Tag Archives: family

A Cleaner Home For A Healthier You

Standard
A Cleaner Home For A Healthier You

It’s no secret that most people want to maintain a clean home. No matter how hard you work on this side of your life, though, there won’t be much point if you’re not using the right tools, methods, and techniques to ensure that your place doesn’t just look clean, but is also hygienic. It’s easy to make something look good, but viruses like COVID-19 can’t be seen by the human eye, and they can last for a very long time on the surfaces and objects found within your home. Let’s take a look at some of the steps that can be taken to overcome an issue like this. This has been split into the rooms you use, making it easier to get started with the right methods in the right places:

The Kitchen:

Kitchens are spaces that have to be clean. With food preparation being the main purpose of a room like this, you could easily find you and your family members experiencing health issues if you’re not working hard enough to clean it. There are a number of key areas that need to be focused on when you’re going through this, and you can find each of them listed below. It’s always worth making sure that you use chemicals that are both safe near food but strong enough to kill hardy bacteria and viruses.

Surfaces & Cupboards:

The surfaces in your kitchen are designed to make it nice and easy to prepare your food, but you have to make sure that they’re cleaned before you use them. Anti-bacterial sprays are perfect for this, with companies like Detol offering options that can safely clean your worktops. The same effort can be applied to your cupboards, too.

Fridges & Freezers:

Any appliance that is used for storing food needs to be kept extremely clean. This makes it well worth disinfecting your fridge on a weekly basis to ensure that you don’t have anything growing unseen. Alongside this, you can find special air fresheners that can help to remove any unwanted odors from your food bearing appliances.

The Oven:

Much like your fridge and freezer, it also makes sense to clean your oven from time to time. It will be much harder for bacteria and viruses to live in a place like this, with the extreme heat killing most of them off. Of course, though, this doesn’t mean that your oven shouldn’t be given the right kind of treatment.

The Bathroom:

Much like the kitchen, bathrooms can be very sensitive rooms. You will perform a range of different tasks in a space like this, and many of them will involve processes that have to be sanitary. Of course, though, alongside performing hygiene tasks in a room like this, you will also be using your bathrooms to get rid of waste, creating a challenge for those who want to keep this room as clean as can be. You can find some of the most crucial cleaning jobs you’ll have to perform in this room below.

The Toilet:

The toilet is probably one of the most obvious cleaning jobs you have in your home. The waste that goes into this vessel is extremely unsanitary, and this means that you will need a strong chemical like bleach to make sure that it’s hygienic. You can wash the whole toilet with bleach, though it’s worth making sure that you rinse it off where the skin will be touching the toilet.

Sinks, Baths, & Showers:

Alongside your toilet, you will also have sinks, baths, and a shower to think about when you’re cleaning your bathroom. It’s always worth making sure that these areas are kept clean, but you don’t have to scrub them as often as you’ll be working on the toilet.

Toothbrushes & Other Sanitation Tools:

Your toothbrush is an item that you will always want to keep clean, and it may shock you to know that many people live with their toothbrush very close to their toilet. Bacteria and viruses can travel through the air, making it well worth keeping your toothbrush somewhere that keeps it out of the line of sight of your toilet.

Communal Spaces:

The areas you share with your family and other housemates can quite easily become very dirty without the right care and attention, and these spaces are some of the most likely to aid in the spread of sickness. This makes it well worth spending the right amount of time cleaning these spaces. You can find a list of the tools and techniques you should use for this below, giving you everything you need to get started with it. Of course, though, communal spaces can be very different from one another, and this means you may need to apply your own ideas.

Tables & Other Surfaces:

Shared tables and other surfaces can be a hotbed for bacteria and viruses. Much like the surfaces in your kitchen, you should be disinfecting these places whenever they’re going to be used for food. Doing this as part of your regular cleaning routine can also be a smart idea.

Shared Tools:

Remote controls, computer keyboards, and other shared tools are another area to consider when you’re making your home more hygienic. Using anti-bacterial wipes to clean these elements of your communal spaces can be an excellent way to keep them sanitary, with each person giving them a wipe down before the next person uses them.

Carpets & Rugs:

Fabrics are surprisingly good environments for many bacteria and viruses to grow in, with moisture and food easily getting trapped between fibers. Professional carpet cleaning can be a great way to turn this around, giving you the chance to deep clean this part of your home without having to use harsh liquid chemicals on them.

Soft Furniture:

Alongside carpets and rugs, it’s also worth thinking about your soft furniture. As these are also made using fabrics, you will have to be careful to make sure that you’re cleaning them properly when people from outside your home use them.

The Bedrooms:

Having somewhere to sleep is crucial to normal life, and most people will get this done in their bedroom. It’s easy to neglect hygiene in a room like this, with many people only spending a small portion of each day in their bedroom. Of course, though, it’s well worth putting some time into this to make sure that you’re not going to make yourself sick. Children’s rooms should always be given extra consideration as you go through this, with your little ones finding it very difficult to keep up with cleaning after themselves.

Tables & Other Surfaces:

The tables and surfaces in the bedrooms in your home can be easy to ignore. Most people will spend very little time in rooms like this, but this doesn’t mean that they will be free from bacteria and viruses. You don’t need to give this space as much attention as you give the other parts of your home, but it’s worth using disinfectant from time to time.

The Bed:

Your bed can also play a role in this. Issues like bed bugs can cause major health issues, and leaving your bed dirty for long periods can be a good way to encourage them to find your home. Changing your sheets on a regular basis can help with this, but it’s also worth spending time cleaning your bed’s frame, too.

The Walls & Floors:

The walls and floors in your bedroom should also be cleaned on a regular basis, with carpets being vacuumed, and hard floors being mopped. The walls can be trickier to clean, and it’s usually best to be proactive with this. Whenever a mess is made, you should be ready to start cleaning.

This extra busy work will all be worth it. Keeping your home clean will make you feel better in day to day life, while also limiting the chances that you or your family members will get sick when they are at home. With issues like COVID-19 causing so many problems around the world, this sort of action could end up being essential in the future.

Thankfully, though, this article should give you everything you need to start making a difference, even if you absolutely hate cleaning. If you’d prefer to give this sort of work to someone else, there are plenty of cleaning companies out there that will happily do the job of cleaning your place. Though it’s always worth keeping in mind that this can end up costing quite a bit of money!

Featured Image By: Unsplash

Summer Spaghetti Recipe

Standard
Summer Spaghetti Recipe

Hello! On our last day of staycation in Lexington, Kentucky we had a great big cookout. My sister’s boyfriend, Ramon, was the grill master for all of the guys and I was in charge of the vegetarian dish for the ladies: Spaghetti. At first, I was fine with just heating up some sauce and calling it a day. However, Ramon was creating grill magic and I wasn’t going to be caught dead just serving spaghetti with red sauce!

So, I got to work. And, I must say, thanks to the friendly competition, I think I created a masterpiece that I would definitely serve for myself and Johnny again. My entire family loved it and I think all of you will, too! Check it out:

Ingredients:

  • 1 box spaghetti
  • 7 cloves garlic
  • 1 eggplant
  • 2 medium zucchinis
  • 1/2 of a large, red onion
  • 2 lemons
  • Butter
  • Olive oil
  • Red wine vinegar
  • Salt, pepper, parsley, oregano

Directions:

We all know how to make spaghetti so we are going to talk about the saute I made to put on top of it. I wanted the dish to be really light so I didn’t want to go with a heavy sauce. So, I created a dressing in the vegetable saute by doing the following:

  1. In your frying pan, add butter and olive oil and season it with the herbs of your choosing. I kept it light with salt, pepper, parsley, and oregano.
  2. Once your mixture is all melted, add the vegetables. Then, squeeze the juice from one full lemon over top. If the mixture still looks dry like mine did, add more butter and olive oil. To top it off, add five to six splashes of red wine vinegar and continue seasoning to your heart’s content.

By now, your vegetables should be frying away in its own sauce, which is going to make them literally burst with flavor. I kept mine cooking on a medium to high heat until the last five minutes or so when I brought it down to a simmer. I wanted to make sure they were all thoroughly cooked but I also didn’t want them to shrink away into nothing!

3. Once your pasta is cooked, simply add your saute to it and mix it well. Then, you’re going to take the juice from another full lemon to add in as well as any additional seasoning to taste.

The end result? A light, lemony pasta dish that is amazing on its own or, according to the meat eaters in my family, fabulous with chicken over top. I would have snapped some pictures of my creation but, by the time I thought to do it, the pasta was long gone. Lol, WHOOPS. 😀

My entire family agreed that another cookout needs to happen this summer and, this time, Ramon and I agreed that he will make the chicken and I will make the pasta again because it was such a hit. Bon appetit! ❤

How do you like to get creative in the kitchen? Have you had any cooking success or failures lately? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

A Friendly Reminder!

Standard
A Friendly Reminder!

Hey everyone!! I recently went on a getaway staycation with my family in Lexington, Kentucky and, although the trip really just consisted of chilling, it was the most fun I’ve had in ages. I wanted to remind everyone that you can still have a great time despite taking extra precautions like face masks and social distancing. Especially since I can imagine we are all going a bit stir crazy right now!

During our trip, all of us stuck with what we were comfortable doing. If that was wearing a mask and going out, fine. If it was just hanging out at home in the air conditioning, that was okay too. It’s easy to feel trapped in this situation, which is why going out of state for a while felt like the perfect solution… Even if it was just to sit in a different living room and watch TV. 😀

Feeling stressed amidst the coronavirus pandemic? Try planning a small, safe getaway. Stay in a hotel for a night or rent a cabin in the middle of nowhere! Sometimes the best thing you can do is get out of the house or apartment you’ve been stuck in and experience a change of scenery. Keep your safety standards high and I promise you, it will make you feel like a brand new person. I know I do!

Are you planning a safe getaway any time soon? How do you destress during the coronavirus pandemic? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Family Staycation

Standard
Family Staycation

Helloooo! This past week, Johnny and I drove to Lexington, Kentucky for a Mushenheim family vacation. I had been looking forward to this trip for a long time and it certainly did not disappoint. Now, normally, you guys are used to hearing about a traditional Mushenheim family vaca with jam packed activities and amazing restaurants every day. However, we are in a very nontraditional time right now and precautions were taken to keep everyone safe during our trip.

We honestly didn’t do too much. We had some great carry out meals and visited a gorgeous horse farm where social distancing was easy. Everyone also came prepared with face masks and hand sanitizer for grocery store errands or an activity. Despite this being the most lax family vaca ever, it was AWESOME!

For four days, Johnny and I got to stay in a lovely house with central air and not a care in the world. But wait! It keeps getting better becauuuuse… For the first time in a very long time, my entire family was all together. We had four whole days of quality time with my parents, siblings, their partners, and our little niece and nephew.

Getting to Lexington was a five hour drive – a perfect amount for a getaway staycation. I so enjoyed the time shared with everyone and I know my parents were both happy as a clam the whole trip. It’s not every day all of their adult children, grandchildren, and children-in-laws can be together, after all! ❤

What is your dream vacation? What is your favorite thing about your own location? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Simple Improvements To Secure Your Home

Standard
Simple Improvements To Secure Your Home

It is important that you feel safe and secure in your home. After all, a quiet evening on the couch after a long days work is what most of us crave! Feeling safer can be done with the following super easy steps:

Close Those Windows:

The very first thing that we are going to suggest is that you close all the windows in your home when you aren’t in. Even when you are, it is safer for you to leave them on the latch, and never leave them open at night time. If you live in an area that is known for having a high crime rate, then you want to make sure you are locking them too. We know it can feel like a pain to have to go around locking and unlocking the windows all the time, but you can’t really put a price on safety.

So, make sure that your windows are not left open at night time or through any period that you are not in the home. People who are looking to break in don’t typically want to enter a home when there are still people inside, so as long as it is obvious you are home, you should be okay.

Get Your Doors Checked:

You also need to look into getting all of the doors in your home checked. Now, this includes your garage door, so if you are at all worried about this, then you need to visit the better built door website where you will find a service that can help you with the garage door in particular. You want to ensure that all doors close properly, all of them lock, and a slight gust of wind isn’t going to blow them open. You don’t want to be in a vulnerable home and doors that don’t shut or lock make yours vulnerable.

Install A Security System:

Finally, you’re going to want to install a security system. There are so many different types on the market that you aren’t going to be limited in what you want. For example, you might want one that sets off a loud alarm to let the intruder know what they have done in the hopes that this will make them turn and back away. Or, you might want one that activates a silent alarm, sends a notification to your phone and the police so that they have a higher chance of getting caught by the authorities. It’s up to you, but a security system is definitely one of the best ways to keep your home feel secure.

We hope that you have found this article helpful, and now know what some of the simple improvements are that you need to do in order to secure your home. Good luck, and ensure everything is done to the highest possible standard.

Featured Image By: Pexels

6 Things To Consider Before Homeschooling Your Children

Standard
6 Things To Consider Before Homeschooling Your Children

If you’re thinking of homeschooling your children but you don’t know where to begin, then don’t worry: you have definitely come to the right place. Whether you’re looking to start homeschooling them as soon as they’re old enough or you want to homeschool them from a specific age, you need to be sure you’re making the right choice. Luckily, there are lots of questions you can ask yourself to ensure you’re doing exactly that. From dedicating ample time to them and keeping them motivated, the more questions you’re asking the better. With that in mind, here are six things to consider before homeschooling your kids:

Do you have enough time to dedicate to them?

One of the first things you need to consider is whether or not you have enough time to dedicate to homeschooling, as this is how they are going to get the best education they can get. Whether this means finding a job that works around school hours or creating a schedule that works for everyone, you need to be sure you can dedicate as much time as you possibly can. For a guide to creating a family schedule, you can visit this site here.

Do you have the financial means?

Homeschooling your children often means forgoing your full time work schedule and seeking part time work or odd jobs. This could cause financial strain on your family and might not be the best option for you at the time. That doesn’t mean that it won’t be achievable later, though. If you are working out the finances for homeschooling, you still will want your child to have the best education in the meantime. This is especially true if you would like your child to learn a new language. If this is the case for you, you might want to look into programs like Singapore Primary School Chinese Tuition (or something similar in your local area for the preferred language) to start your child on the right foot. When homeschooling is possible, your child will already have a great educational foundation.

Do you have all necessary supplies?

Another important thing you need to consider is whether or not you need to buy any supplies before you get started. From notebooks to colored pens, you need to be sure you have everything you need. For a list of things to buy before starting homeschooling, you can visit this site here.

Cambridge Homeschool

How will you create lessons?

Once you have worked out a schedule and you’ve stocked up on all of the essentials, you need to think about lesson plans. Whether you’re using state-mandated lesson plans or following something similar, it’s important that you know exactly what you’re going to be covering. If you’re looking for example lesson plans, you can find them here.

How will you keep your kids motivated?

One of the hardest things about homeschooling is keeping your children motivated, especially if they have lots of distractions at home. Whether you’re setting up a rewards system or giving them some new responsibilities, there are lots of different ways to help keep them motivated and on task.

Will you need extra help?

Finally, you need to think about whether or not you need any extra help. Whether that means hiring a nanny or working with an online tutor, you need to be sure you have all of the support you need. In some cases, you may be able to hire a student-teacher to help you once or twice a week.

With lots of important things to consider before homeschooling your children, you have to be sure you’re as prepared as you can possibly be. Use the tips above to help get yourself started!

Featured Image By: Esi Grünhagen from Pixabay

A Flower For Me

Standard
A Flower For Me

Hello! On Father’s Day, my sister and her daughter arrived at our parents’ house at the exact same time that I did. We didn’t plan it at all and it was perfect because we all had the maximum time together before we split back up for the day. Beautiful presents and lots of love were gifted to our dear old dad but I think I got the most special treat of all that day. Check it out:

95602F31-619B-4890-A350-02F960D93F26

After presents, we all took a pause and went to the backyard so my niece, Valerie, could move and groove before my sister took off. My dad loves to show Val his flower and vegetable garden and she loves it too. More often than not, you can see my dad smelling the flowers with her and then he will help her pick a bloom for her mom.

On Father’s Day, Val wanted a flower for each hand once she picked her favorite. Then, she toddled up to her auntie and handed me a flower with a big smile on her face. And, right at that moment, our Golden Retriever gobbled up the flower in the hand she wasn’t paying attention to. *Face palm*

Once Val realized her other flower was missing, I offered her mine to make up for it. But, she just kept handing it back to me. I have to say, I was really happy she did because there is literally nothing better than getting a pretty little flower from your fifteen month old niece. I brought it home with me and put it in my dried flower collection and it’s never not going to make me smile whenever I see it. ❤

How did you celebrate Father’s Day? How is your garden doing this summer? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Happy Birthday To Me Haul: Work Fam Edition

Standard
Happy Birthday To Me Haul: Work Fam Edition

Hello! June seventh was my twenty-sixth birthday and, in true Lil Red fashion, it has been drawn out a few days with individual hang outs with friends and family. I also end up celebrating with the families who I work with and have ended up becoming a part of in the past three years of doing my job. One of my client’s families always ends up super spoiling me and I received the following this past week:

36EAEA8A-E758-4CE6-B5CD-5DC7A8D4C42E6AD0BE3B-311B-48CF-81FA-3A61FB8B175A

As soon as I walked into work on Monday, “Happy Birthday” was sung and gifts were handed to me at an alarming rate. Each one I opened seemed to be more lovely than the next and “this is way too generous” was the catchphrase of the opening session. This was matched by each member of my work family assuring me that “you’re worth it” every single time.

Becoming a member of three different families wasn’t exactly what I was setting out to do when I began providing care for people with special needs. But, sometimes things just happen like that and, now, celebrations seem to happen constantly. Whether it be a holiday or a member of my “pseudo family’s” birthday, I am always a part of it and it feels good!

There is truly nothing better than walking into work Monday through Friday and stepping into a family environment. It has also been such a godsend during all of the craziness of COVID to have so many extra people to talk to! Work families are so important and I am so thankful for all of mine. ❤

Do you consider the people at your job a family? Are you an unofficial member of someone else’s fam? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Animal Crossing Outdoor Fun

Standard
Animal Crossing Outdoor Fun

Hello!! Children, teenagers, and adults alike have all been getting super into Animal Crossing during this quarantine. And, Johnny and I just so happen to be the adults who are super into it, lol. The charmingly simple game of building a prosperous island has captured many a hearts and I always look forward to when I can fish or catch some bugs for a while on our island of Dingusburg (Johnny’s idea, haha).

Recently, at work, I was outside with my client and her nieces and we decided to do some real life Animal Crossing of our own after we saw a big, beautiful butterfly flitting about the back yard. One of the girlies grabbed her butterfly net and the chase was on. We all took our tries at catching it and had no such luck. The butterfly flew away but it was still fun!

If you have little ones with some pent up energy from being cooped in, how about some Animal Crossing fun of your own? Set up a scavenger hunt outside or grab some butterfly nets and toy fishing rods and have an adventure in your back yard. Animal Crossing is all about enjoying the simple things, like planting flowers, picking fruit, and catching bugs… All of which can easily be done from your yard!

Still need some inspiration? Message me on Facebook at Sarah Mushenheim for my friend code and come visit Dingusburg. Then, bring a little of our island life into your activities with your kids for the day. 🙂

animal

Which games have you been hooked on in quarantine? What are some of your favorite activities with your kids? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

My 26th Birthday Celebration

Standard
My 26th Birthday Celebration

Hello! My 26th birthday was this past Sunday and, although quarantine kept me from celebrating a little more heavily, I got to spend such a wonderful time with my family on both days of the weekend. On Saturday night, Johnny and I had a pizza dinner with my mom, dad, and brother. We also returned on Sunday so I could see my sister and her daughter in a safe environment because there are currently beaucoup ant traps set up at my apartment right now… Not very baby friendly!

After a Sunday afternoon at my mom and dad’s, Johnny and I spent the rest of the day watching Public Enemy and Inglorious Bastards. He also humored me by watching an episode of America’s Next Top Model together. What a guy! It was, indeed, a low key birthday but sometimes those are the best kind. And, as much as I would like to turn up, it’s just not safe. So, a pizza night at my parents’ seems like a close second to me. 🙂

How did you celebrate your birthday this year? Do you have anything exciting coming up? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah