Back from Spain

Wow, one week goes so fast when you're having fun.... We came back late last night and the kids are in school right now and I'm on a short break. We were in such a hurry before we left so we just left the house in a HORRIBLE state. And guess what? It was the same way when we came back. No house elves around these parts obviously. *sobbing* So I guess you can imagine what I'm up to today....

So far I've vacuumed G:s room and mopped the floors in his room and the bathroom. I've picked up about a hundred tiny toys and stuff and I've cleaned the shelves in the bathroom.

These pictures were taken a few days before we left for our vacation so things look a little better but I guess you can see what I have ahead of me, LOTS OF HARD WORK! So I won't write about our trip today, I'll leave that for tomorrow when my home hopefully looks a little bit better than this....

FlyLady's "new" site

As some of you probablyknow by now, I'm a complete FlyLady fan. I've tried so many different methods to get things to organized at home and not a single one of them has worked for me. Until I found FlyLady. Tada! It was like magic. For the first time in my life my home was in order. I just couldn't believe it! And the best part of it all is that even when I totally fall off the wagon (like right now) I know just what to do to get back on track in just a few days.

The only thing I don't like about FlyLady is the website. It's so stuffed with things and in no logical order whatsoever. It looks like a totally newbie made it and it just makes me want to cry. I mean, come on!, FlyLady does earn a few buck with the shop and everything else, so why can't she pay a professional webdesigner to remake her website and make it easier to read and find the information? That's just beyond my understanding. Many, many friends of mine say the same thing when I tell them about FlyLady -"Ok, it does seem to be a great system and I can see that it works (*looking around my place*) but hey, the website just stinks! It gives me a headache trying to find the information on how to get started."

And now she's done it again! I've read on some mailinglists that she was remaking the site and I was praying there would be improvements. I just checked it out and NOOOOOO! It's not better, not at all.... Just more colorful.... *sobbing hard*

What do you think? Do you like the "new" layout? In case you haven't visited the FlyLady site, here's the link: http://www.flylady.net

No paper :-(

Well, in the end I didn't manage to send in my paper on Spanish literature because the ¤&¤"%# connection was so lousy all weekend so I just couldn't get on the university server and download the files I needed. This is making me CRAZY!!!!

So,it's Monday today and I should be doing my weekly Home blessing. Well, I haven't started yet. I will, in a little while. I have to get the laundry first and then I'll have a quick go at the living room (the Zone today). I really NEED to study but I also need to have a clean house. Help! Where do I start? *lol* 2 more hours before I have to go and get the kids. I think it's time I put on my cleaning shoes and get going. Go, go, go!!!

How much time do you spend cleaning your house? Do you do Fly Lady or some other method? Or do you have a maid or cleaning lady?

Spring clothes

Spring is in the air. Today is a fairly warm day, a little windy but the sun is warm. We are stuck indoors because the kids want to spend their last day of the holiday plugged in to the Play Station. Ok, so I let them. Am I a really lousy mom for not making them go outdoors in the sun? I don't think so... Because from tomorrow on they will be back in school and will spend at least a couple of hours outdoors each day. So why not let them decide? There will be lots of sunny days ahead, from May and onwards until October there will be hardly any rain at all so there will be plenty of tie to play in the sun.

I feel a bit stressed today. I guess that's just part of the PMS I'm suffering right now. :-( I've done quite a lot of laundry and in a few hours I have to go to work. I don't feel like working today. I guess we're been off school and work for too many days, I've just become a lazy Franny. Oh my! It's time to get back on the Fly Lady wagon again, I NEED it!

Over the next coming weeks I'll need to go through all our clothes. I will wash and stash away the winter clothes we might be able to wear next winter, give away what we will not wear again and throw away what's too torn to give away. I need a mayor make over of my closet. I'm so tired of my clothes! I think I'll be radical this year and get rid of all those items I keep, "just in case"... I've lost quite a bit of weight these past years and all my old jeans and sweaters are too big for me. I think it's time, once and for all, to get rid of my old big me and only keep what I wear right now. And if I gain weight again, well, then I'll just have to buy new clothes! A crammed closet doesn't make me a happier person...

So what's new in the fashion scene for spring? I'm sorry to admit that I haven't got a clue about fashion. I think I'd have to get addicted to a fashion blog so I'll learn. I want to be a posh mommy, not the usual Franny I'm at home. HELP! I guess I, too, need a makeover! So, where should I go first? Any suggestion will be very well appreciated, because I think this situation really has to change. Yep, I'm about to turn into a butterfly.... Or at least that's what I wish I could be....

I'm drowning....

One of the downsides with studying for exams is that the housework gets left out. There's no time/energy to keep the house nice and tidy and I have to admit that I really, really have let everything go this time. :-(

According to the weather forecast for tomorrow it's going to rain a lot in Ceuta and that means that it's probably raining here as well. Rain = no laundry. The clothes won't dry and will end up smelling funny so I pass. That means I will still be drowned in dirty laundry but will have the time to pick up the house a bit. First of all, I have to take care of the mountains of clean laundry I have in the living room and get everything in its' place. Then I'll vacuum every room, which will take me about one hour because there is stuff everywhere. How I hate this!!! I want to have a nice home and I want it NOW! *argggggh* I guess there's no one but me to blame so I just need to get going...

This is my TODO list for tomorrow:
- Put away clean laundry
- Put away my toys that have been lying on the living room table for the past two weeks waiting for my inspiration to come back
- Vacuum every room
- Clean the bathroom
- Work on my new Control Journal
- Prepare classes for next week
- Study Literature

It might not seem much, but it will take me several hours to get everything ok this time, because of the state of things. I'm sure I'll study a lot better in a home that's not looking like war zone.

Subliminal messaging

I am, as some of you probably know, a SHE - which stands for Sidetracked Home Executive. In other words, I get sidetracked at most things and even though I really want to make something it's really hard for me to follow through. And I know I'm not alone. Just take a look at all the books about home management, check out Fly Lady and all the boards and mailing lists about SHEs and SHENess. I'm sure you'll come up with quite a lot.

There are ways to make you less sidetracked and that's by changing the way your brain works. Fly Lady tells us to make lists and stick Post It notes around the house. Yes, that does work. I'm the living proof of it although I'm still far from being "perfect". It's a slow process but it can be done.

Recently I found another method which does more or less the same, but in a much more subtle way. It uses subliminal messages to reprogram your brain, so you can achieve the goal/goals you want without getting sidetracked or giving up on the way. It works on a series of different areas - like quit smoking, lose weight, increase your IQ, get rid of fears and phobias and drop destructive habits. It sounds like magic but it isn't. How? I found this explication at http://www.subliminal-power.com/ : Subliminal messages are positive affirmations sent directly to the subconscious mind, bypassing the more critical conscious mind. The subconscious then follows these commands to produce powerful and exciting change - quicker than anything you've ever seen before. Subliminal Power works by flashing positive affirmations around your computer screen while you work. In fact, you probably won't even notice most of them. But the subconscious does. It soaks up every single message - and uses the commands to make fast, exciting change in your life. If you are like me, this might be the method for you. Check it out and see for yourself.

The rains are coming

I've heard today that it's snowing heavily in the north of Spain and that it's raining in the east. That means that the rains will probably hit us tomorrow or on Wednesday. The rain season is about to begin!

You can easily tell that the rains are on their way because the temperatures have dropped. This morning I had to turn on the electric heater for the first time this season. The kids were not not happy to get up in a very cold house. I think we had like 17 degrees C when I got up. I really need to buy a gas heater! Electricity is so expensive so we hardly use it, and because of that the house gets cold and damp, and everything starts to smell. :-( With a heater we can actually afford I think things will change.

Today I'm attacking Mount Washmore because once it starts to rain it will probably rain for a week and then it will be sunny but cold for a day or two before it starts to rain again. And do on... Until May, when the rains stop and the dry season begins. I don't have a dryer so when it rains the laundry won't get dry for several days and you can imagine the smell... *yuck* I hate that smell! So I usually end up drying the laundry in the living room. :-(

Are you prepared, part 1

Being prepared for emergencies is very important and is something we all should bear in mind. So many things can happen, and if we are prepared the effects of the emergency is probably going to be much less than if you're caught by surprise.

According to the American Red Cross there are 3 steps we all should take to prepare ourselves and our families in case of emergency:

- Make a plan
- Get a kit
- Be informed

First of all, you need to make an evacuation plan. Conduct fire drills and practice evacuating your home twice a year. Make sure everyone in your family knows how to get out of the house in case of emergency and where you’ll meet once outside. Make sure you have 2 meeting points – one outside your house in case of fire and one outside your neighborhood in case you can’t go back home. Then plan the getaway route and drive it twice a year so you know it by heart and know how long it will take you get to a safe place. Also plan for alternative routes in case the main roads are shut down. Drive those too twice a year.

Make a contact list. Decide who is going to be your family contact and make sure everyone knows the number and how to call. If you are a Fly Baby, you know this is one of the most important pages in your control journal. Make sure the list is updated and print out copies for all the members in the household.

Have a family meeting and talk about why you need to have an emergency plan and what to do in case of an emergency. Show each family member how and when to turn off the gas, water and electricity at the main switches. Teach your children how and when to call the emergency number. Install smoke detectors and test them monthly. Buy a fire extinguisher and test and recharge it according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Tech Tags: emergency emergency+plan emergency+kit evacuation+plan fire+drill contact+list

Blog Action Day: it's all about the environment

Today is Blog Action day. It's a day of reflexion. Think about the environment and what YOU can do to make our common home a better place.

There are chemicals EVERYWHERE nowadays. Not only in cleaning products but also in our food, clothes and air. Even in our blood and breast milk. Our unborn babies are already exposed to chemicals! I think that's alarming and it's about time we all do something about it or our planet will not last much longer. We have to rethink our way of life and do something about this. Before it's too late...

You really don't have to go cold turkey on all chemicals and do dramatic changes in your life. There are situations when a chemical product is better, but just use them wisely. All it takes is a little thinking and a change of habits. In our daily life there are lots of situations when we don't need to reach for the chemicals or artificial products. If we all tried to think a little bit "greener" our planet would be a much cleaner place for everyone.

There are 2 things I couldn't do without - baking soda and vinegar. 100% natural and inexpensive and they have hundreds of uses, either used alone, with other products or mixed together.

Doing dishes: mix baking soda and water into a paste and scrub stainless steel, iron or copper pots with it.

In the bathroom: clean the bathtub with baking soda.

In smelly things, like garbage cans or shoes: use baking soda to take out the odors.

Laundry: Put some baking soda together with your normal detergent. You can use a smaller amount of cleaning powder. Also use it if your clothes smell bad, of cigarette smoke, mold, urine or just about anything else. It's also great for removing crayon from clothes. Use vinegar instead of fabric softener. The clothes will come out really soft. Remove stains caused by grass, coffee, tea, fruits and berries by soaking the clothes in vinegar.

These are just a few of the everyday uses for something as simple as vinegar and baking soda. It's good for your economy and it's good for the environment. Think green, help us save the planet!

More information about Blog Action day is found here.

Kellys Missions Zone 1

This week Fly Lady and the Fly Babies around the world are in Zone 1 - the Front Porch, the Entrance area and the Dining Room. This month we're in it for the whole week and I'm really glad. The entrance are is the ONLY are in my home right now that's not affected by the makeover since we're done with the work in there. The only thing left is decorating it. But that's a whole different story. *lol*

These are Kelly's Missions for this week:

- Monday: sweep your front porch area around your front door. I'm not really able to do that right now, because my "front porch" is still stuffed with paint cans, tiles, broken things and I don't know what. I don't want to throw it away until the make over is totally done, because they might need something from this pile and then I'd have to go and but it again. So this will have to stay for a few more weeks, just in case. At least I had a good go at the door and now it's blue and shiny again, a HUGE difference!

- Tuesday: this is a a multi room mission - the Hot Spots in the 3 areas. Oh, this is a good one for me! It took me a while to get done but I did what I could, considering the circumstances.

- Wednesday: the walls and the windows in the dining room as well as the piles on the dining room table. The walls are newly painted so not much to clean there. I don't have a window in the dining room anymore, it's the entrance to the kitchen. *lol* The piles on the dining room table are gone.

- Thursday: the entrance area of the home - grab all those shoes, books and jackets that seem to pile up right by the front door and put them away. Not much in there to start with, due to the makeover, so it was an easy one.

- Friday: grab a trash bag and just pick things up in the three areas. This is a good one! At least one small part of my home is decluttered and clean.

Finally I'm able to finish all of Kelly's Missions! Woohoo.... Now I feel really good about myself.

Have a great weekend everyone! I hope to work on my Christmas cards and on Sunday we'll go to mass - the bishop is coming!

Spam mail

Today I have spent the day by the computer, in spite of my good intentions yesterday. I decided it was time to get rid of some of the spam mails that I've got lately. And guess what? I've deleted more than 7.500 spam mails!!!!

I hope my computer will work a little better now and that the server will be a little more stable without that heavy load of rubbish. I think I'd better do this once a week. I actually have it on my Weekly Routines List, but since things have been so strange lately due to the makeover I just haven't had time to go through my mail accounts. And I've closed one of my accounts because in that account alone I've found over 2.000 spam mail and nothing else, so what's the use in keeping that account?

Hopefully there will be less spam next week, because deleting mail is BORING!

How to get your home organized - Step 3

Step 3: Everything in its’ own place.

If you have followed the first two steps your home/room should be decluttered by now and the Throw Away bag emptied and the Give Away box on its' way to bless others.

As you take all the stray object to their rooms, try to think about which would be the right place for each item. Try to put things where they are really used. Use your common sense. If you put on your make up in the bedroom, maybe keeping it in the bathroom might not be the best idea. If you read your mail in the kitchen, maybe you should have a place by the kitchen table where you can put your mail?

Have a look at the things you have. Gather the things that are similar or have similar uses and think of how much space they need to be stored properly. If you have lots of books, you might need to add another shelf or maybe store them differently. If you have lots of CD:s you might need a new storage system. As you work your way through your rooms you might find that some groups of items use less space than you thought and other groups need more space. Based on that, you might be able to “recycle” your storage systems and find new uses for what you already have. Getting organized doesn’t mean you have to spend a fortune on storage systems! It’s about finding better uses for what you have. And if you have followed the previous steps you probably have less things anyway and in more logical places.

Previous posts: Step 1 and Step 2

Tech Tags: organized+home home+improvement

How to get your home organized - Step 2

Classify your stuff.

Once you’re done decluttering one room you have to make sure the Throw away box is emptied and the Give away box is stored away in its’ “cooling place”. Just don’t forget where you put that box and let it stay there for too long! 3 months and it’s gone, ok? And if you’re sure you don’t need any of it ever again, you can give it away sooner.

So, now you’re standing in your decluttered room with less stuff than you had to begin with. Only the things that you love. But in your Keep box there are probably lots of things that don’t belong to that room.

The next step is to classify the stuff in the box. Take out some boxes/bags and label them with each room or member of the household. Classify the stuff and then take it where it belongs. Or let each member come and get their own stuff.

Why don't you get your kids and make a game out of it? See who can put away most things in 10 minutes. I'm sure you can make up lots of funny games for your kids to make them give you a hand. After all, they too live in the house and should help with the cleaning. Of course, everyone according to their age.

Tech Tags: organized+home home+improvement

How to get your home organized - Step 1

Step 1: DECLUTTER

Get 3 boxes/big bags. Tag them – Keep, Throw Away (for torn things, things that can’t be used anymore, garbage) and Give Away.

Start working in one room. It’s easiest if you start by the door and work your way around the room. Spend only 15 minutes decluttering in one room, then go to another room or do something else. If you spend too much time decluttering you are probably going to get bored and you will end up keeping it all. Remember, you are only keeping what you really love/need. If you keep it all, then why declutter? You need to be tough and really think about each item – do I really want to keep this? Do I love it? Would I miss it if it was gone? Will I ever need this thing? If I don't need it/love it, would it bless someone else and make her/him happy? Or is it just rubbish? With less things in your home it will be easier to keep your home organized and clean.

As soon as one bag/box is filled, take it away! Don’t leave it around. Go, go, go! Don't think so much, just get it out of your sight.

One thing that has worked for me is to put away the Giveaway Box somewhere where I won’t see it (like on the balcony, the shed, etc) for 3 months. If during that time I have not missed any of the things in the box I’m definitely ready to give them away. I write a note on my calendar - "Time to take care of Give Away Box". But if you're more determined than I am, just give everything away right away.

Tech Tags: organized+home home+improvement

A race against the clock? Not anymore!

Mornings in my house used to be a complete mess, with all of us running around like chickens with their heads cut off. And then I discovered Fly Lady! I know, it sounds weird that a person you have never met can have such an impact on your life but she has. She gave me the tools and I learned how to use them,one baby step at a time.

My morning routines nowadays actually start the night before. I spend a few minutes every evening preparing things for a calm morning. I lay out the clothes the kids and I are going to wear, after consulting our schedules and appointments for the next day, and I put whatever extras they may need by their backpacks. I put towels by my kids clothes if they are going to have a shower in the morning. I also lay the table for breakfast, so I won't lose precious time on that.

I get up at 5.30 AM and then wake the kids up at 6. That gives me about half an hour to myself every morning and that's wonderful! I get up, get washed and dressed, prepare myself a cup of tea. Sometimes I do a short yoga routine or just meditate for a few minutes. That half an hour of ME-time really recharges my batteries and helps me feel good about myself in the morning. I'm really a night owl so getting up in the morning has always been a struggle for me. But thanks to my precious minutes in the morning I'm able to start the day in a great mood.

When I wake the kids up I try to do that in a calm way, giving them lots of kisses and talking to them, giving them time to be fully awake before they even attempt to get out of bed. B always wakes up right away while G often needs about 15 minutes of talking and hugging before he manages to open his eyes. He's just like me!

While the kids go to the bathroom I serve breakfast. Usually I'm having just my second cup of tea and a little something, because I usually have my breakfast after I leave the kids. I have divided my morning routines in "with the kids at home" and "with the kids in school". While the kids have their breakfast, brush their teeth and get dressed I do the beds, prepare their snack for school and wash the dishes. I check the calendar to see if I've missed something. The kids watch TV when they are ready. I want us all to be dressed and ready by 7, thus leaving a margin of 15 minutes in case something unexpected occurs. At 7.10 I tell them to turn off the TV, go and get their backpacks and jackets and put on their shoes. By 7.15 we're ready and lock the door. Then we have 15 minutes to get to my friend's house, which actually takes less than 10 minutes. See, I like to have extra time in the morning, I hate to rush! If we are ready too early we just go for a walk or talk until it's time to go to school.

This works for us. My kids know the routines and they know at what time things have to be done. Usually they obey the rules because they too appreciate our calm mornings and don't want to go back to the chaos. It took me some month to make the mornings work but now I can see it was worth it!

More about Morning Routines at Morning Routines with your Kids Tips & Tricks

Organizing the entrance

As soon as the painter has done his job in the entrance I can start decorating it. That is going to be so much fun! So far I haven’t really had a proper entrance so I’m really excited about the possibilities.

I want to have a backpack station where the boys can put their backpacks when they get home. I have just the right wall for that so a backpack station it will be. Have a look at this, I want something like this: I'man organization Junkie about backpack stations.

Then I want some sort of effective way to put shoes and boots. I’m tired of having shoes all over the entrance and having to look for the missing shoe in the mornings. I need ideas for this one so in case you know of something, just let me know, ok?

And during the cold and rainy season I need somewhere to put umbrellas, rain coats, gloves and stuff. How do I do that in a smart and not too expensive way?

Finally, all those tiny weenie items, like keys, cell phones and such. What do I do with them? I’ve been thinking about using soap holders. They are cheap, cute and perfect for containing small items. I think that will work.

The entrance from the dining room, the rest of the entrance is on the left on this photo.The new wall where the kitchen door used to be:
The door to the bathroom and the opposite wall of the entrance.

Still a long way to go

My whole home is a mess and I hate it! This kitchen makeover is getting on my nerves because it's been 5 weeks now and there's still no end to this madness. When I get my kitchen back I also want to regain the rest of my home, because it's difficult to have a tidy house with lots of clutter and no organization.

This is what I have in mind for this coming week: tomorrow (Monday) - the electrician comes to finish his work and hopefully I'll have an oven and an extractor working in the kitchen. Tuesday - the plumber will put in the faucet, the water heater and the stove. Wednesday - I really need to go to Ceuta (Spain) to try to finish my paperwork for university. Thursday - I'll get some ladies to help me clean my kitchen, entrance and Gs room. Friday / Saturday / Sunday / Monday - Hopefully, I'll find a painter for one of those days to paint the kitchen, the entrance and Gs room. After that, I'll call the ladies again so they can help me getting rid of the paint spots on the floor, and help me clean the rest of the house. That will be a mayor clean up and a much needed one too.

I know I'm going to spend a lot of time this fall on my favorite organization sites, like FlyLady, Organising Queen, I'm an Organizing Junkie, Martha Stewart and Organized Home. Do you know of other cool sites? I'm getting desperate! This horrible makeover has been a mayor eyeopener to me and I know I need to get my home organized in order to find inner peace.

So, where do I start? Today I've been cleaning and regaining small spots of my home. I've managed to clear a spot for my son G to play with his Action Men. He gets really nervous when he can't play and unfortunately there has not been much room for playing these past weeks. The biggest problem is that if I put all his toys back in his room we'll have to take them all out again when the painter comes. His room has to be painted this year, due to the mayor fixes we've done in his room. Well, I guess a small spot is better than no spot at all.

Me, the menu maker

I'm a disaster when it comes to cooking and planning meals. I love to look in my cook books and pick out meals and do grocery lists and so on, but when it comes to actually cooking I always forget my good intentions and desperately look around my empty kitchen at 5.30 PM wondering what I'll make for dinner. I had a menu planned out and managed to stick to it for a whole month. Wow, that was the best month ever in my kitchen. I've wanted to go back to that ever since, but I've always found zillions of excuses for not making a menu. Well, that is something that's about to change!

Today I sat down for a long, long time (several hours actually) and made a menu for 5 weeks. I even wrote down all the special ingredients for each meal and made a general shopping list with EVERYTHING I'll need for the coming weeks. I feel sooo PROUD of myself.

I've decided I will share my menus with you, but not now. I'll participate in Menu Plan Monday over at I'm an Organizing Junkie. BTW, I LOVE her blog. If you haven't visited it yet, what are you waiting for? *lol* So from now on, I'll post my menus every Monday and hopefully that will help me stick to my menus too.

I don't like meat very much. I used to be a vegetarian for over 10 years. And now, all of a sudden, I couldn't think of any good veggie dishes. Isn't that strange? I've decided to be a good Catholic this fall and not eat any meat at all on Fridays (I know, it's not an obligation to fast on Fridays but I want to do that. I have so much to be grateful for so a little penance won't hurt me). I'd like to know what you fellow Catholics think about not eating meat on Fridays, what do you do? Do you obey the Friday rule or is it business as usual?

Nailpolish, eyebrows and fresh air

Yesterday I got an urge to paint my finger and toe nails. I haven’t painted my nails for over 15 years so I felt a bit odd doing that. But when I finished and looked at my glimmering nails I felt really good. It’s such a simple thing and yet it feels like a treat. I haven’t taken care of my nails for so long but that is going to change. I’ve decided that I need to pamper myself more. A happy mom is a nice mom.

This fall is going to be really, really tough. First of all, in 2 weeks time I’m back at being a single mom, since my husband goes back to Sweden. All the responsibility for the house and the kids will be mine again and I don’t have anyone around to help me. In October my life will change completely - I won’t be a SAHM anymore. We open the cultural center again and I’ll have at least one group of students. And if everything goes according to my plans I’ll go back to college full time (although on line) to study Linguistics for the next 5 years or so. I need to make a Control Journal and stick to it.

I need to take care of myself to be able to cope with all my new responsibilities. I need to have a little pampering time every day, even if it’s just 5 minutes to paint my nails or meditate. I need to eat right, sleep enough, go for a walk and get some fresh air every day, do yoga on a regular basis, have my eyebrows done, my hair cut at least every other month, time to scrap… I know I’m worth it!

What do you do to pamper yourself? Do you follow Fly Lady or how do you cope with every day duties?

Healthy snacks

My kids have lunch at their school because they spend many, many hours at school - between 8 A.M. and 4.15 P.M. At 10 A.M. they have half an hour break to eat their snacks. Usually my kids take a sandwich or some fruit, but this year I want to be more organized and give them healthier snacks and not give them the same things all the time.

I've been thinking about giving them tortilla (the Mexican tortilla *lol*, not the Spanish one) and I found several recipes here. Granola bars is something my kids are not used to having, but I love them and since they are not sold here I'll have to learn how to make them myself. I also found a recipe for Caramel Bars. They sound really yummy but are not to be served on a regular basis, at least not in this home. But every now and then we all need a special treat. *lol* I also found a healthier recipe, using zucchini - I'm definitely going to try that one on my kids because zucchini is a veggie they seldom want to eat and I love it! Picnic bars with shredded coconut and walnuts or caramel apple bars with apples and caramel? There is so much to chose from on the Internet. I think I'm going to have so much fun this fall trying out new recipes, when I finally get my kitchen back. I think I'll post photos and reviews when I try something new. I can't wait to have a kitchen again!