I'm Shining!

 Yes I'm just beaming!  For a few reasons.  First off I found these pictures that were lost in camera space. What is camera space you ask? That's when you download your pictures to your computer and shove them all in a folder because you are in a hurry and forget about them for months until you randomly open it! Surprise, pictures you forgot about.  I was so happy to find these I headed right over here to post them.
But the other reason I'm beaming tonight is from all the love I found from my fans at Pinterest!  Over 3000 views in the past two days! WOW!  Thanks everyone for checking out my little blog.  I hope you all stick around and find helpful stuff.  And as always 'pin' away as long as you give credit back to Ma Bacon and the blog! One other reason to beam, I had such a nice email left for me when I woke up this morning from a blog reader.  It was so nice to be told how much someone else appreciates my blog. Really you guys just amazed me with all the love you sent! Thank you!!

So now back on to these pictures.  Do you have stainless steel appliances?  I will say I told Mr. Bacon many times in the three and a half years we've had these appliances that I would NEVER buy another stainless steel appliance again!  Especially a fridge with a water/ice maker.  They leave horrible water spots (it could be from the 4 bacon kids trying to help themselves too!)

 And it seems like they are always covered with finger prints, those tiny little joys I'm sure I'll miss when they move out, but they seem to love to touch the fridge after I polish it.  I had tried everything to get those water stains out, heck even the finger prints were getting tough to get off with the polish I was using. Oh and it wasn't just the fridge, nope the dishwasher and stove were covered in them too!  So it was off to do some research again. 



I'm happy to say I found something and fell in love instantly thanks to a tip from another mama I know!  She recommended Bar Keepers Friend and I haven't picked up any other polish in over 6 months since.  This comes in a can and it's in a powder form.  And a bonus, it's cheap! Under $1.50 for this bad boy!  So once you get this stuff, what do you do with it?





First you will need a small container. I used an old baby food cup, but anything will do.  Pour some bar keepers friend in it. Honestly I guessed, maybe a 1/4 cup at first. Then add water 1 tsp at a time to the powder and mix until you get a paste.  Then dig out three towels.  I used one rag to put the paste on, one to wash it off and then a microfiber towel to buff afterwards.   

 Work in small sections as you do this. I would do a 8"x8" or so square and then wash it off.  Now there is a trick to putting this on.  First you want to be GENTLE when you put it on or you'll scratch the stainless steel (take it from me first hand!)  Also work in the same direction as the 'grain' of the steel.  This will help minimize any scratches too.  Once you get it on, wipe it off with a rinse rag.  I kept an ice cream pail of water to help rinse too.  Then buff it dry.  It's that simple!  And check out how great it works!  The left half of the fridge has been cleaned, and no more water stains!

 

 It was amazing. I don't think I've ever been so happy to clean before! Yes I'm sure Mr. Bacon thought I was a bit odd when he heard the squeals of delight as I washed the fridge, but he was happy to not see the ugly water stains too.  Check out how the fridge and dishwasher turned out, pretty amazing I think!

Sure was a beautiful sunset!

There have been way too many hot days for this mama!  The 90's can go away any day now. I know that's a cool down where some of you live, but just remember in January when it's 30 out we still wear shorts and only once it gets below 0 do many of us wear winter coats in MN! With all the hot days that leaves little clouds in the skies, and leaves for quite nice sunsets.  Mr. Bacon and I have been enjoying quite a few of them outside around the campfire with the kids running around. But I also found an new sunset to enjoy, the adult kind! And I wanted to share it with all of you. It might just be the perfect sunset to enjoy while watching fireworks tomorrow.


Here is what you need:
1.5 oz UV Whipped vodka
3 oz sours mix
2 oz Orange juice
1/2 oz grenadine
cool whip (optional)

First if you don't have sours mix, don't worry you can make it easy enough I found out.  It's all equal parts which makes it even Mr. Bacon poof at goofing up!

First take 1 cup water and mix it with 1 cup sugar.  Now the fun part and the part I let the kids help with, squeezing the lemons and limes.  Little Boy Bacon actually likes to eat lemons so he always sneaks in a few bites!  You want fresh lemon and lime juice for the best tasting sour mix. I have been buying lots of them this summer to slice and enjoy in my water too so I did have these on hand.  You will need 1 cup of lemon and one cup of lime juice.  I have to say this can take a lot of lemons and limes!  I actually cut this recipe in 1/2 when I made it so I didn't have to use quite so many.  And It was just Mr. Bacon and myself drinking it so we didn't need a ton.  I found even for 1/2 cup each took about 2 lemons and 3 limes to get.  

Once you get your cup of each,  mix them all together and put them in a fridge safe container.  Next grab your shot glass and a larger cup to mix the drink in.  You can also use a drink shaker and shake this up.  Mix in your cup orange juice, sours and vodka.  Mix or shake well.  Next pour it into your fancy glass (optional but doesn't it look so nice!) Once that is in the glass, you can add your 1/2 oz of grenadine. Because it's heavier than the other mix it will sink to the bottom. (yes the Bacon kids got a science lesson after they squeezed the lemon and limes!) Add a dollop of cool whip to the top of the drink and a few cherries on a toothpick (optional also!) and ENJOY!

 

Now you didn't think I'd leave out the kids did you?  After all this is a family blog!  Here's a fun drink you can mix up for the kids to enjoy for our Independence day too.  And bonus, they get the same science experiment out of it.

Red, White and Blue:
4oz blue kool aid or Gatorade
4oz lemon lime soda
1 oz grenadine
Ice
Glass or clear plastic cup

Fill cup with ice.  Pour in the grenadine.  Next very carefully pour the soda over the ice and then the blue kool aid.  The grenadine will stay at the bottom until it's mixed in. Red, white and blue!! Once you mix them together you get a purple drink. Great for the kiddos!

 Have a Happy and Safe 4th of July to all my American friends!