Spring Break with My New Best Friend

It's Spring Break and for the past few years, we've spent at least part of it at Disneyland. This year, however, my husband has had to work hours upon hours getting ready for the air show this week end. The Blue Angels have been flying all over town, pumping everyone up for the show. They flew so low over my house that I could read U.S. Navy Blue Angels on the bottom of the jets. It is pretty exciting.

Anyway, since I was cheated out of the annual trip to my happy place, I decided to make good use of the break and do some spring cleaning.

I broke out this nifty little tool that my mom gave me at Christmas time...



It is a Shark and I love it. She's my new best friend. I call my Shark 'she' because, like women, the Shark is pretty much invincible. She's a portable, chemical free steamer that cleans and sanitizes in one step. (I could sell it on QVC. It's that good.) Together, my Shark and I have cleaned the refrigerator...



floor tile...




crevices and corners in all of the door panels...





and most of the baseboards.

She is suppose to be able to steam garments and freshen and deodorize upholstery. I haven't tried either...yet, but who knows? School doesn't start until Monday. I still have time. :)

11 Things that Make Me Happy

Remember how Oprah hosted her "favorite things" episodes every year? Well, I have favorite things too and I am fairly certain that mine are more realistic to the average American. Although I cannot give these items to my "audience" of readers, I can tell you what they are and explain why I like them so very much.

Here are 11 of my favorite things in no particular order:

1) Magic Erasers. They clean nearly everything. I've used them on my walls, kitchen sink, glass stove top and even the desks at school.

2) Caldesene Baby Powder. This stuff is miraculous. My step-sister told me about this when Chase was a baby over 25 years ago. It clears up even the worst diaper rash. It's much better than Desitin or Butt Paste.

3) Mary Kay Hand Cream. A friend of mine gave me a tube of this when I was recuperating from surgery. Since it only takes a dab to soften your hands, a little bit goes a long, long way.

4) Cold Sores Begone. The single best thing ever for preventing cold sores at the very first tingle. I swear by this stuff. I always have one on hand at home and in my purse.

5) Bosch Washer and Dryer. The best thing my husband ever bought, with the exception of our home and car. (I will even put these appliances before my wedding ring, but don't tell him that.) The dryer dries crazy fast and the washer has all kinds of features, including a delayed start. I get excited just talking about these magnificent beauties.

6) Victoria's Secret Lotions. My favorite? Love Spell.

7) Saran Wrap. In my opinion, this clings much better than Glad Wrap.

8) Scentsy Warmers and Wax. A wickless alternative to candles. Scentsy offers a large variety of fragrances as well as attractive warmers, including small plug-in warmers that are perfect in the bathroom.

9) Insulated Cups. A must have for Coke addicts like me. I have found insulated cups at Wal-Mart, Target, Big Lots, Kohls, and Bed Bath and Beyond.

10) Oral-B Advantage Complete Whole Mouth Clean Toothbrush. Wow. That's a mouthful, isn't it? When I first used this toothbrush it felt a little strange on the inside of my cheeks, but I became accustomed to it. This particular brush literally cleans your entire mouth, not just your teeth and gums. I highly recommend it!

11) 5 REACT Chewing Gum. Don and I rented an Acadia to drive to California a few years ago. The previous renters had left a pack of this gum in the vehicle, so we tried it. I am not big on fruity flavors, but I've tried all of the mints. This gum keeps its flavor for a long time and does wonders for your breath.

That's my list! Please click on the links if you are interested in any of the products and if you have feedback, I'd love to hear it.