What life is REALLY like in our home-

This was a tag from Heather, but I thought, you know, maybe I should answer these questions truthfully so here it goes...

1. What is a smell that reminds you of home? freshly lit furnace on the first cold day of the year. Ya, it stinks, but it also reminds me of home!
2. How do you keep socks organized? I match the ones with matches and throw the rest back in the laundry. They're sure to end up with a match eventually, right?
3. How do you keep your whites bright? I have long since given up on bright whites. Now I wash all whites with a red sock- that way they stay pink!
4. What is your favorite boredom buster? Making my kid fold his own laundry- it's really fun to watch what a fuss he will make over folding underwear!
5. What hints would you give a young mother for sacrament reverence? Try not to write notes to your husband, or sing the hymns "Sound of Music" style, or play thumb war with your kids. Oh, did you mean hints for the kids?
6. What tips do you have for painting? Wait until the kids have grown and moved out, then invite them over to paint the house for you.
7. How do you remove hard water and rust stains from sinks? Move to a newer house, otherwise, get used to it. You'll miss them when they're gone.
8. What's the best way to kill weeds in a flower bed? Total vegetation killer does a pretty good job. Yes, it kills all living things around, but you don't have weeds either- just morning glory.
9. What is the best parenting advice you have been given? this advice was from my son: "Mom, just don't get mad." So, there you go.
10. What is the most fun date you have been on in the last year? Oh, this one is a good one! One time we got a sitter and drove 5 minutes to the dollar movie where we saw some flick we could almost hear all the dialog, and then got 2 for 1 corn dogs at Arctic Circle after. Yea, that was a date to remember.
11. How do you keep a car uncluttered and clean? I pretend the mess isn't there. If I don't see it, does it really exist?
12. What is you favorite cleaning product? My spit on my finger!

13. Favorite two or three step recipe...easy but good? Get Tortilla, sprinkle pre-grated cheese on it, zap in microwave. Serve with salsa. Ok, that's 4 steps. Sorry.
14. What is the most helpful cook book you own? I use my head as my cookbook. Sorry.
15. Any food storage tips? Don't leave an open bag of cheerios in the cupboard, upside down.
16. What is the favorite thing hanging on your walls? My son. He's in a Spiderman faze- hopefully it'll pass soon.
17. What do you use for Family Home Evening lessons? Someday, I will use the example of my husband and son whining every time I try to give a FHE lesson, as a good lesson on how NOT to act when your mom has planned a FHE lesson.
18. Grocery shopping hints to save money? Don't have very many kids!
19. What is something you admire about your parent's relationship? My Step-dad told my son: "Boy... I just do whatever your Grandma tells me, even if I don't want to. It's just easier that way." I really like that philosophy!
20. Do you have a family motto or mission statement? Well, we keep saying over and over, "We should have a mission statement", so I guess that's it.
21. How often do you do laundry? When I see my son going to school with last week's dinner all over the front of his pants... then it's time for laundry.
22. What is your favorite family tradition or vacation? I would love for it to be going to Hawaii every February, and Yellowstone every Fall, but we haven't done that yet.

23. If you had only ten minutes to tidy what would you do? Think of an excuse to not be home when company came over!
24. How do you help motivate children to do chores? Threats work wonders around our house! I used to try to persuade gently, but found the threats work immediately.
25. What is your most read children's book? I have a nervous twitch as I say this, but "Go Dog, Go"- I still have nightmares whenever I hear that title.