Flylady and Me

I have trouble getting motivated. Anyone who has been to my house knows that organization and cleaning are not my strong suits. Odd since whatever job I’ve had I’ve always been extremely organized. A few years ago I discovered Flylady.net, probably through an article in either Woman’s Day or Family Circle magazine. I loved her system, but it never really “took” for me and after my remarriage my house became even more disorganized, especially with the addition of a baby in the mix. The baby now is nearly 2 1/2, and I’ve been giving Flylady another chance. Or rather giving myself another chance at it. I never doubted that her “system” worked, I just wasn’t using it.

A couple of months ago I signed back into her site and started following her “Baby Steps” by shining my sink. I’ve been following along with her routines and trying my best to keep up with the habit of the month each month. My kitchen counter is now clean about 75% of the time, maybe more. My bathrooms are clean all the time. Our master bedroom is right now in need of vacuuming and dusting, but it has curtains for the first time in the nearly seven years since I moved in. So does the window over the kitchen sink.

If it weren’t for Flylady I wouldn’t HAVE a shop on Etsy because I would never have found the time.

So for anyone out there who struggles with organization issues (clutter, feeling overwhelmed and not knowing where to start, chaos) I am recommending Flylady to you. She is a wonderful, caring woman who feels this is her calling in life. Yes, she has a store too on her site. She carefully vets each product she carries, and of the few I’ve purchased I have had my expectations not only met but far exceeded. But you don’t have to pay to join or ever buy anything. Everything she offers as far as advice and instruction is 100% free and worth so much it has been invaluable to me and many others.

 

Welcome to Etsy

I’ve wanted to start a shop on Etsy since I first heard that the site existed. I have ordered items from there, browsed uncontrollably and told everyone I know who hadn’t already heard about it that it was the best site ever.

Finally, yesterday I opened my shop. It’s called CherryRed Designs, and will be selling my crocheted items and with luck some jewelry that I am currently designing. I only have two listings right now, but I expect that to change over the next week. I am very excited about it, so wish me luck!

 

Smoothies

I made, and actually drank, a smoothie this morning. I know that doesn’t seem like a huge thing, but seeing as I tend to crave sweet things in the morning, and if we don’t have donuts or pastries my breakfast tends to be a handful of cookies and a diet soda, it’s amazing. I’m proud of myself, and wanted to share. I gave a cup of it to M. and she liked it too.

So here’s my “recipe,” which I doubt is any different from a hundred others, but it was good either way.

Lara’s Berry Smoothie
Mix in blender:
1/2 c fat-free vanilla yogurt
3/4 – 1 c low-fat milk (I prefer 1%, but we only had 2% on hand.)
1/2 cup frozen mixed berries (I used Aldi’s mixed blackberries, blueberries and raspberries.)
a drizzle of honey (fresh from the farmer’s market, not store-bought)

Since the berries were still frozen solid, they acted as the ice too, so it was nice and cold. The only thing I didn’t love was that the seeds from the berries were in it, but I suppose I could have strained them out if I really cared that much.

I’m also trying to cut out the diet sodas. I tried going “cold turkey,” but the ensuing migraine told me that wasn’t the way for me to do it. I’ve cut it back to one a day, and once I feel the headache danger is gone I’ll cut them out altogether. Soda, especially cola, is SO bad for you. I know it’s doing terrible things to my teeth and my stomach, and I want to take better care of my health, so the soda has to go.