Bath Time!

 OH how I love to give my sweet little ladies a bath! They are adorable and have so much fun in the bath together.. Ali makes Avery laugh every time.. and they actually can play for a good span of time (we're talking 15- 20 minutes of uninterrupted fun!)  Ali's into putting bubbles on Avery's head- and thankfully Avery obliges :)  I also LOVE bath time because I get to sit next to the tub ( I had written sit on the toilet and read, but that just didn't come across right)  and read for at least 10 minutes... I love to read and am so glad to have some of that leisure time (HA!) back!

How to Clean your dishwasher

Anyone that knows me knows I am a germ-a-phobe clean-freak.... seriously I cannot go a day without cleaning something in my house. It's a little bit of an obsession, and I'm working on it!

Anyway... I came across this article from alice.com (which if you don't know what Alice is, go visit her! AWESOME site to find organic cleaning products, among other things- and free shipping!!!)

..by the way I went and did this to MY dishwasher yesterday (with a flashlight, mind you)... and I am happy to report it wasn't that bad :)

Did you know it’s actually necessary to clean your dishwasher? Ugh, I know. It should clean itself! Like ovens! But just in case you’re so inclined to ensure that your dishwasher actually runs effectively and efficiently… and make sure your dishes are cleaner and fresher, do follow these steps from Apartment Therapy:


 
1. Run your dishwasher or wait until just after you’ve ran a cycle. Empty dishwasher.






2. Remove the racks. Check the spinning arms to make sure all the holes are open so water can run through them freely. Clear out any debris that has built up in the holes of the spinning arm. Needle nose pliers, a toothpick, or any other small pointy tool should work (be careful not to scratch the spinning arms).






3. Clean under the bottom of the door. In some dishwashers, this is a spot where water doesn’t go, so it can accumulate debris. Wipe this off. Inspect the floor of your dishwasher, around the drain where the wastewater exits. There will be a grate or grill around it, under the arm. Look for debris clogging up this area and remove any solid matter that has built up. If you have a filter, like I do, remove and dissemble the parts in your sink.






4. Remove any food remnants. Using a soft toothbrush, wash filter parts with a baking soda paste or soapy water. Do the same thing on the inside where the drain is. Reassemble and replace all parts.






5. Wipe around the seal with a damp cloth soaked in white vinegar. For tighter areas, you can use a toothbrush or q-tip.






6. Wipe around the edges and sides of the machine.






7. Remove the utensil holders and racks. Check them for any stuck-on food pieces and then wipe down.






8. Remove hard water deposits/scale by running one cycle of your dishwasher empty, with distilled white vinegar. Do this after you’ve done the other cleaning steps, so that it will also take care of anything you missed during cleaning. Add 2 cups of vinegar to the bottom and turn the machine on to an energy saving or low wash. Stop the machine mid-wash, so the vinegar can set on the bottom and work. Let it stand for about 20 minutes, then turn on to finish cycle.






If you have rust stains, you can tackle them with a dishwasher-safe rust remover. If the finish is chipping or flaking off the wire baskets in your dishwasher, try a sealant made just for dishwasher racks.






If you have problems with mold and mildew, bleach will work effectively by adding ½-1 cup in the bottom of the dishwasher and run a full cycle. (NOTE: DO NOT USE BLEACH IN YOUR DISHWASHER IF YOU HAVE A STAINLESS STEEL INTERIOR).






9. Clean the buttons and panel thoroughly.






10. Spray the handle and front of your dishwasher with a mild spray cleaner or stainless steel cleaner, depending on the type of dishwasher you have. I find microfiber cloths work best for stainless steel and always wipe with the grain. To obtain a streak-free finish, spray cleaner on one towel and wipe on. Go behind with the second towel and wipe off.

So let me tell you...

I swear, these dirty, germy high schoolers, along with the germs my children bring home from daycare... are going to be the death of me! 
Since December 26th, I have been sick every.single.day.  And not with the same illness, mind you, but a fun, colorful rainbow of them.  Which is totally weird for me because I don't normally find myself a sickly person. Granted, I need to get myself a flu shot, and should have done so months ago- but yadda yadda I'm busy, blah blah... and NOW I can't get WELL ENOUGH to get the damn shot, further preventing myself from detracting below mentioned illnesses!

I am attributing it to the fact that I (a) am around lots o germs beings as a teach in a high school with a 65% poverty population (b) send both of my children to childcare 5 days a week (c) do not get entirely enough un-interrupted sleep a night.

So, without further ado: a list of the various sicknesses I have been living with in the last 3 weeks:

• A fever of 99-101 degrees with no other symptoms for 10 days straight that developed into...
• A dry, unproductive cough for 1 week
• On Saturday, I had the runs and threw up 1 time, but did not feel sick
• Today, I woke up with my right nostril plugged and an itchy right eye and the sneezes

And with an unsympathetic husband and children, it's been Good times I tell ya, good times.



...and now for two completely unrelated pictures of my darlin family:

A day off?

Happy Monday!! I am enjoying a fabulous day off from work... and really wishing I had Monday's off- I could get used to this!  Seriously, it is amazing how much a girl can get done with an extra day to do it!

My sweet babes are taking a nap; I am getting ready to mop the orange juice I spilled off the floor... and I'm excited because CSN stores has asked me to do a product review!
Now... what to review, what to review?  It is so hard to decide, because they've got website for everything from baby toys, to interior upkeep, even a laptop messenger bag that the hubby has decided is a must have (but don't worry, I'm NOT going to order something for him... I'm doing this one for myself!!)

So hop on over to csn.com, check out their amazing websites and cheap products.. and stayed tuned for my review of some fun item I decide to review!

Where has the time gone?

So, I pretty much suck at keeping my blog updated as of late.  Yadda, yadda,, I'm super busy with work and raising kids and being a wife and all that jazz... plus, when I have free time, I just don't like being at my computer!
So here's a random bullet list of what's been up with the jelli family..

• Christmas was super fun, family time.  Ali still doesn't get the concept of Santa yet, but she did enjoy ripping wrapping paper from presents- and exclaimed "I'm so excited!" each time she opened a present
• KK and I got a night out on New Year's Eve- my parents took the girls over night and we went to dinner and a movie. It was very relaxing, and so nice to spend time with my husband. I really love that guy- I'm so glad he's mine! 
• Avery is 8 months old already- and is 22 lbs of love and is such a mellow, happy baby- much like her big sister was. 
• Ali drives Avery bananas- but does try to love her and be kind to her, in her own 2 year old big sister way... Avery screams every time Ali comes near- kinda funny and maybe setting a precedent for the rest of their childhood!
• Ali is the cutest 2 year old ever- I love each phase, but year 2 has been pretty hilarious! She's pretty smart and sassy, and I love to hear what she comes up with!  She told me yesterday that she needs to shut up... even though she doesn't know what the word means and was told that it is a bad word and we should never say it- I got a kick outta that one
• I feel pretty awesome because I got 2 pairs of jeans and 6 sweaters (all name brand!) at Goodwill for $40!  I love a good bargain!
• I have a student-teacher every other day at school- she will take over my classroom in 2 weeks... giving me some time to catch up on lesson planning (and reading some books in the library) and I am so looking forward to that much needed breather
• I am currently starting  a war with the neighbor who lives behind us.  We have been friendly up to this point.. but she stays home and is some what (uh hum) entitled.  She called me the other day to complain that the 2 days we left our dog outside last week he barked for 20 minutes, waking her up. This was at 7:00 in the morning... and considering that I get my ass outta bed every day at 5 to be at work by 7, I just don't have any sympathy at all for her.  So basically I'm leaving the dog out, and I'm sure she's stinkin pissed, and I'm so not looking forward to the confrontation/awkward neighborhood drama that is going to come with this one- I'm usually one to let stupid crap like this go... but it's the principal of it- princess!
• I'm a pretty happy camper these days.  Things are good with work- I'm not feeling so burdened with everything... and things are great with the kids and the hubster.  I live a blessed life and am pretty dang thankful!
• I hope to keep this thing more up to date- it's hard to know where to start when you get so behind, sheesh!
• I hope some of my fav blogs (you know who you are) would keep their blogs updated too- I miss you guys!