The Rooster's PT Test

A PT Test is one of those things that you have to do if you are in the Army.  It's just the way it is, The Rooster knew this going in and has never really had any problem with it.  He does PT every morning and so for the most part is ready for the PT Test when it comes around.  But for some reason the last PT Test he took was not up to his usual standards, and to top it off his company decided for some reason the standard score for the rest of the military was not as great as it could be so they decided they would up what the soldier had to get to "pass" the PT Test.  So this meant the poor Rooster did not pass his last PT Test, this of course also meant poor Mama Hen because I was washing PTs about every other day since he only has three full sets.  This also meant he was doing remedial PT in the afternoons three times a week as well.
This all changed yesterday!
This is his previous score

This was his score yesterday!

Notice his run time!  He cut almost three minutes off that run!  He told me this was the best time he has gotten on a run!
This mama hen could not be prouder of her rooster!

Ruby's Very Fist Pigtails

Finally! Ruby's hair is long enough for Pigtails!!!

Windex and it's many Wonders

One of the things about moving into a house that has previously been moved in to is the cleaning that needs to be done before the house really starts to feel like "your" home.  It can be things like wiping the shelves in the cupboards off before putting your dishes in them (heaven only knows what was on that shelf before) or cleaning the toilets before you let your daughter who has had to go potty for 20 minutes while we were waiting to sign all the paperwork go potty on it.  There are obvious things that I have to have done before we even start pulling things out of boxes and start putting things away.  And then there are things that can wait just a little longer before they need to be done.  In my case this would be the floors.  I of course have to keep them swept up so I am not walking on dirt (I tend to walk around without any shoes on in the house and I can not stand walking on dirt) but other than that I don't mop until I know all the boxes are in and all of the in and out involved with moving is over and I can then mop knowing that I won't be fighting against all of that. 
This house was no different.  I have been keeping the kitchen floor swept and loose dirt free for some time now.  I noticed when I first swept that the broom kind of drug on the floor and didn't move quite as smoothly as it needs to to really pick up the dirt on the floor.  After about the second or third time I just nixed the whole broom idea and started vacuuming it with the rest of the house.  Luckily we have a great vacuum and it does hard floors just as well as carpets and since I was vacuuming every night anyway I just continued around the circle and vacuumed on into the kitchen as well.  This of course meant that I could not do my middle of the afternoon sweeping in front of the sink/stove area (since after all, let's face it, that is where I do most of the work in that room) or I would have to get the vacuum out twice in a day and some things just are not worth it, and since the movers somehow managed to not move my kitchen rug that I so loved and really really want back, I have suffered through for the past few weeks (has it really been a little over a month since I moved into this house?). 
Then last week I decided it was time!  Every time I walk into this house that dang kitchen floor just irritates me, and then to top it off I walked into one of my neighbor's house who happens to have the same kitchen floor as me (military housing you know) and her floor fairly sparkled as I stood in her doorway and looked across it.  I came to the realization something had to be done. 
Now, if any of you have ever moved in to a house where the previous tenant had used mop and glow on the floor and nothing you do seems to make the floor look clean you will know what I am talking about here.  Whoever lived here before me apparently wanted shiny floors, unfortunately they went about it the wrong way.  For future reference do NOT use mop and glow on a floor to make it shiny, all it does it attract all the dirt in the house and then it pulls it in and won't let it go, much like glue that is still kind of tacky. 
I set out to scrubbing the floors like I normally do (with some ammonia water and a scrub brush and a rag and my hands and knees), about half way across the floor I noticed the floor looked just as dirty as where I had not cleaned yet.  I decided a bolder approach was needed.  This is where I poured straight ammonia on the floor and then wiped it up... still nothing.  Then I went over to the neighbor who had the sparkling floor and asked what she used, she was nice enough to had over the bottle so I could try that... nothing, didn't do a thing.  At this point my knees and my back and my arms ached so I opted to get a cup of coffee and sit down at the computer to do a little research. 
As it happens, getting mop and glow off of the floor is a pretty common problem, and there are people out there who are willing to give you the information and yes it is guaranteed to work just pay ...  ya right, I am not about the pay someone good money for a book that I will have to wait for in the mail and then will have to read to only find out they tell you to use ammonia, ha!  I had already tried that technique.  Ok, so I didn't order the book I am just guessing as to what they had to say.  Instead I put this computer to work and found a blog where she had actually used mop and glow herself (poor fool) and now she needed to strip it off of her hard wood floors.  Her advice?  Use a mixture of ammonia and water, I kid you not! 
So here is what I actually did, after a bit more research I found a blog that actually recommended something else, and this something else you ask?  Windex!!!  That's right ladies and gentlemen, Windex!!!  She mixed her's with water to dilute it but I don't have hard wood floors, I have linoleum and so I went for the gusto!  I bought to bottles of the original formula Windex and went to work.  I sprayed about half of my kitchen floor and put a nice thick coat on it.  Then I walked to the bus stop to get the kids.  When I got back I used one of the scrub brushes you clean a shop floor with (at this point my arms were pretty tired and I just didn't want to get down on my hands and knees anymore) and scrubbed that floor.  Lo-and-behold!!!  My floor was clean and shiny again! 
I even have proof!

So, if you ever run across a floor that still needs that touch of something to help make it feel like home!  My suggestion is to spray a generous helping of Windex on it and scrub it around a bit and then wipe it up!  Oh, and if you ever feel like you need to add a little shine to your floor I would suggest not using mop and glow!
One more picture for the road?!  Happy to oblige!

In Anticipation

One of the things about moving is finding all those places that you had already searched out and found your favorite one of, things like a place to get coffee, or a really good thrift store, or which grocery store has the best prices or the best meat, and figuring out where to go for this and that.
One of the things I have been on the look-out for is a place to get fabric.  As much fun as it is to do the endless searching online it is even that much more fun to go and feel the fabric and look at it in it's natural light and see how it moves and imagine and plan out what you would do with this piece, or this bright green one over here, or look at how cute that pink one with the little dots all over it is, and ...
Well, I think my search might be over!  Two of the other ladies here on the circle and I headed on out to Jesup on Saturday in search of a fabric store I had heard about from a lady down at the farmer's market.  I am so glad we went!!  This is one of those fabric stores that has obviously been in business for quite some time.  They had tons of fabric and 90% of it was something I would like to take home with me!  They even had two pieces of linen which was exciting for me since I have been on the look-out for 100% linen for my bread-bags I sell on etsy.  I admit two pieces was not a huge selection but in a pinch I know where I can go.
I went in with a clear idea as to what I was buying the fabric for and I just needed to find the fabric that was in my head waiting to be a part of something I will eventually be putting rotary cutter to and then through my gorgeous sewing machine, shaping and molding it to something fun and exciting and new!
Well, I found that and then a few!

Well!? What do you think!?
Some will be used for a little baby blanket for a neighbor who is having a baby and some will be used to be put into a new doll blanket and I think some will just be going into my stash to be put aside until I find just the perfect thing to put it in!  I was so excited I washed it all last night and had it out trimming and ironing just so it will be ready when I am ready for it!
Needless to say I will be going back there in the future to be adding even more to my stash ... and maybe to get supplies for some future project just waiting to come to life!

Quote of the Week

"Ya, those are for tap-dancing, and rock-dancing, and splat-dancing."
West