($20.35 retail, $17.30 member) is a disinfectant that I use in the bathrooms. Including toilets. Spray, let sit for 10 minutes (to kill bacteria) & wipe! Done! I also use it in my kitchen or anywhere I need to disinfect surfaces.

Scour Off ($8.50 retail, $7.25 member) is a scouring paste, which replaces the powder cleaners. This too can be used everywhere, but some surfaces are to be avoided in case scratching occurs. I use this on my porcelain sink, my oven, my stove burners, on stains, etc. And it smells like cherries!

I use the Germ Off Disinfecting Wipes ($9.10 retail, $7.75 member) for quick clean ups, but mostly for quick toilet cleans. These are pricey, so I use them sparingly & do not waste them.

That's it. Those products clean my entire home. Four products. All natural, so I spray (unless it's Scour Off), wipe & go. Done! Not only do I just use these 4 products, but they save me time, too. Much quicker cleaning & who doesn't desire (& need!) that?!

You can get all of these products, except for the Basic G, in a Shaklee Household Mini Kit ($46.94, $40.00 member). This kit includes the 3 different Basic H spray bottles. (The kit also includes Organic Super Cleaning Wipes, but I don't use those; however, I may add some Basic G to them & make them disinfecting wipes! I'm so smart. :) I ordered this kit when I first got started! Keep in mind, if you choose to join Shaklee as a member, it cost $19.95. That is a lifetime membership! And it gives you an immediate 15% discount on all products & it is worth every penny!

Happy cleaning!

Kitten needs a home - LOL

I'm searching on Craig's List for a kennel for Maxi & I read this ad. LOL Too funny!


**********


I will pay someone to come get this kitty

I have a horrible 3 month old kitten have you ever seen the show cat from hell well if you lay down he will nipple your ear and constantly jump on you and he has claws so its not fun. hes definately not a normal cat that likes just to hang out and be self sufficent he will definately jump on you and do anything for attention if that means jump on you 20 times he will
I guess for some that may not be a problem but I have a dog that would like nothing more than to have him for lunch, My 10 year old daughter brought him home from a friend and the friend cant take him back and I really dont want to see him go to a shelter and I dont want anything bad to happen to him the one good thing about him is that he uses the litter box no problem and hes all gray cute kitty just not working for us. Anyways I will pay a few bucks for someone to get him and give him a home he wont stay outside he will stay and climb up your door until he gets in. He has a new bag of litter and some other things So if your up for the challenge please feel free to contact me thank you for your time. And no cruel emails Im trying really hard to find him a home and not a shelter cause I know for a fact that with as many cats they have he will be put down. I am located 20 miles west of fort worth.

Shaklee is the #1 Natural Nutrition Company in the US. And why I'm hitting the ground running.

Let's just cut to the chase. Let me tell you why I am so adamant about Shaklee.

Because I'm now 45 years old & no one showed me. No one told me. No one introduced me to this amazing company & their equally amazing all natural products. You don't have pursue Shaklee, but at least now you know & have the same opportunity as I do. And listen. Are you somewhat (or a lot) conscious about what you eat? Why not be conscious about what you touch & breathe? Same principle.

To tell you the truth, at this stage of the game, opening my own photography studio would be easier than what I'm doing now. My own Shaklee business is starting slow, because I'm a mom & I just do what I can when I can. Truth be told, it would be so much simpler for me to schedule a photography shoot, go shoot for an hour, come home & edit the images & I'd be done. With Shaklee, thus far for me, it's all done via the computer & telephone. And it's time consuming. But you know what? I love it that much. And my love has now blossomed into full-blown passion - Shaklee is for me. I won't quit until I share Shaklee with every person I know. And then some.

Listen, one day, we're all doing to die. As morbid as that is - it's the truth. And I may be getting a late start, but I'd like to prolong that event as long as possible. I'm sure you'd like to do the same. Why in the sam hills would we all not do everything physically possible, in our power, to be healthier, to live healthier, in hopes of preventing early death? It's just common sense, people. Common sense. I happen to love life & thus far, I am so blessed with good health. I'd like to prolong that, too.

Not only that, but point blank, I want my children informed. I want my children to grow up experiencing all natural products & I want them using them as they grow into adulthood. Who wouldn't want that for their children? Grandchildren? There is absolutely no reason for me to continue to expose them (& myself!) to nasty, gagging, harmful chemicals when I have finally discovered non-toxic products that work! Shaklee products are naturally safe & proven effective. And the icing on the cake? They are cheaper, too! Win, win, win.

So. I am aware that my blog has temporarily turned into a Shaklee informercial. There are two reasons for that:

1.) Obviously, I love Shaklee & their products & I want to get the word out to as many people I possibly can.

2.) I want posts available for those who happen to google & may have questions about Shaklee and/or their products.

If you want to learn more about Shaklee, here is the link to my own personal website (which will be personalized in the next few days!): click here. You don't have to buy anything, just do some reading & browse their products. Google. I think you'll be impressed.

Up later: what I cleaned with then, & what I clean with now.

Shaklee's amazing Dish Washer Concentrate!

I used to use Finish. Aka, Electrasol. But now, I use Shaklee's Get Clean Dish Washer Concentrate. And I love it! And it works great! And it's non-toxic!



I did a little before & after. Now, this is a pretty simple before & after. I can probably get a better one & I probably will. But for now, I'll use my faithful, porcelain dish covered in olive oil with baked on mozzarella cheese. For the record, I pretty much used to wash my dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. (You know, kind of like cutting your toenails & filing your feet before getting a pedicure. Ahem. I do that, too.) Even though I still can't believe it, I no longer do that. I scrape the food off & then directly put my dishes in the dishwasher. If you know me & my OCD tendencies, this is huge! But can I say, it saves me so much time & water & I love it. So, here are the close ups of my dirty dish:





And after:





Tada! Spic 'n span & shiny clean! Just the way I like my dishes.

Retail price for Shaklee's Get Clean Dish Washer concentrate (almost all of Shaklee's cleaning products are concentrated! Which means, you use less & it last longer! Woot!) is $11.25. Or, $9.50 if you are a Shaklee member. Become a member ($19.95 for a lifetime membership!), trust me! It will pay for itself with the cleaning line alone!! I can say, I've been using my Shaklee detergent since June 8th. We are a family of 6 - I run a load daily or every other. I use 2 scoops (don't know if I need to, but I do). Today is July 16th & I'm not even 1/2 through the detergent. I'm assuming it will last me another month or two, at least.

I've never been so crazy about a company & their products before. I'm just not that way. I'm crazy about the Kardashians, not companies! But truly, honestly, I love Shaklee. I can't say enough good things about the company & about the products. My regret is that I didn't know about Shaklee until a few years ago. And even then, I didn't try them! I didn't sign up & try them until May. Now? I can't order often enough! I want to try every single one of their products. Every one of them! I love Shaklee so much, I'm in this for the long haul. I'm using Shaklee, I'm selling Shaklee & I want my kids to use Shaklee. Enough chemicals! Enough with all the bad, harmful stuff! I'm never going back because my family, myself, deserves more. And so does yours.

*Well good heavens. A friend of mine purchased the dishwasher detergent & I forgot to add her verdict! She is not a Shaklee member & does not sell Shaklee. A week or two after she had been using the product, I simply asked her "yay or nay". And her response was, & I quote, ""Awesome !!!!!!!!! 10 thumbs up for sure :) " There you have it!

Click here to visit my Shaklee store! :)

How to have a garage sale in Texas, in July!

Don't.

Moments.

(Currently obsessed with splashing. This is Jaguar.) ♥

I clean my white, porcelain kitchen sink with Shaklee!

I have a horrible sink. It's white porcelain & it rarely stays clean. Typically, it looks like this:



(The 'clean' spots are areas I tested Scour Off for the first time!)

Drives me crazy! I used to clean it with Comet powder or Bon Ami powder. After a few shakes, powder fumes/clouds were everywhere. All over my face, all in my lungs & all over my kitchen. Sweet.

Enter Shaklee Scour Off. And just one reason I love it so much -

(I really need to get brighter photos, but my sink is located in such a spot there are no windows/no natural light. I apologize for the shadows. Trust, it's pure white!)



Tada! With minimal effort - my nice, white sink! No powder, no fumes, no coughing & no harsh, toxic chemicals! Nothing but a nice, smell good (like cherries!) paste which is also, might I add, all natural. Completely safe, completely proven. I just stick my sponge into the Scour Off, add some water & scrub away. It works! And I'll never, ever use anything else again.

I'll post more Shaklee before & afters soon. Click here to see all Shaklee products.

My Goodwill lamp - score!

I fell in love with this lamp the minute I saw it. I don't know why - it matches nothing in my house! It's a 'seafoam green', & my house has turquoise, but I love the color & I love the 'retro' look. And at $5.95, I loved the price! So I bought it anyway.

The lamp shade was not included; I had purchased the shade (at the same Goodwill & I paid $1.99 for it!) prior for a different lamp. I ran the shade through the dishwasher to clean it (I'm so smart sometimes). I think it looks good on this lamp!

Now. Where to put the lamp that matches nothing...? :)

*That little round dark spot? It's not on the lamp - the lamp is flawless. I need to check my lens as it may be a water spot or something on my camera lens.

What in the world is going on?

Tons! Too much! My mind is spinning out of control!

First & foremost - my 'getting skinny' label. Not much activity. Ok, no activity. I have not treaded since May 20th! And I think for a week or two prior to that, it had been kind of hit & miss. So. Changes. You know, my "what can I drink?" dilemma. Sigh. Won't rehash all of it, but I have finally convinced myself how horrible Aspartame really is. It took lots of reading, lots of time & lots of convincing, but I think I'm there. Starting tomorrow, no more diet cokes. No more diet anything. And, I have read that all artificial sweeteners are just horrible (who knew?) & just go with straight sugar. Whatever. No more diet drinks for me. I hope, actually, to go straight water - with an occasional tea or (straight) coke when we go out. Speaking of going out...

I want healthy eating. Less processed food. More raw, more fruits, more vegetables. I've pretty much been doing this for myself (though NO weight loss; as a matter of fact, more weight gain! It's disgusting!!), but now I'm going to include my entire family. I'll be honest - I have no clue how to accomplish this. I have no 'healthy' cookbooks - I'm assuming they make them? Maybe I need websites? I need training! I know that I, personally, completely get tired of not knowing what to eat/eating the same crap over & over. Lots of research to do but I have already informed the fam - it's time to get healthy. And back on the treadmill 5 out of 7 days! Believe it or not, I'm actually looking forward to it!

Garage sale! OMG. It's July. In Texas. OMG. I swore I would never have another garage sale. And then I swore if I did, it wouldn't be in July. Epic fail! Epic lie! Since discovering that our life is too cluttered & our home is too cluttered & well, we have too much stuff! My garage is already 1/2 full. Ugh. So, garage sale in July in Texas it is. But it's hot. And it's a lot of work. And we have no choice but to do it. So this weekend, preparations will begin. I'm already having a heat stroke & I haven't even started yet.

Shaklee. Thus far, I've kind of just been muttling along. I'm ready to kick it into high gear. I have lots of training to do. That takes a lot of time. But I love the products! Love them. Will never, ever use anything else. They'll have to quit making the products for me to quit, seriously. So, I'll be devoting much, much time (as much as I can, anyway) to get the ball rolling faster. I want everyone to at least try Shaklee products! Proven, effective & natural products.

Still have my own photography business fresh on my mind. Still throwing that around but it's so hot right now, I'm kind of just letting it ride. I think I would enjoy it more when it's cooler. A lot cooler.

Vacation. We had decided to go to Destin, FL for vacation this year, but tonight, we changed our vacation destination to Biloxi, MS! My husband & I went gambling (confession: I LOVE to gamble!!!!!) there before we had babies & well, let's just say, I hit the jackpot. Like, $3,000-$4,000 jackpot. Yes sir e' bob. I tell no lies. (Except for the garage sale one.)

Ok then. I think, that's it. Oh, I found an awesome sea green lamp at Goodwill tonight for $6. Lamp shade not included. Anyway, it matches nothing in my house, but I just fell in love with it! It's kind of...well...retro! I'll post a photo tomorrow.

Happy weekend!

Clairol Nice 'n Easy Root Touch-Up.

My new BFF. Seriously. This is the best creation since sliced cheese!

Because I'm still attempting to rid my natural dark blonde color & go brown, & at this point I still am playing with colors, I don't desire to color all of my hair every 4-5 weeks. Enter the amazing Root Touch-Up for in-betweens.



Absolutely LOVE this product! All you do is pour the bottle & tube into the plastic tray (wearing the provided gloves, but sometimes I don't use those), mix with the applicator brush & voila! Hair color! It actually makes quite a bit, so I am able to color many different sections, not just my main part. Leave on for 10 minutes, rinse & you're done! The provided applicator brush is awesome. It's great for the new, wispy (p.i.t.a.) baby hair located around your temples. As a matter of fact, I rinse them out & keep them to use for times I do apply all-over color.

For $5.88 (at Walmart), I give this product a 10! Just choose a color close to your hair color & give it a try!

(I have no clue how good Clairol's all-over hair color is - this post is solely regarding the Root Touch-Up.)