With a triathlete for a hubby and a family that wants to be there to support him, we are at every race possible. The days can be long and they start early, so it's important to go well equipped. Now that race season has begun it was time for me to pull my bag of tricks out and get prepared for those long days out. This is my list to surviving a triathlon but the stuff would work well for any all day sporting event.
1. Get them involved-Talk to them about the upcoming weekend, tell them how fun it will be, ask what they would like to bring along.
2. Bring a stroller/wagon to haul your kids and stuff around in- It frees up your hands when need be like when you need a safe place for them while you are taking pictures of your stud husband. It also gives them a place to rest when they start to loose steam.
3. Bring things to keep their hands busy- The kids are super excited to cheer daddy on and take in their surroundings when we first get there but the start to bore and need things to play with. My kids are 2 and 3 and what works great for them is bringing along blank paper and crayons, play food, digging tools and their favorite stuffed animals for when they start to get tired.
4. Don't forget sunscreen and a change of clothes- The day can start out chilly but it usually ends up warming up so a change of clothes and some extra sunscreen is always handy, plus you never know what kind of dirt they may get into.
5. If you have a beach tent, bring it! My sister got me this one for my birthday and it is the best thing ever!! It keeps us out of the sun, it's cooler inside, gives me a great place to do diaper changes, is awesome for snack time and it keeps us from having to sit in the grass which we all break out from. I can't wait to try this bad boy out at the beach next weekend!
6. Treat them to something special at the end of the day- My kids love going to races but it is always fun to treat them to something special. We usually get snow cones or lemonade for the kids and it makes their day!
7. Make cheering fun! Bring along cow bells and signs and just go crazy. The kids will have fun and the athletes love it!
8. Make friends with the other families out there, you will probably see them again soon at another event so you may as well become buddies.
9. Bring lots and lots of water! When you spend the day outside it seems you can never have too much water.
10. And the most important thing of all-PACK SNACKS!! I pack a picnic basket full and we go through it all. Save your money for better things and bring along fruit, veggies, hummus, whatever you like to eat. There is nothing that calms a wild child like a good snack.
If you have any great tips I would love to hear them, I'm always looking for ways to keep things exciting. Have a great day!
The first goody in our arsenal of cleaning jewels is a product called Dirtex by Savogran. If you are lucky enough to live in Ramona, (Hush, I hear you snickering) you can get it at Ransom Bros. It is killer on mirrors and windows. Leaves no streaks. Ammoniated for fast action. (Their words. I wouldn't know how to spell ammoniated) The next thing is Zud. I have always called it Zuds until I took a closer look at the can. It's by Malco and we get it at, you guessed it, Ransom Bros. Gotta love Ramona. (I hear you) It comes in a container like Comet and gets rust, metal marks and the likes out of sinks. It works better by far than Comet, Ajax or any of those guys. Only use it on the tough stuff 'cause it ain't cheap, but it's well worth it! Last, but not least for today, is Bath Brite. We use it on sinks, showers, toilets, chrome fixtures. It cuts through the funky stuff that builds up around faucets, drains, in showers, places like that. Pour a little on, let it sit, and the magic begins. Scrub it with an old toothbrush, rinse and wipe clean. You can get this at Bradley's Pro Clean in San Marcos. Fun field trip before spring cleaning. They have tons of great stuff there for de-greasing pretty much anything, getting the weird, brown thing out of the bottom of the toilet bowl, window cleaning, etc. etc. Except Dirtex and Zud. Gotta find those on your own or come to beautiful Ramona. (Now you are just being mean) I was also going to share about my vacuum this week, but I am just too tired. Judy and I cleaned 3 houses today. 10 toilets between them, about 9 thousand sq feet of vacuuming and mopping, you get the picture. Feel sorry for us? No? You probably had a tough day too. It is actually quicker to clean all of those houses than it is to clean my own when I'm not focused. Bunny trails. They are all over. 
So, here I am as Amy's guest blogger. I am 58 years old, and truth be told, I would love to hire someone to clean for me. Since I know that will never happen, I have figured out how to be as efficient as possible so I can get on with the fun stuff! I'm sure that most of you are doing a good job and have all of your favorite supplies, but let's assume a couple of you need a tune up in this department. I will begin this week by giving you a list of the thinks I keep in my tote. My friend Judy and I like to call it our briefcase. We have been working together for 25 years and have been BFF's for 43 years! It is so nice to have a buddy to clean with. We have slave days every Monday, but that is a story for another day.
Your weapons! I like to keep a tote filled with my most used supplies. I keep Windex, Comet, furniture polish, (keep the oily cloth in a baggie), a large cup with a toilet brush in it, (the cup helps rinse showers), a sponge with a gentle scratchy back, a tougher scouring pad, a razor knife, a Pummie (gets the tough rings out of toilets), shower cleaner and a scouring pad with a handle, some kind of spray bleach cleaner, an assortment of brushes for the nooks and crannies, a feather duster and a hand swiffer duster. I keep a large grocery bag with my cleaning cloths, plastic grocery bags, paper towels, extra vacuum bags, and new sponges, that I take from room to room along with the tote. This way you aren't running back and forth looking for the stuff you need. I get this out when it's my big cleaning day. I also keep Comet, Windex, paper towels, a toilet brush and a sponge under the sink in each bathroom for quick clean-ups. Judy and I get our cloths from Walmart. They are cotton sack cloths and they don't leave lint. I use white shop towels from Costco for floors because they are rougher. I only use a mop when it's a very large house. I soak the Costco towels in a bit of white vinegar (also a must have) and water and wring them out and mop with my feet. I fold them in half and move back and forth over the floor and it works so well. Just keep refolding it and you get 4 sides out of each towel. Plus, it is great exercise! Of course, this is after you have vacuumed. If you have a lot of bare floors, you can get a kind of mop that has terry cloth covers that you wash and re-use. It has a swivel handle and is easy to use.
