A mother is someone to shelter and guide us, to love us, whatever we do, With a warm understanding and infinite patience and wonderful gentleness, too.

How often a mother means swift reassurance in soothing our small, childish fears, How tenderly mothers watch over their children and treasure them all through the years!

The heart of a mother is full of forgiveness, for any mistake, big or small, And generous always in helping her family, Whose needs she has placed above all.

A mother can utter a word of compassion and make all our cares fall away, She can brighten a home with the sound of her laughter and make life delightful and gay.

A mother possesses incredible wisdom and wonderful insight and skill - In each human heart is that one special corner which only a mother can fill!

Standing on my soapbox, JB

The first thought that pops in my head when Spring Cleaning comes along is where to begin? First things first, where to start? Going from top to bottom, Bedrooms to basement, works best for me. This way everything that needs to go works it’s way down and ready to go out the door.

Second, Go through each room and Make a Checklist of what needs to be done in each room. This way you wont forget anything and make sure you get it all done.

Also, play music when your cleaning. This will help the time go by and make it more fun. I love to sing (even though I’m horrible) and figure this is the only way I can be tone def and not hurt anyone else’s eardrums. Hehehe!

Prepare to have about 3 to 4 boxes for each room (especially, bedrooms) to get rid of junk.

And lastly, make sure you have all your supplies you need and ready to go before you start.

My Sample Checklist: Bedrooms

1. Start with closets and go through clothes you want to donate

2. Switch winter wardrobe with summer

3. Dust air vents and corner dust bunnies/cobwebs from ceiling to floor

4. Wash all bedding and flip mattress

5. Empty drawers and get rid of the lonely socks, holy undies, old t-shirts and tank tops

6. Clean windows

7. Polish all furniture

8. Vacuum floor boards and carpet

Tips & Tricks:

When going through your wardrobe(shoes and all ladies!!!) and get rid of anything you haven’t wore in the past 6 months. Don’t forget underneath the bed. I shocked every time I look underneath my bed to see what we have accumulated over the year. AMAZING! Save all the lonely socks for future cleaning.

Bathrooms

1. Open windows for ventilation while cleaning with bathroom supplies

2. Spray tub, toilet and sinks with cleaners

3. Wash shower curtain, Window curtains or blinds, rugs and display towels

4. Clean selves, medicine cabinets, mirrors

5. Scrub floors

Tips & Tricks:

Throw everything in the washer while cleaning. Spray tub, toilet and sinks with cleaner and let sit for a while to do a little work on it’s own. The last thing before your completely done should be putting the shower curtain and rugs back in place.

Living and Dinning Rooms

1. Clear all clutter such as magazines, books and newspapers

2. Dust everything hanging on the walls.

3. Wipe down end tables, TV stand and knickknacks

4. Vacuum underneath and behind the furniture. Also, between the couch and chair cushions

5. Clean door rugs and mats.

6. Wipe Windows inside and out

Tips & Tricks:

Thoroughly clean the rugs and mats sitting near doorways from outside in. This will help keep your house clean throughout the year after this clean. Professional cleaning for rugs and upholstery in these rooms are highly recommended. These items are the most used by you and others and need heavy cleaning.

Kitchen

1. I like to start with my refrigerator and pantry

2. Check and get rid of everything beyond expiration (obviously)

3. Wipe down cabinets inside and out from top to bottom

4. Clean stove burners and inside the stove

5. If you have a hutch, dust dishes inside

6. Run dishwater empty

7. Wipe down counter tops and scrub floor

Tips & Tricks:

Living in a city, everything that isn’t dated but I want to get rid of, I like to give to the homeless (just drop the box where you know they stay…DON’T TALK OR STOP TO TALK…some are crazy!) Old pots and pans can be used as fun instruments for the kiddos. Isabella loves them!

In every room I suggest taking down the drapes and anything that needs washed and throw them in the washer before you start that room. By the time you are done cleaning that specific room, the laundry will be ready to go back in it’s place. Focus on one thing at a time and please keep in mind that a good deep clean will take more than one day (especially if Attic, Basement and cleaning carpets is on your list ).

If you haven’t before, this year try using Eco-Friendly cleaning products. With toxic free cleaners, you can clean or scrub anything from your kitchen counters to your bathroom toilets. Not to mention the natural scent they give for you to wake up to for days. Be sure to check out PTPA’s Environmentally Friendly/Green Products - you’ll find quality products for the entire home. After reading through my tips and techniques, tailor the list to fit your home. Happy Spring Cleaning!

Read more about this and valuable information all about the sugar and spice of motherhood at: ptpamedia.com

About the Author: Tara Bucci - blog page: tarabucci - Website: babymommablog.com

Stay at home mom, Tara Bucci, was desperate to find a creative outlet after missing some of the the social interactions her professional life before mommy-hood afforded her. After a year of getting a handle on being a new mommy to daughter Isabella, in early 2009 she founded BabyMommaBlog.com. The goal was to help provide a multitude of parenting tips, tricks, product reviews for other new mommies experiencing the same daily challenges as herself. How did she come up with the name? I’m sure some of you have seen the movie “BabyMomma” which was based in Tara’s hometown, Philadelphia. The name was catchy and summed up her mission.. the rest is history!

Standing on my Soapbox, Jb

A professor stood before his philosophy  class and  had some items in front of him.  When the class began, wordlessly, he  picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and start to fill it with  golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and  poured it into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with an unanimous  ‘yes.’  The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the  table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

‘Now,’ said the  professor, as the laughter subsided, ‘I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.. The golf balls are the important things - God,  family, children, health, friends, and favourite passions, things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the things that matter like your job, house, and car. The sand is everything else — the small stuff.  ‘If you put the sand into the jar  first,’ he continued, ‘there is no room for the pebbles or the golf  balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy  on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that  are important to you.

So… Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children.  Take time to laugh and connect with other. Take your partner out to dinner and tell them you love them. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the dripping tap, burnt out light bulb or messy garage. ‘Take care of the golf balls first — The things that really  matter.  Set your priorities. The rest is just sand..’

standing on my Soapbox, JB

standing on my Soapbox, JB

HOW is making two trips to Vietnam this Summer and needs volunteers to join us. Here is an opportunity for you to become involved in something that will radically change a child’s life and your life for the better.

This summer HOW and our volunteers will work directly with children on educational programs including art, dance and playtime.  Volunteers will hold and feed young children and babies providing the human contact they desperately need, while personally delivering food, medication, hygiene supplies and educational tools.  Participate in community projects, road building and even cooking with the locals!

Dates for the upcoming trips:
May 28th - June 8th
June 11th - June 22nd

You can check out a short youtube video for more information about our work and current projects:  www.youtube.com/helpinghow, visit their website www.helpinghow.com or contact the co-ordinators directly:
hillary@helpinghow.com
daria@helpinghow.com

You can make a difference and have a great time doing so. I personally know both the coordinators of this amazing organization and everything they do is from their own personal desire to help… they do not receive funding, it all comes from donations and people like us… the ones that care.

standing on my Soapbox, JB

This weekend we dashed out after dinner to get in a few minutes at the playground before the sun went down. With two kids, my husband and I do the typical tag team parenting; him with one child, me the other and then we switch back and forth.

It was a beautifully sunny day and the playground was filled with other parents and kids for my children to play with. As I helped my daughter navigate the plastic rock formation to the top of the slide, I looked over to see where my son and husband were playing. As I scanned the area, I noticed that there were eight dads and only two moms there, me being one of them.

There was everything from the goofy dad that was chasing his two-year-old daughter around, pretending to play hide and seek, to the dad with his full on manly instructions on how his four-year-old could make it across the monkey bars. To the one still in his business suit, talking on his cell as he robotic-ally pushed his 15-month-old on the baby swing.

The other mother there was with her husband and twins…they too doing the tag-team parenting thing. When I pointed out to my husband that the playground was full of dads, he responded by saying, ” sign of the times hey?”

Is it a sign of the times? Well, according to my own mother, my husband is a saint in her eyes for all the time he spends with our kids. Whenever he changes a diaper, my mother is so impressed, if she calls on the phone and hears dad is giving them a bath she will go on for 10 minutes how lucky I am. When I tell her my husband took the kids swimming or to hockey, she just cannot get over what a great Dad he is…I of course roll my eyes. I mean really…what is the big shocker that a father is taking care of the k ids whom he helped create?

She loves to tell me how in her era, the fathers never did anything. That my dad never changed a diaper, got up with me in the middle of the night or made me my lunch. She just cannot believe how fortunate I am that I have a husband who is willing to do all those things…did I mention I roll my eyes.

Every day I see dads pushing strollers, carrying babies in slings, burping, feeding and yes changing diapers. It seems fathers HAVE evolved over the last forty years. Men are taking an active interest in the full-time job of parenting. They want to be a part of every moment and yes that includes all the “un-fun” stuff our moms were left doing. Happily, for this generation, Dads are adding their own parenting elements, their unique perspective and ultimately creating a bond possibly I never was able to nurture with my father because he was in the generation that had to wait outside at the delivery room to be introduced to his child.

So next time your hubby leaves the diaper on the floor (like mine), or the lid off the kids toothpaste, or does not do the bedtime routine the way you do, think for a second that at least he is doing something. That there was a time that men didn’t do any of that, it was all up to the moms, and be thankful for his help.. and thankful you didn’t have kids forty years ago…

Standing on my Soapbox, JB

While over two thirds of couples experience profound marital disillusionment after the arrival of their first baby (Gottman & Gottman, 2007), it seems that marital distress is too taboo to talk about in most social circles. Two thirds of couples struggle in their marriages and next to no one talks about it. How did we get into this mess? A recent episode of the televised drama Desperate Housewives began with a dinner party scene that was at once intimate and disquieting. Two couples appeared to be relishing in the comfort of candlelight, quiet music, exquisite cuisine, and good conversation. The lovely evening went south the very moment the conversation settled on the personal topic of the flawed marriages of both the hosts and the guests. The ubiquitous narrator admonished, “if you want to throw a successful dinner party there are certain rules that must be followed… the number one rule for a successful dinner party: keep discussion of your marriage to an absolute minimum!”

While this ‘rule’ may serve to keep soiree conversation superficially pleasant, it contributes to the needless shame that many couples experience when marital bliss turns to marital disillusionment following the transition to parenthood. Societal norms dictate that we portray our marriages as the epitome of contented happiness regardless of the fact that marriage-after-baby-carriage always involves exhaustion and often involves arguments about fair division of labour at the expense of romance, connection, and intimacy. When not permitted to speak a word of their marital woes, couples are left with the unappealing option of sacrificing honesty and authenticity so as to create the façade of a thriving marriage. Consequently, many couples struggle through the early parenting years thinking that all other couples are infinitely happier in their marriages.

What can we do to help each other? Perhaps the next time you are in the company of close friends and you pick up on even the slightest hint of marriage distress, resist the urge to change the topic at breakneck speed, and ask, “how could we be helpful?” Or, honestly share something from your own personal experience of being married with kids “we’ve struggled with that too…” And, should you find yourself, experiencing marital strain, resist the tendency to keep all of the suffering to yourself. Know that others have been there too and reach out with questions about lessons learned, “If you had just one piece of advice for us, what would it be?” As a community of moms, we have a huge capacity to be helpful to each other. We are at times, quite ingenious at easing the strain in other areas of our lives—car pools, community meal preparation, play-dates, and cookie exchanges. How can we put our heads together to tackle this unspoken challenge of keeping conversation about marriages real? Perhaps the true measure of a dinner party’s success lies not in the extent to which rules are followed but in the extent to which guests are able to be authentic in their commiserating and collaborating. When perpetuating a façade for the sake of saving others a moment of awkwardness, couples deprive themselves of opportunities to lean on others for support; to benefit from learning that they are not alone in their struggles; and to collaborate about solutions for strengthening marital relationships. The façade in a word is, futile.

About the Author

Amy Marshall RN MN and mom of two, is founder of The Relationship Resource. She offers marriage-strengthening education and consultation services to expectant couples and couples who are parenting young children. Amy believes that strong marriages serve as the foundation for families that experience resilience, health, and happiness. She also recognizes that more than two thirds of couples experience significant struggles with the transition to parenthood. Thus, she endeavors to assist couples to navigate the transition to parenthood with research-based solutions and practical relational savvy.

Standing on my soapbox, JB

Few things leave me speechless as you can tell by my ranks, raves and Soapbox personality, but recently my chin was agaw when I saw the amazing creations Wendy Casey of cakeaters.com made for my kids birthdays.

When my daughter turned two we had just come home from vacation. Her time at the beach meant her life had turned from Dora to Nemo and an underwater themed party was all she wanted. With few instructions and even less details, I simply told Wendy the number of people at the party, the kind of cake I wanted inside and then let her creative mind do the rest, and what a cornicopidia of delight she made. There wasn’t an inch of this cake that wasn’t amazing and awe-inspiring. The kids went wild, the parents gasped, few could resist taking pictures and when all the blue icing and pink coral was eaten, everyone was thrilled to the gills.

Two weeks later when my son turned five, Wendy outdid herself again. His latest passion for Lego Batman left me a bit worried. Wendy was excited by the challenge and as you can see, what she made was a master piece. Squeals came from not just the children but the adults as the cake was carried by two sets of strong hands out to the birthday boy.

I had tears in my eyes at the beauty and craftsmanship of the cake, the joy on my son’s face and the fantasy Wendy gave to the party. Of course birthdays are special occasions no matter what the cake looks like, but if you like unique, special and one-of-a-kind, the creations from Wendy never miss the mark. I have known her for almost ten years as she first made my 5 tier, 350-portion wedding cake. Since then she has happily made both cakes for my kid’s baptisms and every birthday in-between. Wendy quit her pass job as a VP of marketing & client services at a large insurance company in order to be home with her kids, and like so many talented entrepreneurs, turned her hobby into a thriving business.

What I love about Wendy (besides how great her cakes taste) is that she shares her talent with others by teaching classes. She told me, ”I love to show people how to do what I do and I don’t keep any secrets!  With the popularity of the “Cake Boss” and “Ace of Cakes” and other cake decorating shows and competitions, people want to learn how to do it.  By the time they finish 8 classes, they are well on their way to producing cakes they’re proud of and happy to serve”. Although I may never be able to achieve her kind of greatness, I think learning a few tips from a master would be super fun and a great excuse to lick a few icing-covered spoons. Of course Wendy would deny any outrageous talent and say that she is just like you and me, just loves making cakes so anyone can do it too.

If you are unsure of exactly what you are looking for, visit her gallery of cakes, just to get a glimpse of some of her magic.  With everything from weddings, to kids, special occasions and cooperate functions, there isn’t a place where one of her cakes doesn’t fit in. I in fact, am always trying to find events and challenges to give her just to have an excuse to see what she will create.

Wendy Casey is truly an exceptional creator, mother, and business woman and I am proud to feature her work and accomplishment on soapboxmama as she is only lady who always impresses me.

If you have a event coming up or think cake making would be fun, contact Wendy and let her wonderful personality bring a bit of cake into your life. Not just a cake that will fill your stomach, but a cake that will fill your memory and heart with lasting wonderment and joy.

Cakeaters creations will make your event or celebration that is more than just a gathering of friends, family and colleagues, but a place and time to relax a bit and remember what we are really living for, the beautiful things in life that create beautiful and lasting memories!

Standing on my soapbox,  JB

]]> http://soapboxmama.com/cake-extraordinaire/feed/ http://soapboxmama.com/valentines-day-ideas/ http://soapboxmama.com/valentines-day-ideas/#comments Wed, 10 Feb 2010 23:11:13 +0000 JB http://soapboxmama.com/?p=2941 With my son in kindergarten this year, it is the first time I have had to give out Valentine cards for him and his class.  A quick trip to the drug store was disappointing, as all they had was GI Joe, Twilight (vampires) and Dora: none suitable for a five-year-old boy.  So instead I ventured onto the web to find a great idea for us to make his cards and came across so many terrific sites.

As always my first stop is kaboose. They always have so much to do for every age group. I ended up getting side-tracked on their great craft ideas. I loved their terrific suggestion to make a Valentines Poem, perfect to do with my two year old.

The girl in me was giddy about the Paper Love Bug and I know my son will get a kick out of the Card Board Cupid. Quickly I was around the house gathering supplies for us to make things this afternoon.

Getting back to the Valentines cards, I found terrific printables at: livinglocurto.com, A few even I wouldn’t mind getting. Cackleberries, the online parenting resource center also had a great selection.

Most of you know, I try to be a sugar free mom, so while at the drug store, I found nothing other than candy as gifts for my kids this Valentine’s weekend. I just couldn’t bring myself to buy hot-candy-hearts or transformer-shaped chocolate.  Instead I ventured to the book section and found a book for my daughter about “hugs” and a cool photo frame shaped like a stickman boy, holding a heart for my son.

When my son heard the rule at the school that we were not to give out candy, he asked me what he could give instead? I said usually Valentine’s Day is about giving something sweet, or nice and he asked if we could give soap? Kids are so cool as they think so literal, and I thought it was a great idea.

Thanks to ehow.com, we found a great recipe.

Step 1:    Slice a bar of soap into think layers with the craft knife.
Step 2:    Position the metal heart cookie cutter on a slice of soap and press down to punch out the heart shape.

Step 3:    Push out the soap.  Decorate with decals secured with a few dots of glue on top of the soap if desired.
Step 4:    Wrap up the soap with netting or tulle. Put soap on a pretty soap dish or if giving the soap as a gift put it in a pretty gift box.

Standing on my Soapbox,

JB