For the Kiddos: How to Make Sponge Bombs

FOR THE KIDDOS:  HOW TO MAKE SPONGE BOMBS

http://innerchildfun.com/2011/07/sponge-bomb-bucket-toss.html

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How to Make Sponge Bombs

July 23, 2011 by Valerie

Welcome! If you’re new here, you may want to like our facebook page, or subscribe to our newsletter for projects and play ideas to do with your kids! Thanks for stopping by!

For a FUN time, here’s how to make sponge bombs!  Begin by cutting up ordinary household sponges into thirds, and wrapping an “ouchless” hair elastic around them….

Grab a friend and a couple of buckets — each person kneels in front of a bucket filled to the top with water. The object of the game is to hurl the sponge bombs into each other’s buckets! You WILL get wet!!!

Whoever gets the most in the other person’s bucket WINS!!

Gather up all the sponge bombs and play again (and again)! Mark and Clara joined in the fun too, but the camera would have gotten too wet, so you’ll have to take my word for it!!

This is a great way to beat the heat without using up a lot of water, and sponge bombs can be used and re-used all Summer long.

Have fun!!

FOR FATHER'S DAY: Romantic Surprises for Him on Any Budget

ROMANTIC IDEAS FOR HIM FOR FATHER'S DAY

https://www.pgeveryday.com

LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS

16 Romantic Surprises for Him on Any Budget

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Make your partner’s day with one of these romantic and fun surprises for him.

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By: Lorraine Allen

Surprising someone you love is a fun way to show how much you love him. When raising a family, the pressures on parents add up quickly and keep coming. And though we might think of surprises for our partners around birthdays, it’s important to include elements of fun and surprise in your marriage often. It can keep you connected to your partner, it reminds him how important he is to you, and it keeps the spark alive. So here are 16 great ideas for fun and romantic surprises, for a variety of budgets, to inspire you:

1. Show up at his office with tickets to a show or concert.

2. Meet him out for dinner with a packed bag and train ticket for a weekend getaway.

3. Make his very favorite breakfast on a weekday that’s looking particularly hard for him.

4. Have a surprise sitter show up on a weekend day and surprise him with an afternoon at home, just the two of you, or a chance to go out and enjoy the day off, without kids OR work for once.

5. Leave him a message on his phone just to tell him how much you love him. Nothing else.

6. Write him a love note and slip it in his wallet.

7. Buy something small and special, and put it on his pillow to surprise him at the end of a long day.

8. On your next family vacation, or one random evening after work, book him a deep-tissue massage.

More from P&G everyday: 6 Ways Parents Can Keep Their Marriages Strong and Happy

9. Invite a few of his best buddies over the next time his favorite sports team has a big game, and then take the kids out to a movie to give the “boys” time to reconnect.

10. Write him a card telling him how much you appreciate all his hard work and all he does to support your family, and send it to his office.

11. Surprise him with his favorite dinner (either takeout or homemade), balloons, a nice dessert, music, candles, and even a gift or card -- celebrate him, randomly, one evening just because he deserves it.

12. Fix (or pay someone to fix) things around the house that have been on his to-do list forever. It’ll be a real treat for him to not have to worry about them anymore!

13. Pamper him at home. Buy him new PJs and a great book, run him a hot bath, and make him a cup of hot cocoa so he can really relax.

14. Pretend to plan a weekend with extended family, but surprise him that day with tickets somewhere exotic, and truly surprising, for just the two of you.

15. Redo your bedroom while he’s not around. You can find loads of creative ideas for any budget on the web, in magazines and on home-decorating TV shows.

16. If he’s traveling for work, surprise him by showing up at his hotel one evening, or just send him a care package there.

Do you have any great ideas for ways to surprise your spouse or partner?

Monday Solutions: Cleaning Tips and Tricks

Monday Solutions:  Cleaning Tips and Tricks

SarahWild for Chicken Soup For The Soul
http://diply.com/csfts/cleaning-hard-to-clean-places-home/127603/3

Cleaning can be a chore, even just the regular day-to-day sweeping and dusting. Then you get into places that can be hard to clean and well . . . they might get put off for a little longer than you intended. Now that the weather is nice, it is time to tackle those tough tasks. 

Now, we know things have to get cleaned, but we are also all about efficiency. A wise person once said "work smarter, not harder." Here are 19 tips to finally get to the things you haven't cleaned lately and more importantly, how to make it easier. 

1. Detail Your Own Car

Sure you can take it to a shop, but it will set you back about $200. Or you could do it yourself with a mixture of club soda, dish soap and vinegar. Scrub the solution with a firm brush and steam clean to remove residue. For full instructions go here.

via Discount Queens

2. De-Gunk Window Screens 

A lot of dirt can build up between your screen and glass window pane. Sprinkle some baking soda onto the dirt and pour on just enough vinegar to let it bubble up. Use an old toothbrush or cotton swap to scrub away stuck on gunk and rinse out wish warm water. 

via First Home Love Life

3. Clean Your Ice Maker

If you have a refrigerator with an ice maker, when is the last time that you cleaned it? Probably never right? A dirty ice maker can make ice that tastes or smells funny and can harbor bacteria. There are a few ways to clean it, but this one just uses steam. Don't use a harsh cleaner that could damage the ice maker - check the manual if you're unsure. If you threw it away, you can find most manuals online at the company's website. 

via The Shabby Creek Cottage

4. Get Rid Of Laundry Odors 

If you have a high efficiency front load washing machine, you know that they can get really smelly. Simply running the machine on a hot cycle with bleach every couple weeks can keep it from getting dirty in the first place. If you've really let it go, find the directions for a vinegar/ baking soda remedy here.

via The Rozy Home

5. Clean Your Grout 

Nothing makings a clean house look filthier than stained, nasty grout. Using just Clorox Toilet Bowl Cleaner With Bleach and a scrub brush this tile went from gross to great in just 10 minutes. If you have darker grout, test a spot below an appliance or out of sight before you do the whole floor - it does have bleach so it could do some damage. 

6. Clean Microfiber Couches 

Microfiber couches are supposed to hold up to dirt, but if yours looks more like the right side of this one than the left side, even after scrubbing with rubbing alcohol try using distilled water. Hard water can cause dark edges circles to appear, so soaking the top layer and rubbing with a cloth can help lift out those hard water stains. Once it dries, gently brush with a hard bristled brush and it should look almost new again. 

via Tada's Kooky Kitchen

7. Rid Stains From Laminate Counters

Laminate is a great option for a counter top, but a lingering spill can still stain it. If regular soapy water doesn't lift it, spread some baking soda and scrub with a gentle cloth to pull up the mark. Natural stones like marble can absorb a stain too, but you need to create a poultice specific to the spill and stone type to get rid of it. 

via Home Depot 

8. Clean Hair Brushes 

Anyone who has used a hair brush knows that they can get really gross. If yours is really nasty, make cuts every couple rows to loosen up hair. To remove product residue soak the brush in a solution of hot water and baking soda. 

via Passion For Savings

9. Dust Air Vents 

Use an old paint brush or makeup brush to dust out your car's air vents that your vacuum can't get to. 

via The Family Handyman

10. Dust Your Ceiling Fan Faster

Instead of trying to avoid dust in the face and all over the bed or floor below, wipe down a ceiling fan using a pillow case. Wrap it around each blade and pull off the dirt. Give it a quick wipe down with a cloth to get any stuck on bits.  

via A TIPical Day

11. Remove Rust From Knives

If your favorite knife has started to look a little worse for wear, and you've tried every DIY option with no results you don't have to buy a new one. Just grab a bottle of Bar Keeper's Friend and scrub away - the rust will start to vanish in minutes. 

via The Make Your Own Zone

12. Wash Fido's Toys

Dog toys can get really, really gross. Drool, dirt, dust and whatever else is all over these things. For the health of your dog - and you if you pick them up too - give them a wash. You can find simple instructions to clean soft toys, squeaky toys and plastic toys here.

via Good Dogs & Co.

13. Awkward Glass Bottles 

Sometimes those pretty decorative bottles develop a dirty residue inside and a bottle brush just can't reach. Pour coarse salt, dish soap and a tiny bit of warm water into the bottle and shake -hard then rinse. The solution should be gritty enough to scrub but liquid enough to move around. Depending how dirty they are you might have to repeat this process a few times to get rid of all the marks. 

via She Endeavors 

19 Ways To Conquer The Hard To Clean Things In Your...

11. Remove Rust From Knives

If your favorite knife has started to look a little worse for wear, and you've tried every DIY option with no results you don't have to buy a new one. Just grab a bottle of Bar Keeper's Friend and scrub away - the rust will start to vanish in minutes. 

via The Make Your Own Zone

12. Wash Fido's Toys

Dog toys can get really, really gross. Drool, dirt, dust and whatever else is all over these things. For the health of your dog - and you if you pick them up too - give them a wash. You can find simple instructions to clean soft toys, squeaky toys and plastic toys here.

via Good Dogs & Co.

13. Awkward Glass Bottles 

Sometimes those pretty decorative bottles develop a dirty residue inside and a bottle brush just can't reach. Pour coarse salt, dish soap and a tiny bit of warm water into the bottle and shake -hard then rinse. The solution should be gritty enough to scrub but liquid enough to move around. Depending how dirty they are you might have to repeat this process a few times to get rid of all the marks. 

via She Endeavors 

14. Hard Water Stains In Your Faucet

These open-style facets look so pretty - until they get grimy. Create a paste with coarse salt and cleaning vinegar (it is slightly more acidic than regular vinegar and can really power through stains.) Rub it onto the stains and let it sit for 15. Give it a quick scrub before rinsing and the deposits will be gone. 

via Made From Pinterest

15. Get Rid Of Driveway Stains 

Stains in a driveway look terrible, but they're so hard to clean. To pull out an old, embedded stain this product called Pour-N-Restore is your best bet. It is a poultice and draws out the dried in oil stains. The product pours on as a liquid that you spread over the stain. As it dries it becomes a powder that holds onto the oily stain so you can sweep it away instead of rinsing it into your lawn. 

via Instructables