Image by: Sean Dreilinger

How do you make cleaning less of a chore, and more of a fun activity? Here are some ideas.

Put on some music. Wipe that kitchen counter to the beat of the songs on the radio. Throw in some workout moves by wiping that window up, down, up, down. Let the rhythm energize you!

Divide the chore into small tasks. Do you really need to clean the whole living room today? Why not try this — give yourself 15 minutes per room. Set a timer and clean what you can in the given time. When the 15 minutes are up, rest. Then move on to the next room. It makes cleaning time more manageable, and you may want to get more done given that you only have a small amount of time given.

Share the load. Ask a family member or a friend for help. Have a conversation while cleaning a room together. The task is divided in two, getting it over with in half the time. Plus, you spend quality time with them.

Catch up on your reading. Put those audio books to good use! While you’re dusting the furniture, listen to that romance novel you’ve been wanting to catch up on or that fantasy novel about wizards and warlocks. Who knows? You may be so caught up in listening to the stories you clean the room twice!

Anticipate a reward. When you’ve got something great to look forward to, it makes the task at hand easier to bear. If your reward is a foot spa and a pedicure, envision yourself being pampered at the salon. Imagine soaking your tired feet into that bubbling foot bath. All those clutter will be cleared in no time!

Now grab that broom and have some fun!

Post from: Blisstree

How Do You Make Cleaning Fun?

Image credit: D Sharon Pruitt

To keep the game fresh, game master can alternate week by week (Mom this week, Dad next week, etc.). Keep adding new questions and answers to the game to keep it interesting. And the bigger the group, the more fun it is to play too! You can consider having a game like this during family reunions.

Post from: Blisstree

Family Trivia Night

1. How did you find out you were pregnant?

Uhhhh….which time? The first time around, I missed my period and was sleeping all the time. A test confirmed my suspicion. After that, I just always knew. Whenever I started feeling tired and nauseated, I just knew. With my last pregnancy, I had an IUD in my body….but I still knew.
2. How did you tell your partner (if you have/had one)?

I always just told him and then started crying (and is was not happy crying after the first two.) The last time, I walked into the kitchen and threw the pregnancy test stick at him. I was soooooo mad that he did not get the vasectomy he was supposed to. But now I’m so glad that he didn’t!
3. Did you secretly hope for a girl or a boy?

I always wanted girls to dress up, but the boys were always better babies. When they arrived, it did not matter what sex they were. I fell in love with all of them!
4. Did you feel ready to have a child?

Never. I never felt ready to have another baby. I was usually pregnant again, by the time my current baby was 6 months old. After the shock wore off, I was always excited.
5. What bit of advice did you get that you hated?
‘Try to get a nap.” Uhhh…hello? How am I supposed to nap when six other kids are running around? 

6. What bit of advice did you get that you appreciated?

My mother in law always told me to enjoy them, despite the stress of raising them. She said, “Stop and just look at how cute they are, sometimes. ” I love any advice she offers because it comes from a woman who knows my pain, even more so , since she had 13!

Now it is my turn to tag people:

Eliza ~ Babylune

Cyndi~ Busy Family Meals

Bill~ Inside Fatherhood (yes, a man! I want his side of the story too)

Elizabeth~ Career and Kids

Post from: Blisstree

Pregnancy Tag…I’m It!!

I truly believe that there is someone for everyone. But I also believe that you have to make the choice to recommit yourself to loving that someone, every single day. Love does not regulate itself. It needs constant attention, regular maintenance and daily reaffirmation to continue to thrive in a relationship. In honor of Valentine’s Day, the B5 bloggers are paying tribute to all things romantic, chocolaty and heart shaped. Here is my contribution to the celebration of love.

My Perfect Fit

I’ve loved you in sickness

and loved you in health.

I’ll love you for poorer,

for we’ll never know wealth.

I love your rank cheese breath.

You love my hairy legs.

A couple of odd balls,

abnormal, square pegs.

And though we don’t fit

in the round holes of life,

I’m honored to be

you’re best friend and wife.

I love all the chaos

and our seven crazy spawn.

I love that our minds

have both been long gone.

You laugh at my quirks

and embrace my strange ways.

You comfort my soul

on the roughest of days.

We’re not two hearts

sharing this love.

We’re one perfect fit

like my hand to your glove.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Post from: Blisstree

My Perfect Fit