Cleaning Schedule

Thursday: Master Bath

-Clean Master Bath
*Counters & Toilet
*Fresh towels
*Windex Mirrors & Shower Doors

Saturday: Living Room, Kitchen, Guest Room & Bath, Dining Room, Bedroom

-Vacuum all rooms
-Dust all rooms
-Mop Kitchen, Foyer, Master Bath, Guest Bath
-Fresh Bed Linens
-Lots of Laundry!

Sunday's: Guest Bath

-Clean Guest Bath
*Counters & Toilet
*Fresh towels
*Vacuum, Mop
*Windex Mirrors

My cleaning schedule changed a bit this week as Thursday was an early release day and I was able to get the bathroom done a day early. Therefore I was able to relax Friday night after a workout and quick dinner. Today I was done pretty early and had the rest of the day to do whatever, while keeping the kitchen clean, of course. And tomorrow I'll tackle the guest bath, along with some bills and such. Yay! Have a good weekend!

Weekend Cleaning

In order to keep up with my cleaning schedule, I will now have to join the ranks of those who clean on Saturday's and Sunday's due to the fact that- I GOT A JOB!!!! *does happy dance*

Yes! It took 6 months and 4 interviews later, but finally got a job! I'll be working at an elementary school as an "academic mentor," or rather, a floating paraprofessional. I'm very excited but also a bit anxious for my first day on Monday.

Now I need a cleaning schedule to keep up with! Here is my first attempt.

Friday's: Master Bedroom & Bath

-Clean Master Bath
*Counters & Toilet
*Fresh towels
*Vacuum, Mop
*Windex Mirrors & Shower Doors

-Fresh Bed Linens
-Make Bed
-Dust Bedroom Furniture
-Vacuum

-Laundry, if needed

Saturday's: Living Room, Kitchen, Guest Room & Bath, Dining Room

-Vacuum Living Room, Kitchen, Guest Room & Bath, Dining Room
-Dust all rooms
-Mop Kitchen, Foyer, & Guest Bath

-Laundry, if needed

Sunday's: Guest Bath

-Clean Guest Bath
*Counters & Toilet
*Fresh towels
*Vacuum, Mop
*Windex Mirrors

I'm not 100% sold on Saturday's as today I had a lot of energy and was able to do a lot of cleaning. It may spill over onto Sunday's but that shouldn't be too bad. Yay! It actually feels good to have a structure instead of all the cleaning I do during the week! Now I'm off to try out a new recipe, Chicken and Bacon Ranch Pizza, from the blog Buon Appetito! Have a great weekend!

Recent Updates & Purchases

Now that I'm starting to dream of Spring (I am so over Winter) I've been scouring the stores for fresh, clean decorative candles. I've wanted flameless candles for a very.long.time and I finally found them at HomeGoods for a GREAT price! I bought two pillars and a box of six flameless tealights. They are now displayed on my buffet server.






I've also been searching for the perfect calendar to hang in the kitchen. Now that I've found some things to do (tutoring, subbing, volunteering at workshops, yay!), I have the burning desire to write.it.all.down. It makes me feel busy, which I haven't felt in a very long time! I went to Borders first to take a little look-see. Ugly, tacky, half-naked girls graced the pages. No thanks! Even the cute puppy calendars just weren't doing it for me. I ended up finding this cutie at Meijer! It has tons of space for me to write in my oh.so.busy.life.schedule and I can rip off each page week by week. I love it.





And now that brings to me to my Valentine decor! I don't have much as I don't go all out for Valentine's Day as I do for Fall, Halloween, and Christmas. I just have a few touches of love.



The teddy bear was a gift from the hubbs last year and the live, laugh, love vases are from Target's dollar section (although they cost $2.99).



On the mantle I have our pillar candles from Fall but they're a perfect color for V-day. In the center are two little bears kissing. The frame all the way on the right says "LOVE" in block letters- hard to see in the picture.

And that's it! There are also V-day towels hanging in the kitchen and a heart wreath on the door-too cold and dark out there right now for me to take a picture!

Do you have any V-day decor to share?

This Woman Cooks!

Seeing as this blog has started to lose it's focus, I have decided to create a new blog dedicated solely to cooking! In this blog I will be testing out recipes from people like Rachael Ray (shocker) and Giada De Laurentiis. I will be rating them based on difficulty, taste, and overall satisfaction. Of course these ratings are determined by my husband and I; we are by no means food critics! Take a look and I hope you enjoy my new blog!

This Woman Cooks!

Today's Thoughts: Cooking!

I LOVE food. I mean, I really love food. It's amazing to me that I don't weigh over 200 pounds by now. I guess that's why I also love to cook. Cooking means that I get to make all the foods I love, just the way I like it. Of course, I have days where I just don't feel like cooking and crave a night out or a bucket of special fried rice from San Fu. Now, don't get me wrong- I am by no means a gourmet cook. I don't always use the freshest ingredients available, I may take short-cuts and help from the store, but most of the time I am cooking up something in my small, apartment-sized kitchen. Tonight I used my crock pot for the first time, a Christmas present from my parents. I popped in all the ingredients for Beef Stew and headed out the door. The smell was heavenly when I came home this afternoon. And oh my goodness, it was spectacular (as described by my hubbs)!

My desire to learn how to cook came a year or two before I got married. I've always wanted to be a good cook. I have different tastes from my parents so I didn't really look to there cooking as an inspiration. I became obsessed with watching Everyday Italian with Giada- she's gorgeous, first of all, and everything she makes looks like a gourmet meal! I still watch her cooking shows today as well as a variety of others. At the moment I am a HUGE fan of Rachael Ray. I never really was until I became an unemployed housewife- I had NO idea she had a morning talk show! I am inspired by many of her recipes and I've tried out a few, adding my own touch to them as I go.

Sooo. The first few recipes I want to try are some of Rachael's. I will be trying them out VERY SOON!

1. Baked Shells Casserole

You just HAVE to click on the link. Spinach, pasta, cheese? What's not for a girl to love? It looks sooo good!

2. Coconut Chicken Cutlets

I'm pretty sure I'll be making this one next week. I've never cooked with coconut before and it looked awesome when I watched her make it.

3. Spinach and Artichoke Mac and Cheese

Another ingredient I have never experimented with in the kitchen- artichokes! Looks delicious!

4. Chocolate Overdose Cake

I found this AMAZING chocolate cake recipe on the Beantown Baker's blog today. It looks like it could be the best chocolate cake ever! Now I just need an excuse to make it!

5. Lemon Yogurt Cake

Yet another ingredient I fail to use; lemons. I looove anything flavored with lemon, especially Macaroni Grill's Lemon Passion cake! I've never made anything like this either and I'd really like to try it. :)

Be on the lookout- eventually, or soon, I hope, I'll be trying out all these recipes!!


What recipes are you looking to try out?

Today's Wishlist: Spring!

I don't know about you, but I am really excited about all the new Spring looks coming out. Even though we're a good two-three months away from Spring, stores are already stocking their shelves with short-sleeved tees, mini skirts, and flowy, flowery print dresses. I received my Alloy catalog in the mail a few days ago and I just had to share my Spring wishlist with you all :)

1. A flowy, flowery print blouse.



2. I don't think I've ever owned anything like this. How cute is it!



3. I am IN LOVE with these shoes. I have to have them!



4. Cute and comfortable. I'd wear it with a belt and jeans.



5. This list wouldn't be complete without a cute dress.




What's on your wishlist for Spring?

Spring Chicken Roll-Ups with Lemon Dijon Pan Sauce

Last night the hubbs and I wanted to try something different. I've been watching A LOT of Rachael Ray shows- her talk show and 30 Minute Meals. Sad to say, her talk show is often the best part of my day! I saw her make these chicken roll-ups on 30 Minute Meals the other day and just had to try it. It. Was. So. Good!

• 2 (6-ounce) pieces boneless, skinless chicken breast
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 thin slices provolone cheese
• 4 thin slices prosciutto (I used ham)
  
• 12 thin spears asparagus, trimmed of tough stems and blanched in salted water 2 minutes, drained
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chicken stock or vegetable stock (I used water)
  
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 lemon, zested and juiced (omitted)
  
• 1/4 cup chopped, flat-leaf parsley, a handful

Halve the chicken breasts horizontally separating each into 2 cutlets. Place each halved cutlet in an individual freezer plastic storage bag (with slider tab). Add a tablespoon of water to each bag and pound into1/8-inch thick cutlets. I used a frying pan to pound them very thin.

Arrange the 4 cutlets on work surface. Season cutlets with salt and pepper on the side facing up. Cover each piece of chicken with 1 slice cheese and 1 slice ham. Starting on 1 side of the breast, place a small bundle of 3 asparagus spears. Wrap and roll the chicken around the asparagus. Wash hands.

Heat about 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, a turn of the pan, in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. When hot, using tongs, add the chicken roll-ups to skillet with seam side down. Season the roll-ups with salt and pepper. Cover the pan loosely with tin foil and cook 4 to 5 minutes, turn roll-ups over and cook and other 4 to 5 minutes. Remove cooked roll ups to a serving plate. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons flour Stir in the chicken stock and Dijon mustard, scraping up any drippings from the bottom of the pan, and simmer 1 minute. Remove from the heat, add the lemon zest, lemon juice and parsley and spoon over chicken.