Spring Cleaning: No Mops Required

Spring is finally here, and you know what that means! It’s time for you to clean out the cobwebs and break out the warm weather wardrobe. If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed by this task, relax, we’re here to help. Take a look at this short list of tasks that will get you well on your way to being ready for the season!

Organize and clean the refrigerator

Do you have three almost empty bottles of mustard and some long-expired eggs in your fridge? How about those Mexican leftovers from a month ago? Go through your fridge and toss what’s no longer edible. Then, if you want to go the extra mile (or if the fridge literally stinks) actually clean it. And don’t forget the freezer section while you’re at it.

Edit your clothes

Even if it seems like you have the right amount of clothes, you may have much more than you think. In fact, it’s not uncommon for someone to give away 20 pounds of clothing after going through their closets. Get out all of your clothes and consider how long it’s been since you’ve worn each article. Often, items at the very bottom of your dresser or back of your closet haven’t been used in several seasons. If you haven’t missed these pieces yet, you likely never will. Give them away, or throw them out, as the case may be. By doing so, you’ll finally have room for the clothes you actually wear.

Get rid of ‘the pile’

Have a box or two that you never bothered unpacking after your last move, or a stack of “important papers” that is making a mess of your desk? How about a stash of old CDs or video games shoved under the bed? Go through them. Toss what you don’t need, save and organize what you do, and be glad to be done with it. Who knows, you might find something you’d been vaguely searching for but had given up as lost. As for those old video games: You might be able to convert them into a little bit of cash online.

Don’t be a product hoarder

Now, go through all the products and cosmetics in your medicine cabinet and bathroom shelves. Throw out everything that you are not currently using — even if it was expensive — or that is clearly past its “use by” date. And while you are in the bathroom, look at the shower curtain liner. Is it greenish? Then it’s time to get a new one.

Sprucing up your apartment doesn’t have to be painful. If you cannot do the entire cleanup in one day, tackle one or two things at a time. You’ll feel better about your place and ready for the new season.

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Case For A Small Place

Is bigger always better? Maybe not. You might want something a little bigger than a broom closet, but a smaller living area has some serious benefits! Apartment Therapy argues the case for a small place, so read on...

First, there's the obvious benefit of cleaning. Barring an actual lottery win, a cleaning crew doesn't make financial sense for me right now, and the few hours a week I already spend cleaning up my teeny tiny space is more than enough.

Second, I really enjoy the design challenge of a small space. It keeps me from hoarding a bunch of stuff I don't need. I have no choice but to consider every piece that I buy and how it will fit into my space. I save money by not buying things to fill space, and there's an environmental advantage. I contribute less to the pollution and waste that goes into the production of furniture and textiles (smaller space, smaller footprint). It also makes moving way easier.

If you're a small space convert, whether out of necessity or preference, here are some of our best tips for small space lovers/likers.

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DIY St. Patty's Day Crafts

Are you having a St. Patrick's Day Party, or are you attending one?  These DIY Crafts are super easy to make, and they will help you figure out whose drink is whose.  All you need is some different color card stock, scissors, and straws.   You can follow the directions below and make the straws in different colors.  This way you know what drink belongs to everyone.  For more great DIY St. Patty's Day crafts, you can click on Martha Stewart.



As a nod to Saint Patrick's Day, let your kids create their own luck with four-leaf-clover straw toppers. Shamrocks fashioned from green card stock make for an instantly festive table.

Tools and Materials

Card stock
Scissors
Bendable drinking straws, in green

Shamrock Straw Toppers How-To

1. Cut card stock into 5-inch squares.
2. Fold each square in half diagonally, creating a triangle, and then fold in half once more to make a smaller triangle. Trim off outer points as indicated.
3. Unfold paper halfway, as shown. Cut a small V at the bottom, in the center.
4. Unfold shamrock, and crease diagonally, reversing the direction of the fold; repeat to make another diagonal crease. Slide card-stock shamrock onto one end of a green straw. Make a wish, and have a sip!

Henry County Recognizes Their Star Students

Congratulations to the Henry County STAR students.  These students are recognized for their outstanding achievements in and out of the classroom.  Teachers who inspire these students are also recognized in this program.  Learn more about the STAR program in the Henry Daily Harold.

Congratulations to Henry County’s STAR students.

At the annual Student Teacher Achievement Recognition at Eagle’s Landing County Club, Thursday morning, the young men and young ladies were celebrated for their achievements.

The Chamber of Commerce and the Professional Association of Georgia Educators recognize the students each year based on their testing scores and academic performance.

Teachers who inspire these students toward academic excellence are also recognized.
 
The Henry Daily Herald was proud to be part of the STAR student recognitions by highlighting the individual students in the Wednesday edition and providing coverage of the event in this edition.
Congratulations to Brittany Burdette, Christopher Campbell, Nash Van Zandvliet, Patrick Oney, Courtney Allen, Savannah Holcomb, Anthony Ciccarello, Collin Garnett, Ammad Ashraf, Cayla Doolittle, Sol Ah Jung, Sydney Wilson and Charlie Campbell.

We hope all of our students will be able to continue their education, pursue their dreams and hopefully many of them will choose to return to Henry County, make a living, and raise their own families here some day.

While these students are being spotlighted for the level of their achievements, they are a microcosm of the excellence than can be found in both public and private schools throughout Henry County.

While bad behavior sometimes gets the attention of the public and the media, the number of bad-behaving students is very small when compared to the thousands who go to school each day, do the things they are supposed to do and act responsibly.

Largely, those students who excel, both in the classroom and in life, have parents who are also on the job, who incubate a loving environment in the home, support the school system and celebrate successes.

While discipline and corrective action may be necessary in schools, and in life, it is equally important that whether it is a student, a friend, an employee, colleague or family member that we always try and take the time to give a pat on the back, a warm smile and say, “Job well done.”

In this case, to these classroom champions who have distinguished themselves as Henry County’s STAR students we say, job very well done.

28 and Counting

The Murphy's have been married for over 30 years.  They have four biological children and over 18 adopted children.  They have over 28 special needs children that they care for.  They care for each child as their own and bring them up in a great environment.  Keep reading to learn more about the Murphy's and their amazing life.

John Murphy and his wife of more than 30 years, Jeanette, not only share a long lasting love for one another, but a passion to care for children who are less fortunate than others.

The couple are proud parents of 28 special needs children, most of whom have cerebral palsy or various other physical aliments. And they love each and every one of them as if they were their own flesh and blood.
 
“Most of the kids were given away because their parents were either on drugs or they just could not handle the responsibility of caring for them,” Jeanette said.

Walking into the Murphy home was reminiscent of the 2003 movie “Cheaper by the Dozen,” an American comedy film about two divorcees who marry each other and face the daunting task of raising 12 rambunctious children. However, the Murphys have 17 children who can be boisterous occasionally, but for the most part they’re usually mild-tempered and well-behaved.

“They are all really great and loving children,” John said. “It can get crazy sometimes, but not too often.”

It was during the 1970s when John, a devout Catholic, and Jeanette, a hippie wanna-be, met at a home for special needs adults, fell in love and embarked on a journey to change and improve the lives of children who were discarded due to their special needs.

“We saw that the children were not being taught properly and we wanted to teach them to be self-sufficient,” said the frail, brown-haired woman.

“Most importantly, we wanted to show them love and compassion,” added John.

The duo said they had always had a yearning to work with special needs children. Their sentiment was if they could make such great strides with adults, teaching them basic hygiene skills and household tasks, then what more could they do to help children?

The Murphys attempted to open a foster home, renting a five-bedroom house. But after only a year, they ran out of funds and went back to working at group homes.

“We just found out we got approved for a child, we swallowed our pride, but we never gave up on our dreams,” Jeanette said. After several attempts of applying at foster homes for special needs children, Jeanette said one day she had an epiphany from God and told John, “Maybe God wants us to adopt a special needs child.”

They couple immediately got to work and visited a private adoption agency. The application process, the couple said, was challenging.

“The application included a checklist of various disabilities, mental and physical handicaps both mild and severe,” Jeanette said.

She added they were instructed to check the disabilities they felt they could handle.

“As I skimmed through them, I felt in my heart that it would be wrong to check a single box, so we left it blank,” she said. “We wanted to trust that any child sent to us was meant to be a part of our family, no matter what their disability.”

Shannon was the first child to be adopted by the couple.

“After this, we never sought out children,” she said. “We always trusted God would present to us every child who belonged in our family. Boy, did He ever!”

In three decades, the couple have four biological children — Shawn, 36, Christan, 33, Josh, 27, and Bethany, 25 — and adopted 18 more — Angela, 44, Shannon, 36, Angel, 29, Josiah, 28, Jimmy, 27, Jeremy, 27, Brandon, 27, Julia, 26, Amy, 26, Lindsey, 25, Cody, 22, Callie, 22, Noah, 20, Emily, 18, Nathan, 17, Mia, 17, Nicholas, 11 and Kristina, 10.

Except for Brandon, all the Murphys’ adoptive children suffer from acute neurological damage, Down Syndrome, and autism. Six of their adoptive kids passed away, due to medical complications. That includes Jon Boy, who they describe as their “little piglet,” who died of leukemia at 8 years old and Nikki, their golden haired blue-eye angel, who died from complications of a staph infection. She was 9 years old.

“While I can’t say that we conquered every medical and emotional challenge laid before us, with God’s help we have survived them all,” said the couple.

“I like to think that God blesses special needs children to special people and if we didn’t have them this would be a miserable world to live in,” Jeanette said.

You can follow the Murphy family on their blog at www.28blessings.blogspot.com.

For more information see the Henry Herald.

Apartment Organization Tips and Tricks

Your apartment can be tough to organize when you have a lot of stuff.  Here are some great tips to on how to organize your apartment with what you have to work with.  

Tip #1 Since the floor plan may seem small, the best way to add storage as well as décor to your apartment is through wall shelving. By adding shelves, you're able to make use of wall space by storing CD's, books, videos or any other collections on the shelves and off the floor. Wall shelves are also a great way to display framed photographs or other knick-knacks.

Tip #2 As an avid shoe collector, I know that small closet space can be a problem in most apartments. A great way to get shoes off the floor and allow space for other items is to purchase a shoe organizer. They can be found just about anywhere, and are a great low cost alternative to closet clutter. The best ones hang right over your closet door, allowing easy access to your favorite pair of shoes. By organizing your shoes, it also cuts down on time spent looking for them, especially when you're in a hurry!

Tip #3 Another great way to make the most of limited closet space is to buy adding an additional closet rod. This apparatus is simply hung from both sides of your original rod by 'hangers', allowing for a second row of clothing to be added below the first. A great space-saver, this item can be found at Bed, Bath and Beyond for a low price.

Tip #4 Depending on available floor space, a common storage unit can come from the form of a trunk, or chest. These are good for putting away seasonal items or even extra towels for the guests. They're also a great additive to room décor, and can also provide additional seating in a bedroom or be used as a table for pictures or flowers.

Tip #5 In the living room, store books or games in storage furniture like Ottomans or coffee tables with drawers and shelves. Ottomans are essential for living rooms in that they provide a leg rest instead of the coffee table, and they can store things away from sight. You can also use them to store everyday items like the remote controls, or a TV Guide to reduce clutter in the living space.

Tip #6 Another good space for storing items is under the bed. While most people do hide things under the bed, most often they're not stored properly and items can get dusty and sometimes damaged. Plastic bins are an easy way to store winter sweaters, extra bedding or items you just don't know what to do with. There are specially sized plastic bins that are made thin enough to fit right under the bed, allowing for easy accessibility and freshness when particular items are needed.

Tip #7 If you have extra space on your closet floor, adding plastic drawers can organize and reduce clutter from other areas of the house. Organize belts, scarves, ties or anything else in the plastic drawers to make room in your regular drawers for clothing or undergarments. You can also use these drawers to hold gym clothing, extra shoes or slippers, or laundry supplies to keep with the laundry pile. These drawers, as with any size or type of plastic bin, can be found at discount retailers like Target or Wal-Mart for a low price.

Tip #8 Cut down on clutter by adding hanging hooks to the living room, kitchen or bathrooms. These inexpensive items allow for usable wall space to be turned into a storage area for day-to-day items like your cell phone, keys or hats. Use hooks in the bathroom to hang bathrobes or wet towels, or even decorative towels can be used for both display and practicality. In the kitchen, hang dishtowels or spare keys for easy accessibility or organization.

Tip #9 An easy way to store a lot of items is to have a TV entertainment center with lots of drawers and shelves. Since they are usually large, make the most of the space it takes up by storing DVDs, CDs, books or video games. Try to find enough shelves to fit the electronics, and when you're all finished setting everything up, clip together the electrical cords to make it look more neat and clean. By clipping all the cords together, it's also easier to vacuum and reduce the amount of dust buildup behind the furniture.

Tip #10 The last tip is to shop around for furniture that has multiple uses. You have a limited amount of space to work with, so make the most of it. Most bedroom sets offer beds with drawers, so this is a great way to attain additional storage. Ikea is a great store to shop for storage solutions for affordable apartment settings. Coffee tables, end tables, and even miniature bars all have shelves or storage space, so use it wisely!

For more information see yahoo.

Mardi Gras Party in Your Apartment

Mardi Gras parties are great for friends to get together and enjoy some great food.  Here are some great tips on how to prepare your apartment for the best Mardi Gras party of the year.  Make sure to use purple, gold, and green throughout the apartment and to make a King Cake for all of the authentic Mardi Gras themes.

Krewes: The fixture of New Orleans’ Mardi Gras parades since the mid-1800s, each krewe has its own unique history and theme. Dedicate your party to your favorite krewe – like Rex, which is credited with introducing the official colors of purple, green and gold – or have each guest come dressed as their favorite. Making up your own krewe and backstory can also be a creative and humorous ice breaker.

King Cake: In addition to being delicious, this dessert dates back to the 1700s in New Orleans and even further back in Europe. It has also taken many forms, but King Cake usually consists of a twisted cinnamon roll with icing died purple, green and gold. As for the plastic baby inside (or bean in some cultures), whoever finds it is crowned king or queen for the day. Buy a crown and sash for your lucky party guest.

Beads: Although these colorful necklaces have come to be associated with some R-rated behavior, it is by no means a requirement to getting them, and can in fact lead to an arrest in New Orleans. Keep your party clean and give a string or two of beads to everyone who comes in; the Rex krewe also gets the credit for starting this tradition.

Drinks: One of the biggest parts of any Mardi Gras celebration are the tasty cocktails. Use New Orleans as your inspiration and mix up some Hurricanes (Emeril’s recipe calls for light and dark rum, passion fruit liqueur, orange juice, sour mix and sugar) and Sazeracs (rye whiskey, Herbsaint, bitters, lemon peel and a sugar cube), and check your local liquor store for some Louisiana-brewed Abita Beer.

Pre-Lenten Celebration: A party is that much better when you know it’s the last time you can truly let loose for a while. Even if you’re not giving anything up for the next 40 days or going to church on Ash Wednesday, think of Mardi Gras as incentive for doing some good in the coming month, whether for yourself or others in your community.

For more information see Living Apartments.