Summer Outdoor Party!

Summer is a great time of year to gather with friends and family and head outdoors to enjoy the sun and fresh air! Entertaining outside on the patio or deck is a great way to keep the house clean and to use the scenery as your decor!  Follow these tips on having a great deck, patio or lawn  party!

Get organized.  There are a few steps to take before you can start sipping that margarita!

CLEAN!  Yes, we still have to clean, even outdoors!! Sweep the deck, or weed the patio. Clean off all the chairs and tables. Pick up anything that isn't party related and find a home for it!  If you plan on using your grill, give it a good scrubbing!  If you have a pool and are planning on a pool party, make sure it's cleaned, vacuumed and ready to swim in!  Outdoor carpets should get a good sweeping or vacuum.

PICK A THEME!!  I recently hosted a party at my home and called it FRIDAY HAPPY HOUR.  It was a great alternative to having a weekend party.  People are very busy on weekends with weddings and graduation parties at this time of year.  Having a happy hour party, people came right from work for a few cocktails and a bite to eat.  I was able to keep it simple with foods you would find a bar during Happy Hour.  I also followed the lead of a friend and made it a BYOB party.  It worked out great and people didn't seem to mind bringing their drink of choice. This also helps to keep the cost down. However, I did provide a complimentary cocktail of a frozen margarita to all the guests.. I made a huge batch of them the day before and will definitely be making them again, it was so easy and so good!

 I did take the tops off of these before guest arrived and gave them a dip into margarita salt, added a cut lime on the rim and a drink straw!! They were so yummy and so cute!

PLAN YOU MENU!  While BBQ and grilling go hand in hand with summer entertaining, it's fun to think outside the box.  For the Happy Hour party, I did a taco bar.  I loved how simple it was to do.  I had everything prepped ahead of time in bowls and had the meat warming in the crockpot.  Unfortunately I was having so much fun I didn't take many pictures.  I found an inflatable "cooler" at the Party Store.  It kind of looks like a float/boat that you fill with ice. At the start of the party, I filled it with margaritas that were premade and frozen in mason jars. They were a huge hit!  When it was time to eat, I just set the bowls onto the ice and put out the shells (soft and hard).  It couldn't have been an easier meal to serve and everyone loved it.  I stuck to the taco theme and also put out nachos at all the tables earlier.  In the past I have done Italian themed bbq's, luaus, and simple hamburger/hotdog bars.  Use your imagination and go for it, the ideas will start flowing, I promise!  Also don't forget dessert! Since this was a Happy Hour party this last time, I was sure to serve my guests coffee and dessert and let them relax for awhile before they drove home.  I don't love to bake or do desserts. So I tried to think of something fun and different that I could put together fast.  What I came up with sounds strange, but it was delish and everyone loved it.  Earlier in the day I cut up some strawberries.  While the coffee was brewing I put together some donut hole and strawberry skewers! Yup, you read that right, donut holes!  I simply placed a donut hole (different flavors) a strawberry, another donut hole, etc. and then placed them on a beautiful tray and then to finish it off drizzled with chocolate syrup and caramel syrup.  How much more simple can a dessert be? I myself was amazed at how much everyone loved it and though how clever I was. Here I thought I was just being lazy!  I've found that you can put anything on a stick and people will eat it up!!

Decorate!  I didn't go with a wild taco mexican theme for this party.  I kept it simple.  Just threw some cute tablecloths on the tables, made sure there were plenty of fresh flowers, and candles.  I did find some adorable napkins that I couldn't pass up,  they screamed  "Happy Hour" to me, and everyone got a kick out of them!

THE LITTLE EXTRAS:  When entertaining outdoors you usually get some uninvited guests!  Mosquitoes are very pesky and can ruin an enjoyable night out on the deck.  I provided my guests with Off Smooth & Dry mosquito repellent. I love this stuff because it's a powder dry spray formula and it doesn't stink!!  I also had plenty of citronella candles lit everywhere!
Another thing I love to do when having a party is to keep a basket of toiletries for my guests in the powder room.  I fill with things like hair ties for the girls, tide pens, tampons/pads (that are in a cute little pouch), lotion, etc.  Guests always mention how much they love it.
MUSIC!!! Oh, you must have music to have a great party!  I try and make a playlist ahead of  time.  For this party I made two playlists.  One faster, livelier one for earlier when everyone was in party mode and one, easy, bluesy, jazzy one for later when everyone was winding down.
Games! I had bocce ball out on the lawn, and decks of cards out on the tables. In the past I've set out checkers and chess and people always play! So don't forget the frisbees, football, can jam, etc!

There is still plenty of summer left to plan a get together for the deck or patio.  It can be intimate or large.  Have you had a party this summer?  Are you planning one? What theme are you going to go with?? Tell me all your ideas, I'd love to hear them!!

FATHERS DAY GIFTS!

Yup! It's that time of year again!  Time to show Dad how much you appreciate him and love him!  If  you're shopping for your Dad or for your husband, here are a few great unique Fathers Day gifts that he will love!! I am a HUGE Amazon shopper!! I get the best deals here. I've always saved money shopping through Amazon. Great return policy, great prices, great company to deal with...it's no wonder they are so popular!

So much to choose from!

Shop Amazon's New Kindle Fire

What man doesn't love his tools??

Shop Amazon -Father's Day Gifts in Tools

How about the Kindle he's been eyeing??  Now is a great time to pick this up!

Shop Amazon's New Kindle Fire

And don't forget to fill that Kindle up with some great summer reading for him!! 

Shop Kindle Books - Best of 2011

I hope you all have a fantastic Fathers day and Dad is happy with whatever he gets, be it another tie, or a fabulous new Kindle Fire!! Enjoy the day!!

HOW TO GET YOUR KIDS TO KEEP THEIR ROOMS CLEAN!

I am not one of those moms who say "just shut the door, I don't want to see it, you have to live in it." Nope, I'm the Mom that does daily checks of the kids bedrooms to make sure they are in order. I have always believed that the kids learn good habits early on.  So from a very early age they were taught to pick up their toys, put their clothes in the hamper and make their beds. Was it a struggle? Yes. Was it worth it? Yes Yes Yes.  Today as teenagers, I know when I walk into their bedrooms everything will be in order. How did I do it? Simple threats and motivation!  Seriously, it was easy with one of my boys, he is naturally a neat and orderly child. My oldest however was pigpen.  He would never clean his room or put clothes in the hamper and finally I had enough. Why was I yelling at him day after day just to keep getting the same results?  Finally one day, I went into his room and took everything out in garbage bags. EVERYTHING!  I had him help me clean every inch of the bedroom.  I then wrote a list of things I expected from him. On the list was things like, Make Bed, Put Clothes In Hamper, Keep Dresser Clean, etc. At the bottom of the note was a clear and precise message..If These Things Are Not Done Every Day, You Will Hand Over Your Cell Phone For Two Days. If  You Argue With Me About This You Will Lose Your Cell Phone For One Week.  If You Continue To Argue With Me, You Will Lose Your Cell Phone For One Month.  I had him read it, he agreed to it, and we taped it to his mirror.  It's been well over 4 months, and I have never had to take his cell phone away. Why didn't I do this years ago? I would have saved myself a lot of frustration, headaches and grey hair!! I check his room daily, and it's immaculate. He must really love his phone!  This works with xbox, going to friends houses, taking  favorite toys away, etc.  We of course have to be consistent and follow through on our threats!  When my boys were younger they were much cleaner!! As teenage boys they can be lazy slobs at times! I'm not a drill sgt.  I don't expect them to do the dusting and vacuuming of their rooms, but I do expect them to keep their rooms cleaned and picked up. I went through the trouble of doing the heavy cleaning, so respect me and my time for that. It's like that in the rest of the house also. Leave it the way you find it!! Clean!!  Have respect and pride in yourself and your space! What works for you? How do you motivate your kids to keep their rooms clean?

Your Cleaning Schedule and Routine

Most of the traffic to this blog seems to be for the scheduling and housework lists. I just want to remind everyone, when looking at the cleaning schedule I have posted, remember that this is just an example. Everyone has different lives. While one woman may have several children and work full time, there may be another woman who has one child and stays at home.These two women are going to have completely different cleaning routines.  What works for one, doesn't work for  everyone.  With that said, here are a few guidelines to get you started at making and keeping your own cleaning routine!

• ROUTINE! A routine is something you do consistently. Be sure to be consistent. You have to discipline yourself and get into a habit of just doing it! Sure it's easier to go sit on the couch after dinner than to clean up the kitchen. However, what your doing is just creating more work for yourself! The dishes aren't going to clean themselves! Tomorrow morning they will still be there, and on top of them will now be the breakfast dishes.  This is the same thing that will happen if you neglect to wipe down the bathroom everyday. Instead of taking 5 minutes to clean a day of grime, you will end up spending much more time cleaning several days worth of grime! "AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION IS WORTH A POUND OF CURE!" Believe me, it's much easier to throw in one load of laundry a day, rather than 10 loads once a week! Much easier and faster to fold and put away, plus the small load isn't so daunting and overwhelming and makes you want to quit before you even start it!

• DECLUTTER!  Do yourself a favor and toss the junk! With less junk comes less cleaning.  You'll have more space to organize the things you want, need and love. You'll have less things to pick up, dust and clean.  Less clutter means less stress. Be brutal when you start going through things to toss or donate.  Ask yourself some questions: Do I love it?  Do I use it? Will I use it (be honest!)  Will I fix it/Mend it? (be honest) Could someone use this more than me?  After answering the questions honestly, you will know if it's junk, or something you can donate! 

• ORGANIZE!  Now that you've rid yourself and home of the clutter, take the time to organize what you have. If you follow the simple rule of "A  PLACE FOR EVERYTHING AND EVERYTHING IN ITS PLACE", you'll find your home is always picked up and ready to be cleaned without having to go through and put things away before you start scrubbing. Invest in bins, organizers, boxes, baskets or whatever you find works for you. We'll use the bathroom for an example. Everyone in my home has their own basket that is kept under the sink. In each basket is their shampoos, soaps, hair products, razors, combs, brushes, lotions, etc. Doing this saves time, space and headaches. When they go in the bathroom, they grab their basket, use their stuff and then they put it away. There is never a bunch of junk all over the counter, it's all neatly tucked away and organized. This makes life a lot easier to wipe down the sink and counter without having to put all the stuff away and wipe that off too..keeping it baskets under the sink keeps all the bottles dust free also! Another example is mail. Oh the piles of paper and mail. I keep to very pretty baskets on top of the refrigerator. They are deep so no one who comes to my house can see what's inside of them. But one basket is for mail, and one basket is for "stuff". It's my version of a junk drawer. I need all the drawer and cupboard space I can get and I'm not filling one of them with junk. So the "it doesn't really have a home" stuff goes into the basket. When I do the bills once a month, I grab both baskets, go through the mail, do the bills and then the junk basket gets cleaned out too! So get organized and you will cut your cleaning time in half!

• Cleaning Supplies!  I keep my supplies in a caddy that I can carry from room to room. I have dust clothes, duster, magic erasers, etc. inside it.There are some things that I don't carry around.  In each bathroom I keep a can of cleanser, a roll of paper towel and a bottle of windex, bathroom cleaner and sponges.They are stored in a basket under the sink.(yes, I love baskets!) If I don't have to go and get it out of another room, or run downstairs to grab it, it's a lot easier. I just open the cabinet and do my daily spray, swipe, wipe. It's convenient and the excuse of not feeling like going down to grab the supplies or "I'll do it later" is out the window. All your supplies are there, so "just do it"!

So having a cleaning schedule and routine isn't enough. You have to have a plan, discipline, organization and a little creativity. In no time you'll be whipping through your daily and weekly chore lists in half the time it takes you now!

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ReCheck Your Fall/back to school schedules

Now its the time to see if our schedules are fitting the back to school routine. Take the time now to revamp your schedules and chores if needed. Don’t wait till the house is a disaster and you don’t know where to start. You should have a feeling now that its either working or its not. With practice schedules, dance schedules, homework schedules and everything in between you may need to be a little flexible in your own schedule.

Now is also a good time to set your kids routine in order. Be sure that they are staying with a specific routine when they come home from school. Make good habits for them. Are they giving you the papers that you need to see? Are they doing their homework without being told? Are they throwing their backpacks wherever or are they putting things in their place? If your child knows that homework is to be done each day right after school, there will be no fight. You shouldn’t have to have reminders. They know and will get into the habit of just doing it. Kids do like consistency. They like to know whats going on and when.

If they or you are constantly wondering whats next, than you will all be living in chaos and confusion. Things get lost, homework doesn’t get done, things are forgotten and no one succeeds. Stay on top of things. Keep your calendars updated. Get the kids into the habit of checking their calendars daily. If you haven’t already, drop a line to your kids teachers to introduce yourself. You can call, email or write a letter. Don’t wait for the open house and get lost in the dozens of other parents. Do it now and keep the lines of communication open with them. It will be beneficial to you and your child. Your childs teacher will also see that you are involved and care about your kids education.

This is also a good time to join the PTA if you have the time. This is a busy time of year for all of us. A lot of things are going on. Not only do we have back to school, but with it sport schedules, dr. appointments, holidays, and our everyday duties. So sit back, take a deep breath and really get it together. Don’t let things just happen and fly by the seat of your pants. We want our children to model themselves after us. Show them how to be organized and efficient and successful!

Spring Clean The Coat Closet!!

Heres an easy Spring Cleaning Job to get you into the spring clean groove...the coat closet! We know it needs to be done..you'll be amazed at how much storage room you have once those winter coats are put away! Plus you'll really feel like spring is here once they are out of site!

It is that time of year when we don’t need the big bulky coats and scarves and hats and gloves. Cleaning the hall coat closet will give you more room to store other things and make it easier to find what you’re looking for.
To begin with, start by completely emptying the closet of all its contents.

Get in there with the vacuum cleaner and clean the walls, corners, floor and shelves.

Then use a solution of water and mild soap or white vinegar to wipe the entire area down

Don’t forget to wipe down the pole, and then wash or vacuum the floor.

Before putting anything back into the closet, decide what you are going to keep.

If your Childs winter coat was getting a little snug, its not going to fit next year, get rid of it.

If you have coats and jackets that need repaired zippers, or buttons sewed on, decide if you’re going to do this or if it will still be needing repair next year. If you don’t have time to repair them yourself, take it to the dry cleaner, most do simple zipper repairs.

What else did you have stashed in that closet? Is it the best place to store it? Does it have a different home and somehow found its way there? Put things back where they belong.

Throw out or donate things that haven’t been used in the last year. Chances are its either junk or its something someone else could use.

Store the winter coats and accessories somewhere else. If you lack a lot of storage space, try the vacuum sealed packs, there are special made ones just for coats. Then store away. This will create a ton of space for you!!

What To Keep In The Closet: spring coats, and umbrellas. Hang a plastic shoe rack that you can store a pair of slippers in to put on when you take your shoes off. You can also store more than just shoes in the pockets of these, such as flip flops, garden gloves, keys, camera, flashlights, etc.

Invest in heavy wooden hangers. Throw out any wire hangers, and plastic broken hangers. The wooden ones will last forever, keep the closet looking neater, and hold up to heavier coats.

A small shoe rack on the floor is perfect for the family to keep their shoes nice and neat. Put it on top of a small rubber mat to catch the dirt and water. It will be easier to remove the mat to clean then have to clean the whole floor.

On the shelves if you have them, is a good place to store extra large appliances you don’t use daily, like the mixer or blender.

If you have a large closet, you can store TV trays, your vacuum cleaner, board games, envelopes and stationary, phone books, blankets for picnics or fireworks, etc. Use your imagination and use the space wisely. Keep it clean and tidy by keeping on schedule and keeping good habits!

Declutter Before You Spring Clean!

No one loves to spring clean more than me!! I love that it means the warm weather is around the corner! Its a new fresh start to your cleaning routine. But before you begin, you have to, no you must..de clutter. Thats right, get rid of the junk..and its just junk, believe me! Your life and your cleaning routine will be so much easier without it. Its less you have to clean, pick up, put away, launder..so much easier! Once you've decluttered, you can organize what you have left..this is all part of spring cleaning ladies! Are you ready??

I know that the hardest part of getting organized is getting started. All you need to do for the next week is commit 15 minutes a day on de cluttering. Here are 7 tips to help you get started!!!

1. Make an appointment with yourself. Write it down on the calendar. And then keep that appointment like you would any other appointment such as the dentist. You have an appointment to unclutter something. Do not cancel or reschedule!!! Mark it down..the date, the time, and the mission! Remember you only have to do it for 15 minutes, but once you get going you may find that you can push it to 30 minutes or more!
2. Start small. Unclutter one shelf, one drawer, or one small area until you are done. You can set timers and give yourself a break if you need to, just be sure that it’s done before the end of the day. Do not go to bed with the job not done. This is why we are only picking ONE shelf, drawer, etc. You'll never get to sleep knowing that the whole closet is in piles on the floor. Keep it small!!! Don't schedule "declutter the basement" Just schedule what you can do in 15 minutes. "declutter the christmas section of basement" You may have to schedule this task for more than one day, but it will eventually all get done.
3. Set simple daily goals for yourself. Today, I’m going to clean out the sock drawer. And then do it. You can clean out the junk drawer while you wait for the water to boil for dinner! Just grab the garbage bag and start throwing out the junk.
4. Reward yourself. Plan on a nice soak in the tub when you finish the job. You’ll have something to look forward to, and the sooner you get the chore done, the sooner you’ll be in bath bubbles. Hard work deserves a reward! While the finished product of an organized and decluttered home will be a reward in itself, you need to give yourself something special for a job well done!
5. Find the mess. Figure out the one area that frustrates you the most. The bill basket, the toy bin, the junk drawer. If you’re constantly paying late charges because of misplaced bills, then BINGO, theres the problem. Clean and organize the area where your bills are kept.
6. Have the whole family help.Make a list of organizing projects and write each one on a separate piece of paper. Put them all in a jar or bowl. Set aside a Saturday afternoon. Have each member that is capable, reach inside and pick a slip of paper. Everyone does that organizing/declutter project until it’s done. You may want to do separate bowls that are age appropriate. Small kids can organize too! Don’t underestimate them; sometimes we over think things, while they have the simple solution! Don't forget to reward your family for their work..a night out to the movies, or out for ice cream might help to motivate them! 7. Don’t try and get it all done in one day. Walk away when you have had enough. The clutter didn’t get there overnight, and it won’t disappear overnight either. Don't get discouraged, you just start again tomorrow!

1. Things you love or use.
2. Things you could give away
3. Things that belong in the trash
4. Things you could sell
5. Things that belong elsewhere.

Be sure to put away what needs to be put away.

The things that need to get thrown out, do so.

The things that you’re going to give away or donate, place right into your car to be taken to a drop box, or the church. Don't just set them aside..straight into the car they go!!!

The things you’re going to sell, place in either the basement or garage. Price them ASAP, or list them on eBay, craigslist etc, immediately, do not put that off. Don't say your going to sell it and then just let it sit in a corner. Remember to be honest with yourself..if your not going to sell it, or have a garage sale, throw it out or donate it!!

Be tough on yourself when going through the items, when in doubt, throw it out!!! If you hesitate on where to put something, chances are it should not stay in the house and its just clutter that you can live without.

Be brutal. Don't keep something that you've been meaning to sew a button on or mend..be honest with yourself, your never going to do it, so get rid of it. Don't keep the broken toys, or the ten brushes in the bathroom. Really, how many do you use? Keep it real, stay honest with yourself and in no time you'll have bags of stuff leaving your house. Your going to feel so good! When we declutter our homes, we are decluttering our lives. And really, couldn't we all do with a little less of everything?

SWAG BUCKS~I LOVE IT!

Take a look over to the right..see the big Swag Bucks Box?? I joined this about a year ago and I can assure you that it is no scam!! I've recieved prizes like collector sports cards for my boys amazon gift cards, movie posters and more. All you do is download the toolbar, and search through them..simple!! Every once in awhile when you do a search you'll win swag bucks!! When you get enough swag bucks you hop over to the swag buck store and purchase items. There are also other ways to win swag bucks and prizes like sweepstakes, shopping, codes, etc. Take a look and if you decide to sign up, I'd love if you signed up through my widget. Who doesn't like "free" stuff? Especially in this economy!!!!

CHRISTMAS CHECK LIST

Your Holiday Schedule!
So much to do and so little time to do it! Don’t worry it will all get done! First things first you need to make your list! Yes another list. If your hosting Christmas Eve or Christmas Day your going to have to get in your shopping, prepping, cooking and cleaning. No problem.

Friday: Start your list. What you need to do, and what day it needs to be done.
Saturday/Sunday: Make your shopping list and check it twice. You won’t have time to run out for anything at the last moment.
Saturday:

• Clean the refrigerator out.
• Go grocery shopping.
• Go to the Liquor store.
• Anything you can clean, chop, cut or slice do so before you even put it away. Like the celery for the stuffing, or the lettuce for salad. Clean it and chop it and put it in baggies as soon as you get home from the grocery store. This will save you a lot of time this week when its time to prep food.

Sunday:

• Start cleaning. Concentrate on areas that your guest will be in. This is mostly going to be your living areas. Close the bedroom doors if you can’t get to them. Put a little extra effort into the powder room and the dining room. Be sure your kitchen is clean and sparkling. No one wants to walk into a dirty kitchen and then eat food from there!
• If you have any last minute wrapping to do, get it done today.
• Anything you can prep and make now do so. Many things can be done ahead of time. If you have any questions be sure to ask me or Robyn.
• Set your table. Get it all set up and throw a sheet over it.
• Figure out all your serving dishes and serving spoons now. I’ve said before, have a “go to table”. Place all your serving dishes there. Also put your coffee cups, creamer, sugar, to go containers, etc. Anything you may need or use that day put on or under this table. This way you (or your MIL) won’t be rummaging through cabinets looking for the gravy boat.

Monday:

• Do any last minute cleaning today. If your hosting today, be sure you have fresh guest towels out and plenty of toilet paper in the bathroom. Give everything a quick once over.
• Delegate. Give everyone something to do. Take out the garbage, set up chairs, unload the dishwasher, sweep the floor, whatever needs doing. Make a list of what you need done and put someones name next to it. Let the family know that you expect these chores done by a certain time and specify that time! I usually send my husband out of the house on mindless errands like getting bread or ice. He tends to either get in the way or get on my nerves. So he is better off out of the house!

Friday:

• If your hosting don’t wait till the last minute to start things. First thing you should do is give the house a quick clean up.
• Take a shower
• Start heating up foods you’ve already prepared.
• Get your “bar” together. Put out glasses, ice, and wine. Put out your appetizers. Give yourself a glance in the mirror, apply some lipstick, put on a smile and greet your guests!
• See how easy that was! All you need is a plan of attack. Make your list and stick to it. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Relax and don’t forget to enjoy the holiday! You deserve it!

TIS THE SEASON TO BE ORGANIZED

Organization is the one thing that will get us through the season smiling and singing! As long as we stay on schedule we will get it all done in a timely manner!
With today being the first weeks of December, we really need to plan out our month. Sit down with a calendar and figure out what needs doing week by week first. Then you can break each week up into daily tasks.

Example:
1st week of December: Clean house, and decorate.
Monday: Clean and move furniture or box up non seasonal things to make room for decorations
Tues: Bring up decorations and begin to decorate all but the tree
Wed: Get tree and decorate
Thursday: Clean
Fri: Make list of anything needed like new wreath, extra lights, etc and make a trip to the store.
The key to these lists are we aren’t doing it all in one day. If we try and do it all in one day we will fall behind in our normal routines. If we fall behind in our routines the house will fall apart and we will have to play catch up. Do a bit at a time.
Each week have a specific plan and stick to it. Don’t try to decorate and make cookies and shop and wrap all in one week. Your house will be a wreck, the laundry will be a mountain, and you will be exhausted and worthless to your family. Break it down into enjoyable and doable tasks. Don’t try and do it all in one day, the rest of your chores still need to be done. Keep your list small. If you break it up into a task each day, the rest of the house will survive, you’ll have the time to still make dinner, the children will still be happy and you won’t become overwhelmed.
Try and keep your tasks all the same for the week. If your baking cookies, reserve the second week of December for baking. Know that you will have to take the time to prepare your recipe list. Search your pantry for needed ingredients, make a shopping list, go shopping and ultimately begin to bake. Remember to have storage containers and a place to store the cookies.
Save another week for shopping and wrapping and checking your lists twice! If your making gifts, set aside time this week to do it. Schedule it in.
Don’t forget to save a day each week for your cleaning. Don’t begin your holiday tasks until your daily chores are done. You will enjoy doing it much more if you don’t have 3 loads of laundry hanging over your head. Stay organized, stay on tasks, and don’t be lazy this month. We really don’t have time to lose as Christmas is now only 24 days away! Will you be ready in 3 weeks?