No paper towels

In our family we very rarely use a paper towel.  Although one of our family motto's is "keep it clean" we still make messes, but we don't use paper towels to clean them up.  What do we do?

We keep it green and clean by reusing white wash cloths.  I find them a pretty and simple alternative to paper towels.  I buy them in bulk from places like Target or Ikea and keep them folded in this cute wire basket (from Target).  It sits on the kitchen counter where the paper towels would normally go for easy access.

I use them for cleaning counters, my toddler during/after meals, wiping clean dishes, etc.  After a use (or two) I put them in a mesh garbage can under my kitchen sink.  Wet ones fold over the side until they are dry to prevent anything growing down there.  The mesh garbage can is a must, keeps it dry and stink-free.

When I run out of washcloths I wash the entire can and start over.  If they start to look dingy I do a bleach soak (every few months or so).  I keep the extra clean cloths in a drawer (in folded stacks).

I can't take credit for this brilliant idea, it was my friend Sarah's.  

What do you do to keep your kitchen clean and green?

Backyard Tub

It's been hot lately, really hot.  It may be September and school may have been going for 4 weeks now but it's still hot. 

I'm talking put a bucket in the backyard with water hot (and yes I had to run the water through the hose for about 10 minutes before it was cold!!).

Sit in the bucket hot.

Bring your favorite purple cups into the bucket hot.

Pour water on your head hot.

Pour water on your dog's head while he's drinking out of the bucket hot.

Pour water on your big sister's head hot.

Try to get into the tiny bucket with your big sister hot.

Whew, that's hot!

Yesterday when I dropped my daughter off at the bus stop it was 109!!  Today it is a lovely cool 88 thanks to some morning rain.  Let's hope we have a few more of these cool days instead of hot bucket days!

Fisher Price Friday - Airport

We have a trip to the airport coming up next week so I thought the Play Family Airport #996 was fitting for Fisher Price Friday!  The Play Family Airport was the first of the airport lines, made between 1972-1976.  It is a big set both in size, weight and amount of pieces (19).

The top of the airport has a runway and helicopter pad.  The helicopter pad includes a crank that makes the helicopter blades move around.  You can also see the top of the blue and red control tower.  The set opens at the top to revel more playing space inside.

The control tower has a lithograph of control workers as well as space to shove in a few flight attendants, pilots or whatever Little People your kids can fit. ;)  Below the tower you can see the lithograph of a Snack Bar complete with travelers catching a bite.

When the airport pieces are pulled apart more play areas are shown.  Inside is a Travel Agency, baggage conveyor (on the other side too), and the walkway ramp.  Also a beautiful lithograph of the inside terminal with flags a flying and flowers blooming.  This is one pretty airport!

The Travel Agency office.

The front of the airport has baggage claim, a drive up ramp (for cars), and the Ticketing area inside.  It's a busy place!  The roof deck has the helicopter pad and of course the tower is on the right side.

Two cars were included with the Airport, both two seaters with luggage racks in the back.  There are variations on the white/green combo or Fisher Price written on the wheels.  Some sets had two of the same exact cars, some had one of each as shown. 

The Airport came with two planes.  A jet plane and a helicopter.  The jet plane looks a lot like the #183 Fun Jet (which came out 2 years before) but instead of "Fun Jet" it has the Fisher Price logo on the tail and some color variations to the jet.  It has the same wooden (permanent) pilot in the front though.  The helicopter was first introduced in this set but it appeared in the later airport/jetport sets as well.  There are color variations to the base/wings as well as the symbols on the blades.

I recently learned the most amazing little fact about this set.  The luggage truck can pull the plane out to a "runway".  How cool is that?  I never knew this as a child and was so excited to show my kids who enjoyed "taxing" the plane all around our playroom runway.

To taxi your airplane simply put the luggage truck connector post into the hole on the bottom of the plane (as shown above).  Our newer Jetport plane has the same feature.

The airport tram came with 4 vehicles that connect.  A truck, two luggage/baggage cars and a fuel tank.  There were different variations to the colors of the tram, but they are always yellow or red.  Subsequent airports/jetports had different colored (and shorter) trams with colors like blue/yellow.

The Airport came with 4 pieces of luggage.  Easily lost luggage!  Two green hatboxes and two yellow suitcases.  These pieces fit on the luggage/baggage cars and also on the back of the vehicles and in the rear of the plane.  The green hatbox first appeared with the #193 Fun Jet set and after the Airport it was included in the #934 Western Town.  The yellow suitcase was also in the Fun Jet set and later came back with the #2581 Express Train set.

Last but not least the Little People!  Six were included in this set, a family and two Airport workers.  Early sets were all wooden people (with the exception of the airport workers) and later editions had wood/plastic or all plastic people.

Airport family

Airport helicopter pilot and stewardess. Both have wood bodies and plastic heads.  Their hats have "M's" on the bills.  There were never all wood versions of these people although later versions were all plastic.  Both were exclusives to this Airport set.

Happy Flying!

For more airport fun check out the Play Family Jetport #933 and the Airport Crew #678

(semi) Wordless Wednesday - Elmo

My child loves Elmo.  Whenever she sees a photo or video of him she says Elmo.  So when Elmo and his friends visited the AZ Science Center (Sesame Street the Body exhibit) we made a point to go, twice.  We went on Monday, the final day of the exhibit and were able to see the real Elmo in person.  The kids were thrilled!

We decided that it was time to get her her own huggable Elmo but since it was the last day of the exhibit they were all out at the store.  Side note: we got the most adorable Snuffleupagus though!

Later that afternoon we did some treasure hunting (antique and thrift store shopping as a family) and we found him!  $3.99 and a cycle through the washer/dryer later (just put him in a big pillowcase to wash) and she has a new friend.

Hooray!

Greek Quinoa Salad

This weekend I had one of those days that started with pancakes and ended with birthday cake.  So for dinner I decided some veggies and quinoa were a must!  I had planned on making my favorite Mediterranean Quinoa recipe but remembered that I didn't have any basil.  A few minutes on Pinterest and I found this quinoa salad variation.  Fortunately I had all the necessary ingredients!  The family approved and now I have leftovers for a lunch this week. :)

Greek Quinoa Salad
Ingredients 
2 cups cooked quinoa
1/2 medium cucumber, sliced and quartered
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup diced red onion, chopped
1/2 cup kalamata olives, chopped
1/2 cup crumbled feta
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
2-3 Tbs red wine vinegar
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.  Serve immediately or chill in the refrigerator first (better this way).