New Tablescape - You Choose It!

12:00 AM | Posted by | | Edit Post
I need a new table scape!
My table looks boring right now
and I need your help!


I know,
it's sad looking, right?

I've had this up since July and did have some flowers from the garden in the jar.
But for at least the last few weeks,
it's empty and looking pretty horrible.

I know there are plenty of you out there are prefect at this kind of thing..
so I thought I'd enlist your help

I took pictures of everything I have to work with.
Here are all the placemats/runners that I have



And I pulled things I thought might look night on the table from all over my house...





Help me figure out which combination of items 
would look good together!

Here's what I came up with in the mean time...







Please leave me your combinations in the comments!!! I can't wait to hear your ideas!

Sam




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DIY Wasp Spray....semi-fail

12:00 AM | Posted by | | Edit Post
During the summer months, we leave our camper parked in our driveway
(we have a little pop-up)

I went out yesterday and set something on top of the camper and a bunch of wasps came flying out the A/C unit!
That scared the H-E- double-hockey-sticks out of me!

I went running in the house like a little girl.
I wouldn't doubt that I screamed either

I was so scared, it was all a blur.

Anyways...so the hubby comes home that night and looks online to find how to get rid of wasps.
He found that if you mix a 70/30 mixture of fabric softener and water together, apparently the wasps will stay away.

Since we were out of wasp spray, we decided to try it out.


This looked to be a big nest inside the A/C unit.
I watched at least 10 wasps fly in and out of it, just while trying to get a picture for a minute.


Here's Chris being very manly and not scared to get close to them.


Result....

So the wasps did initially leave.
Once he sprayed the mixture on the until, they flew out.
A few tried to come back right away and came close to the






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Praying for Some Good News

7:51 PM | Posted by | | Edit Post
For the past year or so, my hubby has been complaining off and on that his stomach hurt.
He'd went to the doctor, his family practitioner a few times
The Dr would say what he thought it was
Give Chris a pill
and send him on his way.

Of course
The pain never really went away.
I finally said that he needed to go see another Dr

We went in today to see the Gastrologist
I loved this doctor.

She spent at least 45 minutes in the room with us.
Asking question and question

She was a little concerned that he's lost about 8 pounds in a couple of weeks
(But that could be because his stomach hurt, so he really hasn't been eating.)
And she found a little mass in his stomach.
Not sure if it's a hernia..she mentioned the word tumor...or what it might be.

So, she wants to rule some things out.
I like that too.
Instead of just deciding that she knows whats wrong with him...
she actually wants to do a little investigating.

This Saturday, he'll go in for a CT scan
and in two weeks
he'll have a colonoscopy and they'll check his GI track.

The doc said at best, he probably has IBS or a small hernia.

She mentioned many other things today like
Lactose Allergy
Celiac Disease

I've been pouring over gluten free blogs tonight
just to see what might be in store for us
I found Sarah Bakes Gluten Free Treats
and it doesn't sound so bad.
But I'm getting ahead of myself here.

First we need to find out what's wrong.
I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little worried
I'd appreciate some prayers going Chris' direction
hoping that he's A-Okay.

Thanks for listening.
Sam


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Lunchbox Food: Kickin' Turkey Taco Rolls (Freezer Cooking)

12:30 AM | Posted by | | Edit Post
Last week, I shared my Pizza Triangles
This week - it's Kickin' Turkey Taco Rolls

First I started with my pizza dough. I just added a 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the dough.

1 lbs ground turkey
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup frozen corn
1 envelope of taco seasoning

Brown the turkey and add the remaining ingredients. Let it cook together for about 5 minutes. Then add a heaping handful of Chedder Cheese into the mix. Stir well. My mixture still had alot of juice from the tomatoes in it, so I put the whole mixture into a strainer before spooning it onto the bread.

Roll out your dough, as we did in the Pizza Triangles and starting spooning your taco mixture onto the bread. 


Pinch them together - make sure the seams are tight and bake at 450 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

Let me cool completely and toss into a freezer bag.
These are great for busy mornings to throw into the lunch sack!







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3 Step Pineapple Salsa Chicken (Crockpot Food) + Giveaway

12:00 AM | Posted by | | Edit Post
Today, you will have the pleasure and sheer joy or watching me make the best chicken dinner in the whole.
wide.
world.

Not kidding.
And to make it even better...
it's easy!

Here we go!

1 jar Pineapple Salsa from Traverse Bay Farms
3-4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1. Put chicken breasts in crock pot
2. Pour the award-winning Pineapple Salsa on top of the chicken
3. Cook on low for 8 hours



No joke, this is the most tender, sweetest dish ever...with just a little kick to it.
 
I think this now might have to be my go-to meal when I can't think of anything else to make! And I could just kick myself...because I didn't get a picture of the chicken!!! {so embarrassing}
The family literally eat it so quickly, there was no time. {sorry - try it - you'll love it}



Traverse Bay Farms offer a wide variety of award-winning fruit salsas all made in small batches with fresh fruit. Read the reviews on their website, people are really going crazy over their salsas. I knew my family would love the pineapple salsa...because it involves two of our favorite things!
 
We also loved the salsa with chips....

 
The Pineapple Salsa is full of chunks of pineapple that are sweet when they first hit the tongue. It stays sweet until the very end and gives you just the right amount of kick. I can see why this salsa won 1st place in the Scovie Awards in 2011!
 
 
You can order any of the Traverse Bay Farms Fruit Salsas for just $6.95 for a 16oz jar...you can also get their award winning salsa jar sampler pack (4 - 16oz jars) for just $25.80.
 
 
We were lucky enough that Traverse Bay Farms also sent us a bottle of their Fruit Advantage Joint Formula - Tart Cherry Capsules. With Chris and I working out...and getting older....our bodies can sometimes really show their age! The Tart Cherry Capsules help support your joint function and a healthy cardiovascular system. Both things that are important as we're getting older.
 
For me, joint health is important because about 14 years ago, I got into a pretty bad car wreck and ended up really messing up my knees and back. I've have arthritis in my back every since and when I'm doing too much sometimes....the back and my knees can really give me problems.
 
After taking these pills for about a week or, I started to noticed that I wasn't as sore in the morning...going up and the stairs after a long day was easier. I can see already the effects of taking these everyday...a routine I plan to continue!
 
Here's some more about the benefits of tart cherries from Traverse Bay Farms...
 
Our capsules are free of: fillers, binders, preservatives, pesticides, beeswax, alcohol, yeast, wheat, corn, dairy, egg, tree nuts, fish/shellfish, artificial colors and flavors, MSG, starch, olive oil filler, sunflower oil, sesame oil, peanut oil and rice. In two simple words - "100% Natural". Fruit Advantage is scientifically-based and precisely manufactured to deliver the potent and synergistic phytonutrients of tart cherries for fast and maximum absorption. In fact, each daily serving equals the specific antioxidant benefits of 5+ glasses of cherry juice without the sugar!
 
You can purchase bottles of the Fruit Advantage Joint Formula - Tart Cherry Capsules for yourself. They start at $18.95 for a 30 day supply. The more you buy, the more you save per bottle - with free shipping!!!
 
And with that, I'm so happy to announce that Traverse Bay Farms is letting me giveaway away a jar of the Pineapple Salsa and a bottle of the Tart Cherry Capsules to TWO WINNERS!!
(That's a $25.90 value!)
 
BTW....I need to mention that I was given product free of charge from Traverse Bay Farms in exchange for a review. I was not compensated for this post and all opinions are 100% mine. You can read my full disclosure statement here.
 
 
 
 
 


a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Keep Calm Candles Giveaway

7:35 AM | Posted by | | Edit Post
Welcome to the Keep Calm Candle Giveaway!
 
kccbutton.jpg

Keep Calm Candles seen a drop in people doing things that they truly loved doing during the economical drop, so they created the Keep Calm Candles a message of encouragement to everyone. "Keep doing what you love" so the love of doing it will follow. Keep Calm Candles truly believes that with hope and positive thinking, there is light at the end of every tunnel and they want to help light up that tunnel with their Keep Calm Candles.

Keep Calm Candles are made right here in the US and are of high quality. Every single candle is hand poured using quality soy wax and high end fragrances that smell amazing! These candles are also unique to their competitors because of the simple fact that you can actually choose which fragrance you want in your candle, which allows you to have your favorite keep calm saying as well as your favorite fragrance. A win-win so you know you will love your candle! Keep Calm Candles are available in 15 different scents and you can choose from 45 different Keep Calm phrases.
 
Who doesn't love a nice burning candle? I make sure and have a candle burning most days at my house!

Giveaway Details!
One lucky reader will have the chance to win their very own Keep Calm Candle, choose your own scent and Keep Calm phrase! This giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents whom are at least 18 years of age at time of entrance. The giveaway will end on September 2nd at 11:59p.m. CST. To enter for your chance to win, simply complete one, two, three or all of the entries in the Giveaway Tools form below. There is only one mandatory entry and the rest are optional. A winner will be chosen at random, emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. 
 GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF YOU!

Entry-Form
 
Disclosure: The Kitchen is My Dance Floor  and all other participating blogs are not responsible for the fulfillment of this prize. The sponsor holds full responsibility. I received no form of compensation for this publication. If you have any questions, comments or concerns or if your a brand/company and would like to see your product(s) in a similar post, please contact Sarh at mamis3littlemonkeys(at)yahoo(dot)com .
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Yes, You Can Have Chocolate for Breakfast Muffins

6:31 PM | Posted by | | Edit Post
If you call something a muffin
it means you can eat it for breakfast, right?
 
I thought so too.
 
That's why I made these....

 
 
Over-flowing Chocolate Goodness!
 
I decided to change my cooking format bit,
to not show you every step I do.
 
Let's be real...
you know how to pour flour into a bowl
you know how to turn on the mixer
 
at least you should
 
I'm going to stick to the basics and just give you recipe.
 
Here are the
Yes, You Can have Chocolate for Breakfast Muffins
 
1 cup milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup applesauce
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1-2 cups of semi sweet chocolate chips
 
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix together the sugar, applesauce, eggs and vanilla.
In a separate bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients.
 
Stir in the dry mixture into the egg mixture adding the chocolate chips, only until combined. Spoon in or pour the batter into a prepared muffin pan with cupcake liners. Bake 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
 
Let cool on a wire rack until completely cooled.
 
Keep in an airtight container on your counter top for 3-4 days. These muffins also freeze well.
 
 
I always think this muffin is the perfect reason to enjoy some chocolate first think in the morning! I hope you and your family enjoy them as much as we do!
 
Linking up to: This Gal Cooks, Create with Joy, Keeping it Simple, Craft-o-Matic, BoogieBoard Cottage, Homemaker on a Dime, Alderberry Hill, Flour me with Love, Sumo's Sweet Stuff, Sew Can Do, DIY Home Sweet Home, Uncommon Designs, Watch Out Martha, Skip to My Lou
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Rooser Diaper Bag Giveaway Event (Ends 8/31)

10:03 PM | Posted by | | Edit Post

 

2 Red Hens Studio was founded by Lori Holliday, the 'Mama Hen', whom grew up on a 1,000 acre farm in rural Arizona in a huge family. Lori grew up with out a lot of money, but she quickly realized that you didn't need fancy possessions or a lot of money to make something look pretty. She incorporates this same philosophy into her designs today.

 2 Red Hens offers beautiful things for Mom and Baby including, but not limited to beautiful diaper bags made of fabric designed by Lori as well as one-of-a-kind Limited Edition bags made from reclaimed leather and innovative products that help solve problems such as the Toy Nanny and the Bibby Mat.

Rooster Diaper Bag

The Rooster Diaper Bag from 2 Red Hens is a great diaper bag for a mom who likes to have a little style. This diaper bag's outer layer is water - resistant, making it quick and easy to wipe it down in a pinch. It has a large zippered inside pocket, a bottle holder and two pockets with elastic. The straps on this diaper bag are removable for your convenience. Don't take up room in the under basket of your stroller, just unhook both of the straps (leaving one end attached) and reattach your straps around the stroller handle. Magnetic snaps, at both ends of the diaper bag, help allow a busy mom to effortlessly close the diaper bag so contents don't fall out, there is a magnetic button as well that helps for added security as so many of us moms use our diaper bag as a purse as well. Tired of having to go digging for gold your keys in the diaper bag, your purse, etc?

The Rooster Diaper Bag has an attached key fob! PERFECT!   

{I wish I would have had a diaper bag like this when my boys were little!}

You can view more detailed photos and read Mami's 3 Little Monkeys full review here.

GIVEAWAY!
 
One luc
ky reader will win a Rooster Diaper Bag ($50ARV) from 2 Red Hens in the print of their choice! This giveaway is open to US & CAN, entrants must be at least 18 years of age.
Giveaway will run until August 31st at 11:59p.m. CST.
Enter through the Giveaway Tools form below, there are 2 mandatory entries, you may do one or both, if you do both more entries will open.
The more entries you have into the form, the better your odds of winning. 
Good luck!     

Entry

Disclosure: The Kitchen is My Dance Floor and all other participating blogs  are not responsible for the fulfillment of this prize. I received no compensation for this publication. If you are a brand or company and would like to see your product(s) in an event similar to this one please contact Sarh at mamis3littlemonkeys(at)yahoo(dot)com .
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Book Review: I Call Shotgun by Tommy Newberry

7:25 PM | Posted by | | Edit Post
 
(I was given a free copy of "I Call Shotgun" is exchange for my review. All opinions are 100% my own. I was not compensated for this post.)
 
I love this book.
It's a must-read for all fathers and sons.
 
This is book from the guys who have "been there", full of letters of advice to their sons about what they would have done differently, advice on how to live a Godly life and how to become a real man.
 
My husband, for the past year, has pretty much only has his nose in textbooks (he's going back to school) but he was able to sit and read this book and said that he really appreciated reading it and it really told him even more of what kind of father he wants to be and what type of qualities he wants his sons to mirror.
 
It also reminds us to push our sons to follow their dreams, be men of honor and integrity and above all else to love God. We plan on passing this book onto a good friend of ours who just became a first-time dad. We think the advice in this book is wonderful.
 
Here's a little more from the publisher:

For fathers who long to make a positive, lasting difference in their sons’ lives, passing down a legacy of values and ideals that will help them mature into men—into true men, leaders, voices of strength and wisdom for the next generation and beyond—the challenge has become more daunting than ever. I Call Shotgun is a practical playbook designed to equip dads for this vital task, increasing our influence and deepening our father-son relationships.

Written as letters from the authors to their own sons, the book’s sixty-three bite-size chapters cover a wide range of territory, from courage and compassion to finance and faith, from peer pressure and purity to hard work and humility. The life lessons within these pages teach sons how to cultivate integrity, follow True North, avoid victimitis, hang with the wise, laugh at political correctness, train for adversity, seek God first, make no excuses, build productive habits, and much more.

Shooting from the heart, Tommy Newberry and Curt Beavers—men of faith, influencers, entrepreneurs, and battle-tested dads themselves—offer an engaging, highly personal collection of potent insights, a just-in-time antidote to the empty counterfeits that today’s culture tries to pass off as wisdom. At the end of each chapter, simple yet carefully crafted questions invite deeper conversations between dads and sons.

Relevant to any man, but especially tailored for fathers and their teen or pre-teen sons, I Call Shotgun will help you to instill character in the boys who are growing into men right before your eyes—and it might just sharpen your own character in the process.
 
 
I would give this book a solid 4.5 out of 5 stars!!!
One of the best dad books out there!
 
You can purchase this book on Amazon!
Thanks for stopping by today!
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Kona Kase Review - Perfect for Active Lifestyles!

12:30 AM | Posted by | | Edit Post

Last month we received the July Kona Kase to review.
Kona Kase is a monthly subscription service filled with products that are perfect for your active lifestyle!

With the hubby and I really trying to work-out more, eat better and over-all have a healthier lifestyle - I thought Kona Kase was a perfect fit. Our box was filled different snacks that we hadn't seen before...we both loved the Garuka Bars (they are so good), Chris was all over the Enjoy Life snacks and I really liked the Perky Jerky!


I love the Kona Kase story - It’s May 2012. We were running the Relay (200 team relay from Calistoga, CA to Santa Cruz, CA) and found ourselves sitting in the back of an Econoline van eating tortilla chips and slices of provolone cheese to fuel up before the race. We were tired of eating the same old boring energy bars, but finding similarly healthy alternatives wasn’t easy.


Everyone on our team was talking about these great but relatively small or unknown brands they had heard of but couldn’t find. We knew there had to be a better way to discover awesome nutritional products than scouring local health shops or fitness websites or reading tons of product reviews and nutritional labels trying to separate the good from the bad.

We wanted to create a platform where runners, cyclists, swimmers, and yoga/Crossfit aficionados could sample different brands from around the country to find what works best for them. And so, Kona Kase was born.


You can get your own case starting at $15 a month - get big discounts for ordering 3.6 and 12 month shipments. Kona Kase is perfect for runners or anyone that is tired of the same old protein bars you find in the grocery store. 

From Kona Kase:  Every month, we deliver you top tier nutritional products to help you achieve their nutritional and fitness goals. Whether you simply want to learn to run a mile without passing out or you’re training for your third Ironman Triathalon, we’ve got you covered. We taste, we test, and we send only the best right to your door step. If we don’t love it, you don’t get it.

Visit Kona Kase online to order your own box - you won't be disappointed with these! 
AND....just for you.....click on THIS LINK and you can get $5 off your first purchase! Making your first box just $10!
You can also find them on Facebook
Twitter



(I was given a Kona Kase to review. I was not compensated for this post and all opinions are 100% mine.)


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It's Back to School Time....What do I do now?

12:30 AM | Posted by | | Edit Post
This will be my first year to have both kids in school.
Ashton is starting fourth grade and Colton will be preschool.

I'm torn in what I think about all of this.
I'm sad about it.
I'm happy for them, because they are both excited about school

I think the reason I'm sad is that I'm really a little scared.
I've been a stay-at-home mom for over 9 1/2 years.

Nine and a half years.

That is a long time.
Now, it's like I'm expected to all of a sudden go out and get a full time job and manage the house and the kids and do all the other stuff I do throughout the week.

Don't get me wrong - I know there are plenty of moms who work more then full time and do it all.
I just don't feel like I can be that person.
I don't think I would do a very good job at being a mom.

It all just seems very over-whelming to me
and caught up to me quickly.

How did Colton get to be old enough for Preschool?
That baffles me.

In reality, Colton is going half days, and will be home at noon...so the freedom will be short lived anyways.
I've thought about joining a gym or going back to school and finding a little part time job in the mornings.

I don't know.

I'm feel blank.

Any one else been there? Are you in this place now?
I'd love to hear another mothers thoughts.

Thanks for listening to me rant.

Sam



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Teaching Kids About the World Around Them - The Post Card Game

12:30 AM | Posted by | | Edit Post


I had been looking for a fun way to teach my kids about the United States.
Looking at books or watching videos is fun.
I've found that, with my boys, they are hands-on learners.
So I needed to figure out something to spark their interest!


I started emailing every I knew.
Asking them to send my kids a postcard from their state and to write a little info about the state on the back.
I also asked them to forward my email onto anyone they knew that might help out too.


In return, I told each person that if we received a card from them
That the boys would send them a postcard from Nebraska.

That was great too, because we went to the library and found out a lot of interesting information about Nebraska that we never knew about.


The response was over-whelming!
The boys received over 90 postcards!!!


They were from all over the country!
It was amazing!


We also found out that a distant cousin of my husbands was a truck driver.
Him and his wife really got into it - and send Ashton and Colton postcards from every state they traveled to for months!


Everyone wrote interesting information about their states,
some included their favorite spots to visit.
And the boys LOVED getting all that mail! 
Everyday they got a postcard was like Christmas to them. 


I saved all the postcards in a photo album for them and we marked on a map of the US where they received postcards from - they learned so much! 

Side Note: Be patient with this. The cards won't start coming right away. Our first card came in almost a month after I sent out the email. It took about 6 months for them to get all 92 cards. 

Thanks so much for stopping by today!
Do you have hands-on learners?
I'd love some new ideas! Please share!
 
 



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Weigh In Time + Giveaways + And My Top Posts

7:11 PM | Posted by | | Edit Post
I'm pretty sure the scale is not going to be my friend this week.
First of all, I hurt myself at the beginning of last week.
My foot has been killing me.
So I haven't been on the treadmill
and in turn haven't been making good food choices either

and to top it all off,
it was my birthday this past Thursday
and we pretty much threw caution to the wind all weekend.

Needless to say
I am not looking forward to this

When I started, I weighed in at 176
I weighed in two weeks ago at 172

Today...I'm at 172.

At least it isn't going back up!!!

It's been a busy weekend, but I have some great posts coming up for you this week!!

I also have a couple of amazing giveaways going on right now...

Little Passports, 3 month subscription ($41 value)

And make sure and check out some of my top posts

Sloppy Joe Bowls - 213 views last week!





Pizza Triangles (Freezer Food) - 45 views

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Goodwill Finds - Food Photography

12:00 AM | Posted by | | Edit Post
I'm on a mission to learn more about food photography
and to improve the pictures on my blog here.

My mom and I were in a thrift store the other day
and I found these pieces


I paid a whole $1.75 for all three of them.
I'm in love with the blue plate!


I think all of these pieces will be a great addition - much better then my plain ol' white plates.


And this place mat will add some nice texture to my pictures.
I've already used the cream colored plate for a post going live next week!

That's all - just wanted to share what I bought!
Have a great day!

Sam



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Happy Birthday to Me

12:30 AM | Posted by | | Edit Post
Today, I turn 33.



I feel like I must be getting older - because I'm not near as excited about this birthday as I have been of ones in the past.

Last year, I think we had friends over for a cook-out and when I turned 30, my hubby and two best friends snuck around and surprised me! They did good. My two BFs live in Kansas - we're in Nebraska. They surprised me with a huge weekend - we went out every night, got nails done, went shopping, ate and ate some more. It was so much fun. Probably one of the best birthdays ever. 


This year, we're going to go do some family stuff.
Chris said whatever I wanted to do...
So, we are going to:
-eat at Chick-fil-a (yep!)
- go hiking
- spend a day going junk store shopping

The boys don't mind those first two at all, the third will be like pulling teeth for the two little guys.
We'll probably have to spread it out over the weekend.

Anyways - we are off to do some fun stuff today!
You can follow all my adventures on Instagram.

If you want to give me a birthday present, I completely understand.
I lieu of cash...please follow me on

Facebook
BlogLovin
Pinterest
or Google +




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Cleaning Your Glass-top Stove - Chemical Free!

12:30 AM | Posted by | | Edit Post

I love my glass-top stove. 
For the most part, it is extremely easy to keep clean.


For daily clean-ups, I use a mixture of vinegar and water.
But, last night I had a pan of cheesy goodness that boiled over.
And burned itself onto the stove.


They sell alot of cleaners just for glass-top stoves.
I have never found on that really works.
The best cleaner are 'brillo' pads along with vinegar and water. 


Make sure and spray the top of stove generously with your water and vinegar mixture.
Let sit for a minute or two. 


Take your brillo pad and start scrubbing the areas that need it. 
When I clean one spot on the stove - I clean all of the burners.
Make sure and test in a small spot first, to make sure it doesn't scratch your surface.


Wipe down everything really good with a dry paper towel and then spray some more of you vinegar and water mixture on it to shine it up and wipe again with a paper towel.


Look at that - a clean stove top!


BTW - My vinegar and water mixture is about 30% vinegar and the rest water, I also like to drop a little orange or lemon scented oil in there too. 

This was a short post today! Thanks so much for stopping by!




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