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Hope you're enjoying your Memorial Day!

Best Ribs EVER!!!!

I love barbecuing in the summer. I barbecue everything from meat to baked potatoes to all my vegetables. I am addicted to red meat but I have to say that nothing tops the Country Style Pork Rib recipe I'm going to share. You're going to love me for this. S.e.r.i.o.u.s.l.y! Here's the very complex insanely easy recipe:

Ingredients:
Country Style Boneless Pork Ribs--however much you want
Ziploc Freezer Bags
Yoshida's Original Sauce (you can get a ginormous bottle at Costco)
Soy Sauce
Worcestershire Sauce (I still cannot pronounce that correctly!)

Directions:
Put your ribs in the bag. Pour in enough Yoshida sauce to cover everything really well. Put in a squirt of soy sauce and worcestershire sauce for approximately every 2 ribs.

Marinate over night OR throw in the freezer and it will be PERFECT when you defrost.


BBQ on medium for about 45 minutes. Flip once. This is the perfect amount of time for a baked potato and grilled broccoli to cook in tin foil too. Woila! Easy and so incredibly delicious. I've seen these ribs as low as $0.99 before so it is an incredibly cheap way to have a perfect summer bbq!

The Ultimate How To Clean Up Your Child Who Has Just Vomitted in The Car Post!

My husband was out of town Monday and Tuesday this week (which I don't handle well), my week long cold wasn't slowing, baby wasn't sleeping enough at night and the weight of our financial and housing plight was weighing me down. Wednesday came and my sweet hubby could sense my distress--he piled me and the kids in Steve (only Stargate Atlantis fans might get our car's name) along with premade sandwiches from the freezer and snacks from the picnic box (I"ll post on that later).

We took a drive and let the baby sleep and the big girls eat lunch and watch a movie while I tried to unwind. We drove along the side of a lake and commented on how much the road felt like a roller coaster. Then we heard that sound you dread any time--especially while in the car.

The oldest had eaten a really good lunch but unfortunately got car sick before she could warn us. It was all over her and her booster seat and was leaking onto the floor. LOVELY.

Since we practically live in our car during the summer while we go out on our adventures, I keep it well stocked. We grabbed a garbage sack and some baby wipes and I started scooping it up and piling the dirty rags in the sack. Once we had her cleaned up enough to move, my hubby got her out and we undressed her and put her in a clean outfit (we keep a complete wardrobe change for each kid in a ziploc bag under their seat). We wiped down the seat belt and the booster as best as possible with the wipes. Then we put the clean towel down, put her back in, threw the dirty sacks in the back and were off towards home. My hubby and I gave each other a "dude" for a job well done.
What would we have done if we didn't have wipes or a bag or a change of clothes? That happened once on the side of a busy freeway. Never again!

So if you missed my essential list here it is again:

• Garbage Sacks (1 for clothes and 1 for wipes)
• Baby wipes (not just the travel kind that only have 4 or so--that isn't enough)
• Bottle of water (use this to rinse off or rewet dried wipes)
• Clean outfit for each person in a ziploc bag
• Clean towel - this comes in handy in so many instances. I used mine once to dry a puddle on the slide at the park and was an instant hero to all the kids there!
• Bowl--in case you have a repeat offender
• Hand sanitizer for your hands after

Once home we threw the dirty clothes in the wash, the garbage in the garbage and then washed the booster cover. EASY PEASY.

Here's hoping you never have to use any of these things but if you ever do, you won't regret being this prepared.

You don't have to have an Electrolux to be Awesome

Are you like me and find that the laundry is sucking your life out of you? I've found myself fantasizing about what it would be like if that wretched chore would magically complete itself. But reality always finds its way in baskets and mounds to tell me I'm just wishful thinking.
I decided to investigate my laundry folding habits to see if I couldn't maximize my time and allow for more bon bon time (yeah...more like playing horsies with the girlets time).

I hope some of these tips help you. The most important tip is first! For this demonstration I used 4 large loads of laundry for 5 people and from start to finish (everything put away) I spent 25 minutes including getting snacks for the kids, getting a 2 year old to stop spinning all of the toilet paper off  the roll and putting it back on, pausing to eat snacks the kids made for me--thankfully they tasted good, entertaining a 4 year old chatterbox and being super quiet while putting away the kids clothes because the baby was sleeping (yeah, all 3 share a room). :)

1. Give Yourself A Pep Talk -- Seriously!
Look that pile of laundry in its big mound of a face and say to it :"You don't scare me!" Ok so maybe you don't have to say that but you at least need to think it. I found myself always feeling overwhelmed and told myself it would take forever and I would never finish.When I flipped my thinking, I have folded the laundry in half the time--seriously!

2.Prepare your battle zone Work Area
In a perfect laundry filled world I would fold as I pull the laundry out but that never seems to happen. I usually start with this:

Then I dump like this: (you could use a bed or a table but it is best elevated--not the floor)

Then I lay out a basket for each person:

Then I stand between the empty baskets and the mound and I begin to fold.

3, You Touch It, You Fold It

I don't sort. If the kids want to help I let them sort socks and things but if I pick something up I fold it. A few exceptions are allowed for this rule - socks, and items I hang. I find I save so much time by just tackling the mound instead of sorting first. Socks for everyone get their own pile on the bed and then I lay the hang up pile in separate his and hers piles either on the floor or on  the back of a chair and then I drape the kids hang up stuff over the edge of their basket.

Hang up pile

Sock pile

4. Getting to know your basket

I designate a spot in each basket for bottoms, tops, pajamas, unders, etc. This makes unloading really easy.

 Kids baskets:

Rag/towel basket: (I use a new rag/towel every day) 

 5. Finishing touches
After I do all the folding, I match socks, put the hang up pile onto hangers and then I put everything away.

*Note: My second timed run I had an overwhelming 8+ loads to fold. I set a goal to do it in 30 minutes. I have kids and well...I folded everything in 31 minutes but putting away took another 11  minutes for a total of 42 minutes. Not too bad! Do you have any laundry folding tips?

Contest tomorrow

There is going to be another contest on my facebook page tomorrow. :) Just thought you'd like to know.
https://www.facebook.com/PrettifulDesigns

Lupus Fundraiser

$1 from each and every item bought will go to the Lupus Foundation now through 11:55 pm MST Wednesday.http://www.prettifuldesigns.com/

Contests

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Becoming a Positive Person - 11 Helpful Steps

For those who know me, they would suggest I'm not suited to write an article on this subject but things have changed. Recently I've consciously turned over a new leaf. I've done a lot of soul searching. I've done some reading and even took a class from the local University. I'm no expert but I think I've learned a few things the last  couple of months that might help someone else. If my ideas help you, please let me know. I love being able to help others and I'd be motivated to share more if I actually knew my thoughts/words/experiences helped someone else. Please excuse my grammar--I'm a scientific/mathematical minded person--not an English major.

1. LEARN TO LIKE YOURSELF
It seems that most people who are negative beat themselves up. Feeling inferior, worthless, and pathetic are habits of a negative person. Feeling frustrated with and constantly acknowledging weaknesses will always keep a negative person from feeling joy and happiness. If you find yourself in this boat, GUESS WHAT?! You don't have to be this way!!! Decide RIGHT NOW to start forgiving yourself. Make a list on paper or mentally of your qualities, talents, positive attributes--c'mon everyone has them. Being around someone who doesn't like you is miserable--especially when that person is YOU!! Do you have some sweet pancake making skills or are you a good listener? Can you run a mile or change a diaper without wrinkling your nose? Did you make someone smile in the last week or do your laundry today? If you can do any one of these things or things like them, then I think you're awesome and now it's your turn to find that out too. The little things really do add up. Appreciate the amazing things you DO do and the qualities you have. When you do this and finally have a clear head, then you can work on ONE weakness or problem area at a time. Focusing on all of your problems at once just causes you to be constantly frustrated and you'll never improve.

2.SPEND TIME BEING GRATEFUL
It's the whole glass half full or empty paradox--either you can think about all the things you don't have (you'll always be severely lacking) OR you can spend time being grateful for what you have (you'll see that for most things you really have enough--if not too much). You choose: Be constantly miserable or ridiculously happy.

3. 4TH QUARTER PEP TALK
No, it's really not the fourth quarter--it's first thing in the morning and you're as tired as if you've played a whole ball game. You've got work in 30 minutes or a crying baby or a 4 year old whom you deeply love but there is simply no mute button! Tell yourself out loud or in your head, "I CAN do this!" I CAN get through today and no matter how tough, I CAN put a smile on my face and enjoy it. If it helps, visualize yourself doing what you need to (with a smile on your face). Believe in yourself. Tell yourself that you ARE awesome. Don't spend your morning fretting about inadequecies or problems or lack of sleep. Buck up and get to it! :) Tell yourself you can and you will.

4.BEST THINGS FIRST
Being positive is sooo much easier if your life is more organized than it is chaotic. One of the best ways to reach that organizational bliss is to figure out the priorities and place them first on your list. Figure out whatever is the most important to you and put your best energy into those. When what is most important to you is being taken care of the stress relief is AMAZING and you will have a significant inclination towards being positive! Try it!

5.AVOID COMPLAINING TRAPS
Have you noticed that there are specific people or venues (i.e. blogs or facebook) where you complain? Do you have a co-worker you always complain to and you find yourself having to find more to complain about to beat their complaints? Look over your recent blog posts and facebook posts? Are they positive and uplifting or negative, sad, or complaining? If negative, try and avoid these people or social networks or make a clear and conscious effort to only be positive when in these situations. I hardly go on facebook anymore. Most of the people on there complain it seems and it is a HUGE waste of time---for the most part. I still check it occasionally, but I've made an effort to only post things that are positive. Follow the advice from Thumper (I think) in Bambi "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all."

6.PRAY FOR HELP
Seriously. If you don't believe--no worries. I KNOW He is there and He does listen and answer prayers. Try it. Try and believe. You ARE His child. He will help you. He wants you to enjoy life--not trudge through it!

7. TAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF
You need to do this every day. Even if it is 5 minutes. Take a bubble bath. Go for a walk. Spend some time on Pinterest.:) Read a book. Excercise. Drink a milkshake. Whatever it is that puts you in happy land, do it. If you don't make time to enjoy life regularly, then life will pass you by. Pay yourself a little time each day. You deserve it.

8. WHAT CAN I CONTROL?
When things go bad, ask yourself, "What can I actually control in this situation? For instance, say someone rear ends you. You can get out and go berserk and look like an absolute idiot and make someone else feel bad and then you can dwell on the accident and the costs and possible pain and rant and rave but does any of that change the fact that you were rear-ended? You have no control over that. You do however have the ability to control how you act. How about getting out of your car and seeing if the other person is ok? How about deciding immediately to forgive and nicely passing on your insurance information? In most situations when things go bad, we really have no control. We can't control the mean things someone said about us.  We can't control getting sick or laid off or loosing a loved one. But we can control our thoughts, actions, and emotions. Next time you are about to react, ask yourself, "What can I actually control?"

9.DON'T GO THERE
Most of us have had a conversation in our head about how we think a possible conversation might go with someone--especially someone we don't like. We get worked up thinking how someone is going to say mean things to us (like a boss or family member) and we let them have it. Even though the conversation doesn't really happen, it happened in your head and you see that person differently. "How could they have said that about me?" you might think--even though you are judging someone else and putting words in their mouth. Next time you find yourself doing this say to yourself, "NO, I won't go there!" Put that conversation out. It hurts you and your relationship with whomever you're imaginarily (yes I made this word up) conversing with. You will waste a lot of time, energy, and happiness by having these conversations in your head. Choose today to stop. I think you'll find you get along with people so much better once you do.

10. DO SOMETHING NICE FOR OTHERS
To this day I still have no idea who it was but someone once paid for my fast food at the drive up window. My husband and I got up to the window to pay and the kid was kind of astonished and said that the person  in front of us had paid for our whole meal (or greasy gluttony--whichever way you want to look at it.) :) How nice was that! I felt awesome knowing someone was so kind and generous. Think how awesome the giver felt! Think of how much easier it will be to be positive when you're looking out for little ways to be generous. Stick  some quarters in a vending machine, pick up someone else's tab, help the lady with 3 kids and two carts (one full of kids, the other full of diapers) out to her car--this happened to me this week. THANK YOU! It's great to be on the receiving end but it's even better to be the giver. Think of something you will do today or tomorrow to be nice to others. It's hard to feel down when you're thinking of good.

11. LAST IDEA....
Ok, so no idea if this will help anyone else--please tell me if it does. I was praying a month or two back. I was feeling extremely irritable on a daily basis. I would have lots of "bad days," with an occasional good day in between. I couldn't figure out why I was having such drastic mood changes. It was taking a huge toll on our family and on my happiness. I took it to prayer. I begged and pleaded for help. The answer came as a soft voice whispering in my head - "don't eat late at night." What? Did I just make that up? I believe in inspiration though and I decided to try it. The next night I didn't eat anything after dinnertime--other than drinking water. I was feeling a little hungry but I figured it was better for my body anyway. The next morning I woke up with a clear head and no more crankies! I continued to go without food at night and the difference in my mood and temperament has been astonishing--AMAZING. I have no idea if this will help anyone else. Please let me know if it does. What an easy change with such amazing results. If this doesn't work for you, try praying for a similar miracle!

I hope these ideas can help you in achieving a happier life, full of positive thoughts!!! Let me know your thoughts or suggestions. I'm still on this road to being a positive person but I now know I can be that happy positive person I always hoped I could be!

Vote for me

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:)

Easter Subway Print

There are tons of way cute Easter Subway art prints out there with fun bunny and Easter egg themes.I really wanted one for my house that focused on the religious meaning behind the commercial holiday.
Available in my Printable etsy shop in 5x7, 8x10, 11x13

Like my style? Tell me what other holidays/seasons/events you'd love to see in a subway print.

$5 Gift Card

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Happy Wednesday!

Faux Bois Prints

Who's lovin this style????

Make Your Washer Look Like New

8 years is my washers age. When we sold our house in November, the new owners offered us an additional $500 for the washer and dryer. We spent $600 when we bought them new. SCORE. The new owners are using the house as an investment property and since I was having a baby in 2 weeks and we had no where else to go yet, we decided to stay and rent. Baby is happy and healthy and growing and growing and we are still here! The house we are trying to get is...well...a mess but we are still hopeful it will somehow work out. That's another story....maybe I'll post someday on that.
Anyway, I'm particular about A LOT of things and I really want to have this place sparkling whenever the day comes that we get to move out. I like the boy scout motto--something about leaving things better than when you found it. Well that is certainly true for all of the renovations we've put into this place but I want it to be PRISTINE! I saw on pinterest how to clean a washer. I looked at the post and it took the lady several HOT loads, hours of soaking AND still scrubbing on top of that. I didn't feel like wasting that kind of time...so armed with an arsenal of chemicals and natural ingredients I tried to come up with a better solution but honestly--no luck. Then I grabbed a Magic Eraser and woila! Instead GRIME BE GONE. I put in a good 5 minutes of scrubbing the ring around the top and the thingy in the middle. Then I got a little crazy......I used the scrubber shone in the picture ($1 at IKEA--if you don't have one of these gems GET ONE! - you can find them in your local grocery store too. I also use these with a little Fels Naptha on my hubbies white collars and the icky discoloration comes out). The lady in the post I read used Q-Tips to clean all the little areas. I've done that before but have never been able to get everything--and it took forever. I used this scrubber and my the new owners washer looks BRAND NEW. No Joke! I couldn't believe I was able to get all the grime and annoying lint. I spent 30 minutes but I'm a little OCD and I wanted to see if it could really look like new. I cleaned the dryer too. I used the scrubber again and it worked like a charm.

The other tool I used was a crocheted dish rag. LOVE THESE. If you don't know someone who will lovingly make them for you then find one! My Grandma and my Sister both make these and I always think of them when I'm wiping my counters or kids faces.

TIP: So I'm kind of dumb sometimes. The first rinse with my rag I walked all the way across the basement to rinse it out in the bathroom sink. Then I realized--duh! The washer has water. I just pulled the knob anytime I wanted to rinse. Don't make my mistake! :) So if you want to clean off the grime and dust it will take you about 5-10 minutes. If you want to be able to eat off of it, plan for another 20!

I'm Addicted to Prettiful Designs - You can be too!

Get my new button for your blog. I bet you've all been loosing sleep waiting and waiting for this button to come out! :) It's on the right sidebar. Check out my new Moroccan prints too. Oooo and the bugs and the mustaches and....the list feels endless. :)

Oatmeal Pool

Last winter I was trying to help beat the winter boredom blues. I had a one year old who put EVERYTHING in her mouth. Playdough, painting, moon sand and any crafts were out. We were seriously BORED. I was going through my food storage and noticed I had a TON (well, really only about 15) canisters of oatmeal and they all tasted old-ish. I grabbed 4 canisters and the kiddie pool and dumped. 

My kids played for over an hour. I figured clean up would be horrendous. It WASN'T! I took their clothes off right there in the kitchen, poured the oatmeal from the pool back into the canisters and then swept up the rest and threw it away. It took about 3 minutes to clean up. It was worth 1 hour of giggles & smiles. 

Attention Germ-a-phobe Moms: I too am a germ-a-phobe but I realized I had a 1 year old who put EVERYTHING in her mouth (I've found her eating out of the trash can and licking up things off the floor!). I figured this was a heck of a lot better than many of the things she's put in that cute little mouth of hers. She ate oatmeal to her hearts content for about 10 minutes and then played the rest of the time. I actually re-used this oatmeal about 4 times for the same thing. They didn't really eat any the next times--just had tons of fun. Our pool got broken this last summer so we haven't done it since :( . I will be purchasing another pool this summer solely for this purpose: