Strawberry Parfait

Make a Cleaning Plan

Get organized by making a cleaning plan. Put together a list of the daily, weekly and monthly tasks to keep your kitchen in tip-top shape. Daily tasks could include wiping down counters, backsplash, stovetop and sink, and sweeping. Weekly tasks could include quick mopping floors and wiping underneath appliances. Monthly tasks could include a good floor scrub, cleaning the inside of the garbage can, and cleaning out the toaster oven and microwave.

Clean Counters Naturally

It’s easy to keep your counters clean and disinfected, and you don’t even need to use chemicals! Put a solution of 50/50 water and vinegar in a spray bottle and keep it handy. Wipe down the counters each night after dinner to get things shiny clean and kill germs at the same time.

Happy Kitchen Drain

  Whenever you feel like your sink is getting a little funky, fill it with hot water and 1 cup of lemon juice. (You can use bleach if you like, but lemon juice is more natural and smells nicer!). Let the hot water sit for one hour, drain, then scrub down the sink for a few minutes with Bon Ami cleaner.  Once a week, pour some vinegar and baking soda down your drain, let it sit for 5 minutes, then run hot water and the disposal. Quick and easy and keeps your drain clean and smell-free! Also, if you ever have orange or lemon peels to throw away, throw them in the disposal instead!

Easy Microwave Cleaning

Microwave coated in food and grime? It’s easy to wipe that gunk away! Fill a microwave-safe bowl with water, add 1 tablespoon of vinegar, then run microwave on high with the bowl inside for 3-5 minutes. Grab a papertowel or dish towel and easily wipe away the dirt!

Baking Soda: Magical Grease Fighter!

Have something greasy that just won’t scrub clean? Grab the box of baking soda and a scrubby sponge and get scrubbing! Works great on pans with cooked on grease or burners that need a little love.

Quickly Clean Stove Burners and Drip Pans

Regularly wiping down your stovetop and drips pans goes a long way to keeping them clean, but if you cook a lot, sometimes it’s hard to stay on top of it! If you find yourself with especially dirty burners, it’s simple to get them clean. Place your stovetop burner or drip pan in a sealable plastic bag then pour ¼ cup ammonia into the bag over the sink. Seal the bag and let sit for 1 hour (or a couple hours if burner is especially dirty). Open bag over the sink, away from your face, while wearing gloves. Pour ammonia down the drain then rinse and dispose of bag. Wipe down burner with a sponge and rinse with water. Voila!

As a nurse working with the geriatric population, I have had a front row seat to some major life changes in the lives of my patients and the view has been even more profound in my work as a hospice nurse.  Many times I have had opportunities to help patients and families with their final transition from this world to the next. I have always considered it a sacred time. Of the many lessons I have learned through this process, I have learned that things are just ‘things’ and that no matter how old you are, things always change.

Countless times I have seen the same scenario play out and it goes a little something like this: grandma falls and breaks her hip, and she goes to the hospital for surgery and treatment. After her hospital stay, she is then transferred to a skilled nursing facility for a lengthy rehabilitation. Just when there seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel for her, grandma gets a sock to the gut when she is told she can't go home. Why can't she go home? It's no longer safe for her to be on her own. There are too many stairs at home and she lives alone. So instead of going home grandma gets to go live permanently in an assisted living facility, residing in a one bedroom apartment about 500 square feet in size.

Don't get me wrong. An assisted living center can be a pretty great place, but put yourself in grandma’s shoes. You went into the hospital to fix your hip, and in that process, you lost your house and independent living. The house you worked so hard to pay off for 30 years, the location you raised your kids in and the place that holds all your memories of your deceased husband. You might as well have told grandma that a tornado came through and life in the place she knew and loved is gone. The blow is equally devastating, and at 90 years of age, grandma suddenly realizes that no one is ever immune to change.

Isn’t it ironic that we spend our lives striving for the accumulation of things? We want for a bigger house and then we fill it up with furniture, toys, clothes, plates, glasses, art, decorations, books and the list could go on and on — only to one day have to box it all up or give it away so that we can fit into a 500-square-foot apartment where we have room for a bed, a dresser, a couple of chairs and some clothes. Depressed yet? I hope not because my goal isn't to depress you. Instead, it's to give you a bigger view that no matter how much we try to line things up in our lives and get it just the way we want it to be to feel comfortable, we can always count on life to throw us a change.

While I have observed the same scenario play out many times, I have also seen the different responses and reactions of those experiencing the major life change. Those who have learned to adapt to change and let go of the attachment to things, adjust to their new life much better than those who haven’t. There is nothing wrong with having a house for 30 years and raising your children in it, but the key is to know that the house is just a ‘thing,’ not a symbol of certainty and stability. What becomes the true symbol of certainty and stability is your living legacy and who you were while you were here. More importantly, that you valued people over things and because of that, you not only made room for change — you embraced it.

 Until Next Time

Holly

Ever browse Pintrest and wish you could figure out where to buy those adorable items?  Well Keep.com has solved your problem.  Keep organizes the world’s products by tapping into the style of tastemakers, friends, personal preferences and the Keep community to present merchandise through a delightful experience that helps each shopper stay up to date with trends and find unique items to enhance their lives. Now getting shopping! 

Stacy

The Thorn In My Side

Do you have those things in your life that seem to never go away? Those things from your childhood, your adolescence and even your adulthood that despite your best effort always seem to linger? I know I do. Just a few weeks ago I found myself confronted with a demon that I have been fighting for years. I've prayed, I've studied, I've worked, I've sought out help and yet it's still the thorn in my side. Desperate to finally shed this part of myself I was in tears and almost beside myself with frustration. In this state I found myself frankly asking God, "I know you can do anything. You are God. You can perform miracles. You can part Red Seas. You can create and move mountains. Why can't you take away this thorn in my side away from me?" Honestly I don't think I was really expecting an answer. I thought this just might be one of those lifetime mysteries and so really what I was doing was venting. A few minutes later my heart and my mind stilled and to my surprise this was the thought that came to me, "Holly if I took this from you, then what would bring you to me?" My question was answered with a question and I was left to ponder it for awhile. He was right. If I didn't have this thorn in my side then would I feel that I needed Him so much? It was this very thing that made me so dependent on God and His wisdom. It was the thing that even after days or weeks of not saying my prayers, that would compel me enough to pray. This thorn in my side was also for those times I thought I had it all together because it was what reminded me that I don't. What's even more revealing about this impression was that God needs us. God wants us to bring our heart filled prayers to him not just to prove He is in charge, but because he wants to hear from us. He wants to feel important and needed. His question wasn't asked in a condemning way; it was asked in a gentle almost needy way. As if God was saying, "I want to take this from you, but then you won't need me and I don't want that, I want to know you. I want to be a part of your everyday life." Since then I have been reflecting on my spiritual journey. This reflection has helped me to see just how much more I depend on God in my crisis and not so much in my comfort. It was a great invitation for me to explore how I can give that kind of effort to God without the thorn in my side. I'm still not sure how I'm going to do that, but until then, I know with this thorn in my side I will remain close to Him.

Holly

I will admit it. I used to be one of those people who would hear an affirmation and then roll my eyes. You know the; "You can do anything you put your mind to" or "There is no try. You either do it or you don't." The reason that I would roll my eyes is because my mom was a walking talking affirmation: This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but even at a young age, I noticed that something wasn't consistent. As much as my mom spoke these positive statements, there always seemed to be a deep sadness within her. I spent my whole life watching her chase the dream of being content and happy, but never actually achieving it.

 As I grew up and became an adult I started to notice a lot of things around me including this culture of positive thinking. I remember countless times where I was told to "Just be happy." I would get so frustrated with people who would ask me, "How are you doing?" And then when I answered, "I'm okay, I guess", they seemed confused that I had answered the question honestly. I was left so irritated. If they didn't really want to know, then why did they ask? That question alone can require hours of deep thought, however out of all that spurred a deeper question for me, "Why do I feel dishonest when I answer that question by saying I'm great?" No matter what I did or how hard I tried to be positive, there was always a little pang in my heart when I said I was good. And to be honest, I never really dared to say, "I'm great!" It didn't feel true. This despite the fact that I wanted it to be. I remember just over a year ago, my sister-in-law asked me how I was doing. This was only months after my mom committed suicide and my divorce was in the works, so at the time I hated that question. I knew people meant well, but I didn't know how to answer it honestly without making a scene. So this time I thought about it a little and I responded, "One day I will be able to say that I'm doing great and I will mean it." It's interesting to me that even now as I share this experience it's cemented in my mind so clearly. I think it's because that was a turning point for me. That question and my response became my mission. I really wanted to one day say that I was great and to mean it.

Fast forward to just about a month ago. I sent my sister-in-law a text message to communicate some things and in the process I said, "Hey do you remember when you asked me how I was and I said that someday I would be great and I would mean it?" She said she remembered, to which I replied, "Well guess what? I'm great and I mean it!" Her response was, "That's great! What happened? Was it just time?" While I knew she meant well, I had to laugh a little. If only it were that easy. If only it was a matter of time. It was something much bigger than that. It was a lot of work that I did to explore my heart and to seek out healing. Although time played a role in that, it was also a healing of my heart in places that I had major wounds, places that had not been seen and had not been healed. In a strange twist of irony, I am now a walking talking affirmation. I love affirmations and they come to me regularly. So why the change from rolling my eyes at them to embracing them? It's because I have discovered this; an affirmation in the presence of healing is a confirmation. Affirmations become spiritual truths of things your heart already knows. They then become spiritual food to your soul and another humbling reminder of God's unconditional and eternal love for you.

I am a total product of the 1980’s. I love nostalgia in all forms, but a recent visit to San Francisco, made me realize all of the things that my daughter may miss out on. She may see that a new version of an old item appears in a commercial as I try to explain to her that I had that when I was little. She may discover something in a closet or in the attic from my childhood. She may have oodles of questions to ask.  In fact, I can almost guarantee that she will. The first thing that I noticed in San Francisco was the bright neon colors displayed in a window at The Gap. There is no doubt about it, the 80’s are back and I am “stoked”. The second was when we noticed a pay phone. I have not seen a payphone in ages. Try explaining that one to a 5 year old born in the 2000’s. I tried to answer her questions will continue to try and cannot wait to try and explain what a neon colored piece of elastic is called.

Chinese jump ropes were so much fun. Or how we used pay phones to call our Mom to come and get us at the mall. Or how we walked, actually walked to school. I am sure that all of this vital information will make me oh so popular with her friends, but I think that I will be “like totally awesome.” Quoting Huey Lewis and the News, “Let’s go back in time” and discover some things from an era gone by.

Here is my list of the totally rad…..

 The 1980’s Method of Calling Someone Who was Not Home….The Payphone  

In the 1980’s we had to actually remember someone’s phone number or at least write it down. In fact, if someone was not near their home phone, we usually were not able to reach them. Of course, the coolest and most important people had pagers, but the average person could not be reached 24 hours a day. In some ways, did this make life simpler and more enjoyable or less convenient? Either way, it was certainly different. During my recent trip, I noticed pay phones. They looked surprisingly different. They had a credit card machine attached to them so you can pay with plastic. 

Toys of the 1980’s

I have noticed that toys of the 80’s have come back. My daughter has cabbage patch dolls, my little ponies, and Barbie’s. I showed her a troll doll and she looked at me like I was a total nut. I tried to explain to her how you would rub its belly and make a wish. A 4 year old really liked that idea and I had her sold, but an older child might really think that I was losing it. Such a simple idea went global and I am surprised that this trend in toys has not come back yet. I was thinking of all of the other toys that I had and chuckled a little. I had the whole set of California Raisins fashioned around the commercial. I remember huge Barbie’s houses, unlike what they have today. They were Malibu mansions. I remember Atari’s and playing the ET game where you had to collect Reese’s Pieces in order to “phone home”. I suspect that ET had to use a payphone. I also remember the old Nintendo where you had to blown on the cartridges to get them to work. Worked like magic every time. Now my daughter has to play on my cell phone at every waking moment and can not live without Netflix. 

The Brick, the first Cell Phone

My cell phone now is my life. I hate admit it. I would not have any contact with anyone without it. I would not even know how to reach them, like I can be bothered with memorization anymore….(sarcastic laugh). I use my phone to pay bills, connect with others, check my facebook, and organize my life. When it is lost or broken, I may as well hide under a rock. However, I remember the first cell phones were as heavy a rock and shaped more like a brick. And they did two things, call and ring. Yet, they were so cool. Anyone that had a cell phone was super awesome in the 80’s. I even remember having a toy phone and it was just as big and just as  awkward. You sure could not place it in your coat pocket or really even your purse, they had their own containers. And these containers had a battery pack that resembled that as the Ghostbusters device that they used to catch Slimer in. Now you could place probably 100 modern cell phones in one of those so-called cell phone cases. No wonder fitness became so big in the 80’s, we had to “Get Physical” in order to carry our phones around.

Black and White TV

 Over Christmas break, my kids and I were watching TV and the Christmas classic, “It’s a Wonderful Life, was on TV. My kids asked if the TV was broken and sat staring at me in amusement as I tried to explain how TV was not always in color, nor movies for that matter. It seems that the less color a movie has, the more boring it is, as my kids tell me that they would rather watch something better. I showed my daughter a picture of this TV and she asked me if it was a microwave. I laughed so hard. I know that black and white movies are still around, we can watch them from time to time. But I am not sure that I can ever get my kids to watch them. For some reason this can not catch their attention. They would be totally freaked out if I told them that the coolest thing in my parent’s day was the radio and even better than that, books!!!!

Cassette Tape

Do you remember when tape recorders and boom boxes actually “ate” your tapes and you would be devastated that your Wham tape was gone forever. Or the tape would come unwound and you would use the eraser end of the pencil to wind it back up? Those are all just memories, can you even find a cassette tape anymore. CD’s are almost unheard of. I will be honest; most of my music is on my phone. I can come clean. I am not sure I miss these little gadgets, but once again, I am reminded how binded I am too my cell phone. 

Jen

Ever find yourself in a hurry and off to some important event only to find yourself stumbling upon a traffic jam? It never seems to fail that it happens on the day that you've spread yourself the thinnest. Although this has happened to me frequently in my lifetime, there was one traffic jam that changed the way I looked at them forever. I don't remember the details of where I was going, but I remember my mind going a hundred miles a minute trying to think of all that I was trying to juggle, including getting to my destination on time and then there it was…..a traffic jam. My reaction was of course typical, "Are you kidding me? Why don't people learn how to drive?" I think I had a few more choice words that I was about to say, when I was interrupted with a very distinct thought, "Maybe instead of worrying about yourself you should say a prayer." Suddenly my entire focus shifted and sitting there in the traffic I took a minute to ponder the thought. It made me realized just how selfish I had been. Here I was thinking about how this traffic jam was going to ruin my night, when potentially it had changed the direction of someone’s entire life forever. To say that I was humbled would be an understatement. I took the opportunity to refocus and then I started to say a silent prayer. I prayed for the people in the accident and their family members, that whatever the circumstances they would be comforted. I prayed for the responders on the scene that they would know what to do and that they too would receive comfort and support after witnessing the circumstances of the event. I also thanked God for the fact that I was safe and that I was able to enjoy the many blessings of my life. I don't remember everything else I said in my prayer that night, but I do remember that the stress of being in the traffic jam dissipated quickly and that I did eventually get to where ever I was going. 

Having that experience has changed the way I react to traffic jams entirely and when I find myself in one, I no longer get frustrated and angry, but instead I immediately start to pray. It's amazing how this simple change in my attitude and actions has improved the overall experience of my life. It has increased my awareness of others and it has increased my awareness of the many things I have to be grateful for; including being grateful for being the one in the traffic jam and not the one in the accident.

Until next time, 

Holly

hollybowerman.blogspot.com

I've always been a believer in the saying, "What goes around comes around," but I have become even more acutely aware of this principle as I have experienced life recently. A few months ago when I was playing indoor soccer on a women's league, I learned this in a pretty in my face way; literally. Sometimes when I play soccer all my manners get checked at the door and my alter ego steps onto the field. This one experience in particular I honestly don't know what got into me, but at one point in the game I got frustrated and pushed a girl out of my way. After I had done it I felt bad, but it was done and the game proceeded. Not even five minutes later, before I could tell the girl I was sorry, I found myself flat on the ground after receiving one of the most forceful balls to the face I have ever received. It really knocked me for a loop, even so much that I found myself sobbing uncontrollably and a little out of sorts. Not only was it painful, but my ego was pretty wounded. I eventually gained enough composure to walk off the field and head to the bathroom to assess the damage. As I stared in the mirror looking for any signs of a broken nose, I was still a bit shook up and still crying; however, as I sat there and looked at myself a little longer I stopped crying and started to laugh. What made me laugh was that I had the image of me pushing the girl and then the ball hitting me in the face come to my mind all in one flash and I had realized what had happened; I had done this to myself. I pushed the girl and that energy came back as a ball in the face. Wow! I had never before experienced the turnaround of this universal principle so fast, but it left a lasting impression on me, luckily without breaking my nose. 

Another aspect of this principle of “What goes around comes around" is the use of our words. Our words are just as equally powerful as our actions and they too operate by this same principle. The words we use matter and they can attract positive or negative into our lives. Think about the last time you heard someone say something about you that was hurtful and what your response was. If you are like me it doesn't feel good and it's almost innate to want to respond equally as hurtful. However, I'm now more aware that when I hear a negative comment about myself it's more than likely that somewhere down the line my words weren't kind and that is now returning to me. So who should I really be mad at? In the book "The Four Agreements" the author states that negative words are like black magic and that one of the most powerful agreements we can make in life is to be impeccable with our word. This may sound overwhelming, but just setting the intention to do it is a step in the right direction. As I've been thinking on this topic it made me go back to even the earliest of my days being taught in church and other places to not gossip and "If you don't have something nice to say don't say it at all." Many times I've thought to heck with that and I'm not perfect so my words aren't ever going to be perfect! But what I now realize is that words matter and not gossiping is more than being a dutiful and good Christian; it's about attracting the best into your life by your words. Remember it was by the "Word" that the world was created. There is great power in words, use your power for good. 

Holly

hollybowerman.blogspot.com 

Becoming a mom for the first time definitely changes your life! Your "me" time appears to disappear! It is common for new moms to unknowingly slip into a fashion slump that can unfortunately last for years and even decades. If you fall in to this slump you might wake up 20 years later when the kids are all grown and ask yourself, "what happened to my style?" "Where did my sense of fashion go?" with no clue how to find it or get it going again!

These 5 Tips will help new moms and moms at any stage avoid a fashion slump that they could get lost in for decades!

1. Maintain a real hair "style." Mom's tend to grow their hair long so they can just pull it back in a ponytail, or go short with a wash and wear attitude. A "real hairstyle" requires at least a 10-15 minute investment every few days on your wash days, and the use of styling and finishing products and an occasional styling tool like a round brush, blow-dryer, flat iron or curling iron! The best way to find a cute style is to pick up several hairstyle magazines at your local bookstore, look for a model that resembles you, has a hairstyle you like, clip the picture out and take it with you to your stylist. If you don't know how to "style" your new do, ask your stylist to educate you and write down the steps and products in the order to use them.

2. Keep wearing jewelry. With babies and little children it is easy to let the jewelry go! With little hands grabbing and the need to simplify your life, giving up jewelry is an easy way to fall in to a fashion slump. Another problem is not knowing what to wear and what looks and feels best on you. Too many women purchase jewelry solely based on what is in style without considering how it feels on their body. How a piece feels is the number #1 criteria in selecting jewelry. If you like it light make sure it feels light. If you prefer some substance and chunk, make sure it feels substantial and chunky, if you like it motionless, make sure it doesn't move on your body! A favorite necklace even with a tank top and skinny jeans will make you feel like yourself again!

3. Avoid the black trap. It is easy to default to buying a lot of black clothes. They are easy to find and most women believe that everyone can wear it! The truth is most women feel heavy and weighed down by the color black and it actually makes you look more tired. As a mother of little ones, you are mostly likely a bit tired and don't need to add to that look! Make yourself buy clothes with color. You will feel more upbeat and alive and your closet will be a lot more fun to play with!

4. Shop alone occasionally. Even though you might prefer a girl's day-out, there is a good chance that when you are shopping with sister's, mom's, and girlfriends you are asking the most commonly asked question that steals your sense of style from you! That question is "does this look good on me?" As you default to this question and listen to others, you lose your sense of style and fashion. Every woman has what I call a "beauty sixth sense." You intuitively know what looks and feels good on you when you pay attention to your beauty sixth sense. Shopping alone occasionally allows you a chance to keep that growing.

5. Maintain a positive belief system! One of the most common causes of loosing your sense of fashion and style is developing and allowing a negative belief system when it comes to shopping and your body! This negative chatter really gets going in the dressing room. Some of the most common negative beliefs held by women are:

I can never find anything that fits me 
Nothing every looks good on me 
It always costs too much 
I look fat in everything I try on 
I hate my body

The bottom line is you experience what you believe. As long as you believe these defeating thoughts, that is what you will get, which turns into one defeating shopping trip after another! Change your beliefs to the following and watch the clothes, shoes and jewelry fall out of the sky and appear out of nowhere all at prices that are a bargain, just for you:

I have such great success finding clothes that fit that I feel great in! 
I am really good at picking out pieces that look great on me 
I love all the deals and bargains that seem to just show up for me 
I look good and feel good in the pieces I am choosing 
I appreciate my body and am grateful for how well it serves me

When you look good, you feel good, when you feel good you are a better mom. A woman's self-esteem cannot be separated from her feelings and attitude about her body and appearance. And a mother can only affect her child's positive self-esteem as much as she has one! If your self-esteem is suffering your child's self-esteem will suffer. Give yourself the style and fashion support you need to add to a healthy self-esteem as a woman and be the best mom you can be!

Written by Carol Tuttle for Hybrid Mom.

As a general rule in my life, I haven't put too much hype into the New Years' mentality of resolutions and goal setting. This is mostly because I think that resolutions and goal setting should be an ongoing and ever evolving process, rather than a once a year monumental event. However, to be completely honest, this time last year I really couldn't wait for it to be over. I think it was fair to say that 2011 was one of the most difficult years of my life. As a result, I put a lot of hope into 2012.  At that time, I decided that I was going to set a goal to do a deep winter cleaning, not of my house, but of my heart. I decided I was going to clean out all the emotional junk of my life and make room for only those things that mattered the most and would serve me the best. I also decided that at the top of my priority list would be giving and receiving love as it seemed that this was the thing I was lacking the most. This is not to say that I had never felt love or that I had never been given love, but I knew I could experience more; much more; but, first I needed to make room. I had a recent experience I would like to share that may help me articulate the importance of this better.

About a month ago, I attended a workshop where we were given some meditation exercises to do. One of these exercises was to visualize our closets. We were told to imagine the clothes in our closets, starting with the ones that were our favorites-the clothes and the outfits we felt the best in. We were then asked to imagine the clothes that we sort of liked-the outfits we wore frequently, but weren't our favorites. Last of all, we were asked to imagine the clothes that just sat there and took up space-the clothes we never wore because we didn't really care for them, didn't like the way we looked in them or maybe weren't even the right size anymore. The purpose of the exercise was to help us identify with our positive and negative emotions; but, when we were done, it left me with an overriding question. Why do we keep anything in our closets that we don't love or make us feel our very best? And I really wanted to know why we keep the clothes around that we don't even wear? I had this sudden urge to go home and clean out my closet!Well, I didn't end up cleaning out my closet that day, but I did think that it was a good metaphor for our lives and for our emotional closets. What are the things that bring us the greatest joy and that we love the most? What are the things that just take up space, that bring us down and don't serve us at all?

As you begin a new year, it is my desire for you that your life is filled with only those things that you truly love and that serve you. Perhaps this is a good time to do a little winter cleaning of our souls and make some more room for true love and happiness. Just remember that as you embark on this journey, that it is a process. So if a new year is too much to think about, maybe think of a new month, a new day, a new week, a new day or even a new hour. Just remember that each day is a new opportunity to make room for the things that matter most.

Wishing you a Happy New Year and an even happier winter cleaning!

Holly B. 

I love searching the web for new crafting ideas and especially love ones that incorprate my family.  Best part about this is it is super easy.  This is such a fun shabby chic look that will personailze your home or perfect for a gift.  

What you need:

1.  Any Block letter.  You can get them at your local craft store.  

2.  Paint

3.  Copy of your wedding certificate, childs birth certificate or any design you wish

4.  Mod Podge

5.  Sand Paper

6.  Scissors

7.  Pen/Pencil

What to do:

Step 1: Paint your letter on all sides that you will not Mod Podge.

Step 2: Trace your letter onto the back of your certificate.  

Step 3: Cut out the letter you just traced.

Step 4: Mod Podge your certificate to your block letter.  

Step 5: After it dries completely you can distress as little or as much as you would like.  

We would love to see your finish product.  Feel free to post on our facebook page.  www.facebook.com/secretlynetwork

Enjoy!

One of my New Years resolutions is to get organized.  Because the kitchen is typically the most used room in the house, it's extremely important to ensure that it's organized and functional for all the action that it receives!  This isn't always an easy task and often takes some patience and planning!  Here are some great ideas for your existing kitchen. 

Stash pantry items in the see-through pockets of an over-the-door organizer to virtually eliminate search time.

Keep open shelves uncluttered by stashing items in airy rattan baskets

Or if you are building or remodeling this organizing system is pretty amazing and you should definitely consider adding it to your kitchen. 

Have fun organizing!

Laurie

To help our Secretly Santa Families we have had some AMAZING companies donate for our Silent Auction.  Here starts our first Five we will be adding more stuff next week so keep checking back.  All Bids must be in December 19, 2012 by 11:59PM.  

Here is how it works.  

1.  Find Something you like?

2.  Email the item number, bid price and contact info to sales@secretlynetwork.com

3.  Highest bid wins.  You will be notified by email and how to pay for your item.  It's a WIN/WIN you get an great item while helping out our Secretly Santa Families.

Item #1-Pearl Necklace

One of my FAVORITE Jewelers of all time.  Tresors Jewelry.  This place not only offers great quality, unique designs but they make you feel like family.  They have generously donated a 16 inch pearl necklace with a value of $500.  Perfect gift for any women in your life.  

Item #2-Lava Hot Springs One Day Family Pass

You can never go wrong with taking enjoying some family time at the pool.  Bring up to 4 people to the Famous Lava Hot Springs.  Value $22.50

Item #3-$50 Gift Card to Free Endearment

If you aren't afraid of getting a little attention while strutting down the street then Free Endearment leather handbags and wallets are for you.  I love their fashion forward designs and I am a little obsessed with their signature lining.  Value $50.  

Item #4 $100 Gift Certificate to Secretly Network

Need clothing, jewelry or home decor?  You can find it at Secretly Network.  Enjoy $100 to spend on anything on our site.  Value $100.  

Item #5- FOUR Passes to Boondocks Bowling

Everyone needs some friendly competition and why not head over to Boondocks to show off your skills.  This includes 4 pass for one Game and Shoe Rental.  $32 Value

Lucky Puppy was generous enough to cloth the family with their stylish line for infants through adults.  They also do amazing things to make every puppy a lucky puppy by  donating a percentage of sales to The Grey Muzzle Organization.  Great Gifts for the kiddos or puppy lovers in your family.  

We are so excited to be able to help out a couple families in need.  We will be doing a slient auction for items that have been donated by some amazing companies.  Details will come tomorrow.  We are still taking any toys or money donations.  

Thanks to all of you for opening up your hearts and wallets.  

Laurie Udy

CEO

Secretly Network is doing its annual Secretly Santa to help families in need this holiday season.  We have selected 2 families that have had trials this year and has left them with very little.  We are looking for any for donations for the families and for our silent auction to help provide them money for living expenses.  We would appreciate anything you can do to help.  We would also love to spread the word that you donate by posting it on our blog.  If you are able to donate we would love to make it easy for you and we can pick up any items.  

Two Moms early 30's

Boy 6 months old and 13 years old.

Girls 4, 8 and 11

Any thing will help.  Thanks so much!

Happy Holidays!

Secrety Network